Clarity
Blinded with troubles
Still hoping to see again—
Hidden light echoes

Assurance
Longing to find hope
Searching forgotten places—
Retrieving echoes

Optimism
Misplaced hope stirs
Blowing in from yesterday—
Echoes ride with wind

Blinded with troubles
Still hoping to see again—
Hidden light echoes

Longing to find hope
Searching forgotten places—
Retrieving echoes

Misplaced hope stirs
Blowing in from yesterday—
Echoes ride with wind

Father’s
Love provides
Do not worry
Grasp His righteous hand
Kingdom

Tomorrow
Always waiting
Do not worry
Father’s grace shall address
Today

Faith’s
Living water
Do not worry
Father’s wisdom nourishes spirit
Enlightenment

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.
From Luke 2:15-16: “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger.”

Love breathes at creation
Stirring throughout darkest void
Goodness pouring from light
Father’s plans fully deployed
Love’s promises share hope
Flowing with peace, yet to come
From depths of Father’s Word
Mercy’s steady, beating drum
Love fulfills prophecy
Abounding in Father’s grace
No longer in darkness
Joy framing faith’s new embrace
Love’s assurance descends
Flowing from Father’s goodwill
Bethlehem’s stirring peace
Silent night, shepherds stand still
Love pours into each heart
Enduring Father sows seeds
Messiah fulfills hope
Light releasing joy’s proceeds

Advent Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we remember and reflect upon this Advent season, assist us in turning our hearts toward You as we approach the birth of Your blessed Son. Encourage us to celebrate the gifts received from that very first Christmas: hope, peace, joy, and love. Amen.
English pastor and hymn writer, Isaac Watts, wrote the lyrics for “Joy to the World” in 1719. These verses embrace his interpretation of Psalm 98, which serves as a blessed completion of this Advent series of poems.

Only through faith in Christ do we have the assurance of hope beyond the grave.
From Romans 6:8: “But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.”

There’s no sight like seeing the light from Calvary kiss a human face as it fills the heart with the assurance of Divine forgiveness.
From Hebrews 6:10-12: “For God is not unjust; He will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for His sake in serving the saints, as you still do. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end, so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Rodney “Gipsy” Smith (1860-1947) was a British evangelist who conducted campaigns in both his native land and the United States for over 70 years.
Christ
Risen indeed!
Transforming faith’s cornerstone
Grace breathes with purpose
Justification

Christ
Conquering death
Taking sin’s place
Calvary’s now empty tomb
Redemption

Christ
Faithful shepherd
Hearing Savior’s voice
Wayward sheep now found
Assurance

From Romans 3:21-22: “But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets, the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction.”

Faith’s wayward journey
Bearing under sin
Without righteousness
Evil in sheepskin
Life’s unworthiness
Deceiving ourselves
Misery’s ruins
Man’s faith hides on shelves
Eternal darkness
Living without hope
God’s love sends Savior
He changes faith’s scope
Light born in stable
Proclaiming Good News
Father’s righteousness
Faith calls us to choose
Assurance in Christ
Believing in Him
Justified by faith
Salvation’s true hymn

From 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Assurance
Blessed relationship
Faith’s solid rock
Secure in Father’s love
Confidence

Confidence
Blessed actions
Grace at work
Goodness from Father’s love
Hope

Hope
Blessed Word
Wisdom dwells within
Framed by Father’s love
Assurance


The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality. If I love my Lord I have no business to be guided by natural temperament; I have to feed His sheep.
From John 21:17: “He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter felt hurt because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.'”
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.
Hungering
For Father
Whole heart prays
Finding Him always near
Faith

Coming
To Father
Focusing on Light
Following His trusted wisdom
Peace

Gathering
With Father
Restoring tomorrow’s hope
Climbing up mercy’s steps
Love

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.