Father’s
Blessed approach
Disciplining life’s journey
Bringing forth highest expectations
Righteousness
Father’s
Blessed mercy
Surrounding His children
Each and every day
Love
Father’s
Blessed light
Illuminating each step
Walking His truest path
Leading
This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.
You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life He meant you to live, unless you live from the heart.
From Ephesians 3:19-20: “To know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”
John Eldredge (born 1960) is an American author, counselor, and lecturer on Christianity. More details are available on his website: wildatheart.org.
Attention mankind
Pause now, stop to think
Look at your actions
Before more ships sink
Ecosystems fail
Fragile planet cries
Look at your actions
Before more dark skies
Poverty and crime
Stealing life’s spirit
Look at your actions
Before more fear it
Corruption’s headlines
Does anyone speak truth?
Look at your actions
Before more untruth
Clouds of war breathing
Death ravages world
Look at your actions
Before more unfurled
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.
Leo (Count Lev Nikolayevich) Tolstoy (1828-1910) was a Russian writer. Many consider him to be one the world’s greatest authors of all-time.
Always remember
Recounting gracious deeds
Breathing trust into faith
Life’s every tender reed
Lord fulfills great acts
Praising each, filled with love
Witnessing mighty hand
Angels sing from above
Never-ending grace
Sending His Son to build
Lasting bond with Father
Redemption shall be filled
Merciful journey
Gathering at one cross
Shedding His blood for all
Evil swallows his loss
New covenant calls
Forgiving sinful ways
Creating hope’s new life
Salvation’s hands now raise
I’ve found that the worst thing I can do when it comes to any kind of potential pressure situation is to put off dealing with it.
From Psalm 34:4-5: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him, and be radiant, so your faces shall never be ashamed.”
John Maxwell (born 1947) is an American pastor, author, and speaker. He has written numerous books about leadership, with a Christian point of view.
Life’s mirror reflects
Past sorrows filled with heartache—
Today writes new page
Positivity
Lights candle in one more soul—
Love and kindness glow
Hopeful and ready
Discovering more than one—
Life’s next open door
One of the important qualities that I think is often overlooked is just energy. It’s vitality, and sort of a life force that some people have and others don’t.
Whatever it is that you do, if you have that passion and desire for it, that’s the most important thing.
Doris Kearns Goodwin (born 1943) is an American biographer and historian. In 1995, she received the Pulitzer Prize for History from her work on a biography about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during World War II. She has also worked as sports journalist.
Photo by fauxels on Pexels.com
Jesus gathers up His apostles from humble ground
Making up God’s team, their witness shall abound
God’s Word oversees the performance of this team
Standing as chief executive, seeing holiest theme
The Holy Spirit earmarks the hearts and brains
Serving as the binding glue, better than chains
Returning to the beginning of God’s creative time
Transforming a land, His Word continues to climb
The Creator conceives of a perfect place for man
Placing Adam and Eve in Eden, always His plan
But, Adam and Eve journey on a sin-filled path
Leaving the ample garden, under God’s wrath
From this moment, God’s team stumbles and wanders
Facing estrangement from God, His people squander
Jesus comes to bridge what separates us from God
Sitting at the right hand, coaching a humbled squad
God establishes His expectations, perfectly high
Faltering and imperfect mortals, will never satisfy
The team continues to collapse over and over again
Forgetting God’s Commandments, sin seems to win
Many teams measure success by the flashy show
Works by themselves, will never add much glow
But, Jesus shepherds His team on a brand new track
Following by faith alone, Jesus always has their back
He reminds us to always love our God in Heaven’s seat
Loving each other as you have loved Me, always repeat
A bloody, criminal’s Cross summons all to take a knee
Accepting Jesus as Savior, teammates look up to see
Our Father orchestrates, with infinite patience and love
Creating and molding, the Great I Am looks from above
Jesus remains alert at the Creator’s side
Carrying keys to eternal life, all bona fide
As team members, we must trust, follow, and abide
Playing for Jesus, His coaching is forever our guide
Originally published January, 2020.
Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.
From Galatians 5:22-23, 25: “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”
Barbara Johnson (1927-2007) was an American author. Much of her writing reflected a strong Christian faith.
Big Sky Buckeye 