One Journey (Elfchen Series #280)

Hope Reframed

Sharing

Gospel’s truth

Simple fishing boat

Serving as Christ’s pulpit

Witnessing

Grace Welcomed

Witnessing

Spirit’s presence

Life’s next appointment

Jesus will be there

Teaching

Peace Fulfilled

Teaching

Light embraced

Proclaimed in Scripture

Father loves His Son

Sharing

All images courtesy of Pinterest.

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.

Kitchen Table’s Witness

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Farm’s eternal footprint

Memories held tight

From each generation

Nurturing what’s right

 

Kitchen table’s witness

Writes each diary page

Chronicles history

Filling life’s rain gauge

 

Precious hope’s future link

Tough times overcome

History comes alive

Leaving each bread crumb

 

Confidence builds each spring

Another crop sown

Expected fall harvest

Paying back bank loan

 

Farmer’s faithful outlook

Every season’s birth

Tomorrow remains bright

Blessing Mother Earth

 

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Monday Memories: Ready and Able

From John 15:4-5: “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Sometimes in life, failure knocking

Darkest times, odds stacked against us

God always, ready and able

His greatness, witness Glory’s plus

 

Heaven’s Father never ceases

Life’s moments of weakness erased

God always, ready and able

Strengthened, with His sweetest foretaste

 

Abraham’s Sarah, doubts the Lord

Blessing comes with birth of a boy

God always, ready and able

His covenant, flowing with joy

 

Hebrew slaves hunger for freedom

Moses feels uncertain, with fear

God always, ready and able

Israel now freed, while He steers

 

Toiling and sweating in darkness

Accomplish little on our own

God always, ready and able

His hope and peace, faith’s firm backbone

 

Coming to the Lord, trusting Him

Follow His path, at life’s crossroads

God always, ready and able

Willing to lift burdensome loads

 

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From Matthew 11:28-30:  “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Originally published January, 2021.

Spirit of Joy (Third Sunday of Advent)

From Isaiah 35:10:  “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”

Courtesy of Pinterest.

God hears cries of anguish

Transmitting hope from above

Heaven’s spirit of joy

Assigning Bethlehem’s love

 

Out of darkness, light comes

Raising everlasting peace

Filled with harmony’s joy

Granting New Covenant’s lease

 

Patience fills righteous hearts

Waiting, Savior shall arise

His birth will bring great joy

Shepherding salvation’s prize

 

Virgin filled with Spirit

Bearing Father’s only Son

Grace reaches out with joy

Praising all that will be done

 

Prophecy’s truthful sight

Sharing Father’s divine plan

Hearts nourished with His joy

Kneeling before Son of Man

 

Courtesy of Pinterest.

From Psalm 146:8-9:  “The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.  The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.  The Lord watches over the strangers; He upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked He brings to ruin.”

Charles Swindoll Quote

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In the midst of the struggles and the storms and the sufferings of life, we can advance our thoughts beyond today and see relief.  Because, in the end, God does indeed win.

From Romans 12:12:  “ Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer.”

Charles Swindoll (born 1934) is an American pastor and Christian author.

Redemption Assured

From Job 19:25-26:  “For I know that my vindicator lives and that in the end He will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God.”

Photo by Adefemi Adedoyin on Pexels.com

Darkness shadows day

Each forgotten path

Sown hope uprooted

Crushed by evil’s wrath

 

Consumed with anger

Future’s light escapes

Forsaken feelings

Each evolving shape

 

Innocence cries out

Emptiness of heart

Tomorrow frozen

Outlook breaks apart

 

Faith’s net cast away

Trust lacking within

Tide now rushing forth

God always knows when

 

Redemption assured

Risen Savior lives

Light’s ember blossoms

Peace forever gives

 

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From Psalm 17:6-7:  “I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words.  Wondrously show Your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at Your right hand.”

John Lennon Quotes

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When we are afraid, we pull back from life.  When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer.

Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.

John Lennon (1940-1980) was a English musician and activist.  He was the founder of one of the most acclaimed groups ever, the Beatles.

Beacon of Peace (Second Sunday of Advent)

From Romans 15:12-13:  “And again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the gentiles; in him the gentiles shall hope.’  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Longing for inner peace

Patience fills every heart

Shepherds wonder this night

Spirit’s goodness imparts

 

Viewing Bethlehem’s peace

Mercy nestled with love

Deliverance of light

Precious to God above

 

Raising harmony’s peace

Root of Jesse shall bring

Spring of living waters

Hope abounds, joy will sing

 

Hearing God’s voice of peace

Salvation’s breath of light

Messiah’s truth to come

Angels now taking flight

 

Shining beacon of peace

Heaven’s intent descends

Hope wakens in stable

Love invites joy, God sends

 

Courtesy of Pinterest.

From Psalm 72:12-13:  “For He delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.  He has pity on the weak and the needy and saves the lives of the needy.”

Peace at Last (Elfchen Series #278)

Trusting

Famine

Hungering faith

Savior raises hope

Living Bread feeds all

Nourished

The Last Supper Jesus breaks the bread.

Conquering

Darkness

Uphill journey

Messiah infuses light

Courage travels mercy’s road

Illuminated

Redeeming

Battles

With flesh

Calvary rises up

Salvation breathes from Cross

Transformed

All images courtesy of Pinterest.

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.

Beneath Warmth’s Joy

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Gray sky flies overhead

Winter’s cold arrives

Autumn now asleep

Chilling nature’s hard drive

 

Spirit fills every tree

Spring postpones her speech

Peace lands with each flake

Covering whitest beach

 

Silence rejoins landscape

Yet, very much alive

Transfusion hidden

Feeding grace to survive

 

Arctic freeze now coming

Double seal each hatch

Ship awaits next storm

Traversing icy patch

 

Night’s dreams seeking comfort

Winter’s frost deploys

Hope’s blanket of snow

Snuggling beneath warmth’s joy

 

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