The tougher the job, the greater the reward.
Forget the past–the future will give you plenty to worry about.
George Allen (1918-1990) was an American football coach. He served as an NFL head coach for two different teams: Los Angeles Rams (1966-1970) and Washington Redskins (1971-1977). He was well-known for his ability to motivate his teams to achieve success.
From Romans 5:5: “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
Trust’s missing pieces
Empty vision’s space
Puzzle incomplete
Father’s grace, replace
Fear’s lack of patience
Filled with anxious space
Puzzle defective
Father’s grace, backspace
Shame’s torn-up pages
Tattered, sinful space
Puzzle uncertain
Father’s grace, erase
Hope’s shattered darkness
Doubts drain daily space
Puzzle fragmented
Father’s grace, embrace
Faith’s empty focus
Lost in prideful space
Puzzle imperfect
Father’s grace, retrace
From Romans 8:27: “And God, who searches hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
Photo by Wendy Wei on Pexels.com
Walking this lonely road
Losing count of each step
Packing life’s hefty load
Careful not to misstep
Miles of infinite road
Where will it finally end?
Life scanned, like some bar code
What lies around the bend?
Few answers on this road
Walking day after day
Needing life to reload
Feeling like nature’s prey
Danger lurks on this road
Always staying alert
Life delayed in safe mode
Old, worn boots kicking dirt
Life resembles this road
Challenges come and go
Heavy, infinite load
Never walking too slow
Photo by Gabriela Palai on Pexels.com
Originally published May, 2020.
May your future be limited only by your dreams.
Reach for it. Push yourself as far as you can.
Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986) was an American teacher and astronaut from Concord, New Hampshire. She will be remembered for her selection as the finalist in the Teacher in Space Project. She was a crew member on the ill-fated NASA mission on January 28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger was destroyed shortly after take-off.
Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com
Looming, life’s challenges come from left field
Invading life, pushing through safety shields
Sheltering-in-place brings many changes
Experiencing new rules, with broad ranges
Occupied at home, juggling novel ways
Overcoming change, yet lost in life’s maze
Closing businesses, routines now shuttered
Feeling suddenly strange, life seems cluttered
Playing underfoot, young children amaze
Showing adults, innocence shows new ways
Living with this new normal, upside down
Sensing loss, emotions creating frowns
Praying for those needing support and care
Tapping our faith, God leads with His bright flare
Remaking daily habits, life’s new pace
Shelving normal, left high on a bookcase
Growing each day, uncertainty prevails
Ticking clocks, second hands moving like snails
Hunkering down, persistent virus sprawls
Waiting day by day, patience makes its call
Photo by Shawn Stutzman on Pexels.com
Originally published April, 2020 (near the beginning of the Covid pandemic).
From Psalm 86:11: “Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere Your name.”
In perfect world
Always scoring
Tasting success
Every inning
Imperfect life
Trials crashing
Testing resolve
Emptiness reigns
Lessons in trust
Spirit nurtures
Kneeling at cross
Jesus teaches
Answers come forth
Faith’s walk deepens
Learning God’s ways
Grace enters heart
Battle strengthens
Darkness vanquished
Walking with Christ
Light victorious
God’s mercy flows
Just as He planned
Steady guidance
Growing each day
From Ecclesiastes 3:14: “I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it; God has done this so that all should stand in awe before Him.”
As long as you are dreaming, there is always a way out.
What matters is not how well you can avoid trouble, but how you cope with trouble when it comes.
Paul Auster (born 1947) is an American writer and film director. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages.
It’s easy to be bold and courageous if everything is going your way. But you’ll never fully discover who Jesus really is unless you walk through one life-stretching, faith-forming challenge after another.
From Isaiah 43:2-3: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself.
Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an American author, poet, and civil rights activist. Her body of published work is found in autobiographies, essays, poems, and numerous credits in plays, movies, and television shows.
Too many choices
Dreaming of sampling each one—
Tasting delicious
Reading instructions
Deciphering every step—
Uncommon language
Taking advantage
Fitting into slower pace—
Daily puzzle solved
Big Sky Buckeye 