You’ve got to continue to grow, or you’re just like last night’s corn bread–stale and dry.
From Proverbs 9:6: “Lay aside immaturity and live, and walk in the way of insight.”
Loretta Lynn (1932-2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. She was born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky.
From James 1:2-3: “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”
Facing life’s trials
Any and all kinds
Counting as joy
Faith never resigns
Testing endurance
Burdens grow lighter
Blessing as joy
Hope growing brighter
Maturing in faith
Every doubt erased
Feeling as joy
Father’s grace embraced
Growing every day
Inner self renews
Holding as joy
Spirit standing true
Preparing our way
Eternity’s flame
Seeing as joy
Peace in Christ proclaims
From 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.”
From Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me.”
Being careful with life’s missteps
Sinful disobedience waits
God’s Word touches our inner soul
Hell pleasing, never be our fate
Our truest, most faithful support
Shall always arrive from His love
God’s Word will endure forever
His Spirit reigns from high above
When life’s dark trials boil over
Creating quagmires of distress
God’s Word quells each predicament
His next move leads like playing chess
Our life’s journey travels by faith
Transformed by Christ’s merciful heart
God’s Word reaches out, filled with hope
Bringing a new day, let’s restart
From 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Originally published July, 2020.
From 1 Timothy 3:16-17: “Without any doubt, the mystery of godliness is great: He was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.”
Receiving Father’s love
Heavenly provisions
Learning His trusted ways
Fulfilled with hope’s vision
Living with Father’s peace
Righteousness always leads
Blessing journey ahead
Strengthened with mercy’s seed
Seeking Father’s counsel
Daily conversation
Linking up through prayer
Rejected temptation
Fulfilling Father’s joy
Spirit nurtures each soul
Coming to Lord Jesus
Sanctified, faith made whole
Completing Father’s work
Upon His foundation
Accepting light’s guidance
Restored through salvation
From 1 Thessalonians 5:23: “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do this.”
Pursuing
Faith’s righteousness
Light opens path
Steps honor Savior’s grace
Found
Building
Lasting relationships
Quiet reflection’s refreshment
Accepting Savior’s timeless grace
Strengthened
Tasting
Precious wisdom
Cultivating Savior’s grace
Sprinkled with tomorrow’s hope
Behold
From John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”
Faith’s treasured bouquet
Running short of petals
Once filled with brilliant colors
Now fading away
Another day stirs
One more petal succumbs
Little color to witness
Darkness closes in
Mercy knocks at door
Savior shares timely grace
Fullest, colorful petals
Light rises again
Daily bouquet breathes
Everlasting goodness
Heavenly peace descending
Hope singing with joy
From Numbers 6:24-26: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Hope makes you see God’s guiding hand not only in the gentle and pleasant moments but also in the shadows of disappointment and darkness.
From Psalm 37:24-26: “Our steps are made firm by the Lord when He delights in our way; though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.”
Henri Nouwen (1932-1996) was a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.
From the words of Dr. Martin Luther King: “Courage faces fear and thereby masters it. Cowardice represses fear and is thereby mastered by it.”
Worry arrives with concerns never to come
Building upon past fears, stoking future ones
Life’s landscape fills with looming mountains
Instead of gentle molehills, fear gathers and stuns
Concerns about future challenges come forth
Transforming into worries, fueling more fear
Darkest clouds come together and gather
Who will grab the wheel and start to steer?
Waiting for our Lord, He renews our strength
Living by faith, His Word restores our soul
Rejoicing in hope, patient in suffering
Renewed by the Spirit, we feel more whole
God always walks with us, seek Him in prayer
Darkest valleys ahead, His love casts out fears
With compassion for our sufferings, hear His Word
Comforted by His rod and staff, God never veers
Asking of our Father, seeking His counsel
Bringing clearer witness, through His precise scope
His guidance renews our hearts, calming fears
His wisdom touches minds, filled with Gospel hope
From Mark 5:35-36: “While He was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.'”
Originally published June, 2020.
Courageously
Standing tall
Trusting the Almighty
Strengthening through His benevolence
Hopeful
Son
Faithfully
Accepting Savior
Teaching with truth
Standing on firmest Rock
Righteousness
Glory’s
Renewing faith
Uniting presence’s breath
Fulfilling with hope’s peace
Witness
From Psalm 142:3-4: “When my spirit is faint, You know my way. In the path where I walk, they have hidden a trap for me. Look on my right hand and see: there is no one who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me.”
Floundering at life’s darkest end
Feeling trust in patience sinking
Plunging ever deeper . . . deeper
Faith’s emptiness never shrinking
Wandering away from Shepherd
Seeing only darkness ahead
Feeling last breath of hope fading
Faith missing blessed, daily bread
Following one more false promise
Running into final dead end
Finding lost anchor’s solid rock
Faith at last, refuses to bend
Rising with hope’s trusted beacon
Lighting way on Emmaus Road
Praying without ceasing to God
Faith’s living water, overflowed
Worshipping in Gospel’s safe place
Facing each new day without fear
Tracking to follow Shepherd’s voice
Faith’s tomorrow, forever clear
From Psalm 23:1-2: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.”
Big Sky Buckeye 