The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each other’s burden, easing others’ loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas.
From John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”
William Carey Jones (1855-1927) was an American Congressman from the state of Washington.
From Psalm 118:1: “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!”
Giving thanks, praising Father
His enduring, steadfast love
Faith today, hope tomorrow
Embracing grace from above
Kneeling in daily prayer
Father listens with patience
Faith today, hope tomorrow
Transforming our impatience
Taking refuge with Father
His righteousness leads forthwith
Faith today, hope tomorrow
Overcoming evil’s myth
Surrounding witness of light
Father blazes road ahead
Faith today, hope tomorrow
Nourishing with daily bread
Grasping wisdom of Father
Skies no longer full of gray
Faith today, hope tomorrow
Directing our best, His way
From Psalm 118:24: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
From Psalm 9:1-2: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”
Another harvest finished
Bushels filled with Father’s grace
Spirit of thankfulness sings
Chorus of voices embrace
Gifted with bounty’s surplus
Every homestead offers praise
Spirit of Messiah sings
Mercy’s light always ablaze
Humbleness in daily walk
Morning’s sunrise praises all
Spirit of risen Lord sings
Cherished rewards come each fall
Community now gathers
Worship fills this tiny church
Spirit of faithfulness sings
Hope filling tomorrow’s search
Another spring shall arrive
Father’s glory in each seed
Spirit of thankfulness sings
Savior’s love forever freed
From Psalm 100:4-5: “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever and His faithfulness to all generations.”
From Matthew 5:1: “When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He began to speak and taught them.”
Father’s Word becomes flesh
Now living among man
Gentleness of potter’s hands
Fulfilling promised plan
Truth found in Savior’s voice
Faithfulness, heaven bound
United as one Body
Traversing common ground
Touched by Messiah’s grace
Forgiveness now descends
Chains of sin breaking away
Finding hope, darkness ends
Christ’s lesson plans share love
Hillside offers classroom
“Sermon on the Mount” teaches
Sowing faith, seeds shall bloom
Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ
His peace shall never end
Always with man in spirit
Blessing each knee to bend
From Matthew 28:20: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many”
Cherish
Father’s love
Another heart transformed
Journey into new life
Opportunity
Trust
Father’s love
Transformed in spirit
Scaling every high mountain
Courage
Embrace
Father’s love
Grace opens eyes
Darkness transformed into light
Faith
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.
God will use failure in your life to break down that strong desire in your heart to see your name in lights. And when He finally breaks you of that lust for recognition, He may place you before the lights like you’ve never imagined. But then it won’t matter. You won’t care if you’re prime time of small time, center stage or backstage, leading the charge or packing the baggage. You’re just part of the king’s army.
From Galatians 5:26: “Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.”
Sowed
God’s love
Ready to bloom
Nourished with His patience
Grace
Endowed
With grace
Shared with others
Offering of love’s kindness
Generosity
Cherished
Simple life
Accepting faith’s grace
Blessed with daily hope
Harvest
From Isaiah 49:13: “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His suffering ones.”
Peace rises above
Father’s comforting hand
Over every high mountain
Answers cover distant lands
Love rises above
Father’s comforting sense
Compassion lifts up each saint
Answers come to one’s defense
Hope rises above
Father’s comforting voice
Light eradicates darkness
Answers offer trusted choice
Joy rises above
Father’s comforting grace
Every storm becomes quiet
Answers which all should embrace
Grace rises above
Father’s comforting heart
Discipleship feeds spirit
Answers sustain faith’s restart
From the words of American Christian writer, Lettie B. Cowman: “Put your hand into the hand of God. He gives the calmness and serenity of heart and soul.”
From Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.”
Encouragement in Christ
Sharing love-filled grace
Witnessing humility
Heart’s very special place
Of one mind with Jesus
Sharing selfless love
Caring first, for others’ needs
Led by Spirit above
Every breath mirrors Christ
Sharing mercy’s joy
Walking with unselfish thoughts
Honest actions deploy
Each step follows Jesus
Sharing Spirit’s light
Taking obedient path
Humbleness guides faith’s sight
Always focused on Christ
Sharing fresh outlook
Living within dignity
Tomorrow’s quiet brook
From Philippians 2:14-15: “Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.”
There is nothing small in the service of God.
From Proverbs 11:25: “A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water.”
Big Sky Buckeye 