
We don’t heal in isolation, but in community.
You don’t find light by avoiding the darkness.
S. Kelley Harrell is an American author with many books to her credit. Her home is found in North Carolina.

We don’t heal in isolation, but in community.
You don’t find light by avoiding the darkness.
S. Kelley Harrell is an American author with many books to her credit. Her home is found in North Carolina.

Love children especially. They live to soften and purify our hearts.
The soul is healed by being with children.
Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) was a Russian writer and journalist. Numerous critics rank him as one of the finest novelists in all of world literature.
Reading from Psalm 38, one finds David’s words as he asks for God’s healing. This poem’s verses bring to the forefront an active voice with feeling, praying, finding, healing, praising, and seeing.

Feeling darkness
Feeling unknown
Feeling empty
Feeling alone
Praying with faith
Praying this Psalm
Praying for hope
Praying for calm
Finding God’s love
Finding what’s heard
Finding new life
Finding His Word
Healing these wounds
Healing this soul
Healing my heart
Healing me whole
Praising Father
Praising accords
Praising heavens
Praising my Lord
Seeing the Cross
Seeing the light
Seeing Christ’s love
Seeing God’s might

From Psalm 38:15: “But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.”
Originally published June, 2020.
From Romans 5:3-4: “And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.”

Relationship challenges
Sin attempts to break apart
Holy Spirit never rests
Love’s flame nurtures pair of hearts
Faithful steps follow Jesus
Light sharing grace every day
Together, praying as one
Love fills tomorrow’s gateway
Father extends helping hand
Darkness replaced with sunrise
Endurance sustains journey
Love eclipses gloomy skies
Marriage healing and growing
Faith’s commitment now restored
Mercy’s lasting promises
Love’s hymn, vows renewing chords

From Romans 5:5: “And 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.”

Adversity is not only a bridge to a deeper relationship with God, but it’s also the path to freedom, healing, and maximum usefulness.
From Hebrews 12:11-13: “Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.“
In recent weeks, high level winds have moved a thick, smoky haze from Canadian wildfires into the airspace in some of the northern regions of the United States.

Northern-based fires burn
Smothering southern skies
Nature under assault
Day-by-day forecasts advise
Hazy, smoky skies
Hiding morning sunshine
Air quality alert
Heavens covered in disguise
Filtered sky above
Waiting for winds to change
Today must continue
Even though feeling short-changed
Fires now flaming out
Welcoming back blue sky
Sun makes blessed comeback
Disruptive smoke says goodbye
Nature overcomes
Pushing through stressful days
Time ahead brings healing
Sky offers hours to stargaze


Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.
And no one will listen to us until we listen to ourselves.
Marianne Williamson (born 1950) is an American author who has written 14 books (at last count).

Be confused, it’s where you begin to learn new things.
Be broken, it’s where you begin to heal.
S. C. Lourie is a British writer, poet, and artist.
From Psalm 25:5: “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.”

Living in God’s Kingdom
Providing all things
Sharing His steadfast peace
Grace forever springs
Healing our tattered souls
Witnessing our plight
Stirring up lasting faith
Eternity’s light
Filling hearts with mercy
Kindling each sunrise
Soaring on eagle’s wings
Glory in God’s eyes
Casting darkness aside
Saving every heart
Loving each child of God
New life now restarts
Blessing with His goodness
Hearing our sad cries
Raising us up in Christ
Salvation’s franchise

From Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Baptismal
Mountainside spring
Filled with healing
Thirsty heart now restored
Waters

Receiving
Christ’s love
Following faithful steps
Paying forward to others
Compassion

Brokenness
Jesus builds
Redemption’s eternal bridge
Between sin and God
Living

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.