Sharing
Spirit’s light
Motivating one another
Love-filled grace working
Encouragement
Trusting
Father’s Word
Depths of understanding
Lighting faith’s bold path
Righteousness
Accepting
Resurrection’s light
Witnessed at Calvary
Jesus paid our debts
Love
Keep your face always toward the sunshine–and shadows will fall behind you.
Do anything, but let it produce joy.
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) was one of America’s most influential poets. His writing prowess was not only evident in his poems, but also in his work as a journalist and essayist.
God works by simply stepping into our ordinary day of life and saying what He wants to say. It’s a meat-and-potatoes kind of proposition. Here’s what needs doing, and you’re the person who’s going to do it, “so let’s get after it.”
From Proverbs 8:22: “The Lord created me at the beginning of His work, the first of His acts of long ago.”
From Joshua 1:9: “I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Challenges rolling in
On waves of ceaseless tides
Searching for faithful hope
Jesus shall be thy guide
Universe seems empty
Darkness never takes rest
Seeking encouragement
Jesus hears each request
Faith walking toward light
Hope growing from His love
Filling heart with fresh grace
Jesus comes from above
Optimism descending
Day’s outlook shining bright
Finding encouragement
Jesus shares trusted light
From Romans 15:5-6: “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
From Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Photo by Jarosław Miś on Pexels.com
Life tempting us with enticing shortcuts
Most of these never seem to bring success
Gods speaks honestly, always asking us
Did we burrow deeper, rather than guess?
Clever world flooding us with remedies
Formulas for a more successful life
Simple, surefire, easy to use, guaranteed
God’s formula, always true without strife
Never shy from following the Father
He doesn’t promise a road without bumps
God offers promises with blessed love
His way leading us forward, our hearts jump
Requiring patience, life’s a marathon
God remains our Rock, faithful and steadfast
His blessings fill our lives in countless ways
Our ship sails, with eternal hope amassed
Losing hope at times, seeking a quick fix
Encouragement and trust arrives from God
Offering us Grace, filled with peace and joy
Grateful, He accepts us, totally flawed
Photo by Sanaan Mazhar on Pexels.com
From the words of Saint Teresa of Avila, “We ought to make some progress, however little, every day, and show some increase of fervor. We ought to act as if we were at war–as, indeed, we are–and never relax until we have won the victory.”
Originally published March, 2020.
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by another encounter with another human being.
Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) was a French-born theologian, writer, humanitarian, and philosopher. He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his philosophy of “Reverence for Life.”
From Hebrews 10:19-20: “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh).”
Photo by Dobromir Hristov on Pexels.com
Sharing these words of eternal hope
Living with hope-filling optimism
Gathering with positive people
Persevering through God’s bold prism
Living as faithful children of God
Hearing our Father’s message of hope
Realizing now, hope springs from our Lord
Praising His Word, helping us to cope
Joining into a New Covenant
Filling with assurance from His Creed
Approaching with hearts, clean from evil
Washing with His pure water, indeed
Recalling our earlier struggles
Showing compassion through hopeful hearts
Maintaining endurance, life’s ahead
Remaining faithful, as life restarts
Holding fast to God’s blessings of hope
Encouraging daily, each other
Blessing with our love and gracious deeds
Standing with our sisters and brothers
Photo by Shayla on Pexels.com
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Jim Cymbala: “We urgently need people who encourage and inspire us to move toward God.”
Originally published May, 2020.
Looking through honest lens
Working from novel ways
Encouraging chorus
Filling every hour with praise
Setting aside worries
Embracing revisions
Writing life’s next chapter
Seeing tomorrow’s vision
Stepping forward with hope
Gazing at clouds afar
Embracing each treasure
Reaching for another star
Tasting sweeter moments
Moving from perfection
Pursuing unique path
Mirroring heart’s reflections
The thing that looks the most ordinary might end up being the thing that leads you to victory.
If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you.
Matt Haig (born 1975) is an English writer and journalist. Much of his writing focuses on novels with fictional themes for adults as well as children stories.
Listening
Without ceasing
Holy heavenly Father
Sharing His lasting Word
Prayer
Growing
Spirit within
Enduring with patience
Overcoming power of darkness
Hope
Praising
Savior Jesus
Living godly life
Bearing His divine fruit
Strength
Big Sky Buckeye 