Big Sky Buckeye

A writer's journey continues

Praying for Deliverance

Posted on April 5, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

From Psalm 31:24: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Immense weight of the world

Resting on our shoulders

Crying out to our Lord

Pebbles fall like boulders

Darkest thoughts undermine

Harshest mental torment

Hidden physical foes

Hopeless, stuck in cement

Our Lord hearing, He cares

Listening to whole hearts

Filling with confidence

Piercing conflict, like a dart

Forever with our Lord

His refuge, without fuss

His righteousness delivers

Strong fortress, saving us

Cities under fearful siege

Virus shadows each street

Lord, lead us and guide us

Your goodness won’t retreat

Our Father’s steadfast love

Covers our affliction

Blessed be our Lord God

Faith, hope . . . our conviction

Trusting in the Father

Facing vicious disease

Your face shines upon us

We pray upon our knees

Photo by Immortal shots on Pexels.com

From Psalm 3:8: “Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessings be on your people.”

Living Hope

Posted on April 3, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Reading through the last four entries in my journal, God brought inspiration to bring this praise to Him. There entries provide the bulk of the this poem, along with a few selected writings of Apostle Peter. I hope this poem sustains hope in you during your daily journey. During Lenten season, we are reminded of the hope we receive through Jesus’ walk to an old rugged Cross.

Photo by Valdemaras D. on Pexels.com

With God’s truth leading us

Our faith growing each day

Fueled by our Lord above

Hope responds, let us pray

God guides with steadiness

Navigating our ship

Through ever-present storms

Safe on our Lord’s flagship

Life-giving hearts may hide

Our emotional selves

Yet, other times we find

God’s Word within ourselves

Sometimes, life proclaims

Our “red badge of courage”

Straight into inner souls

Our faith will encourage

Much like a frigid wind

Freezing our tender face

Life challenges us to bear

Torment covered by grace

Through our Father’s mercy

A new birth, a living hope

Jesus . . . Resurrection

Life viewed through His new scope

Photo by Matt Hardy on Pexels.com

From 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Quietness Speaks

Posted on March 26, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

I took a recent neighborhood walk, and the surroundings were definitely not the norm. Quiet streets and hardly anyone outside on a gloomy, spring afternoon. I crossed a busy road, without the usual volume of traffic. The entire experience brought many thoughts to mind, some of which found their way into this poem.

grayscale photography of waiting shed near open road at night

Photo by Alexander Kovalev on Pexels.com

Morning rush traffic, missing in action

Downtown streets resemble empty ghost towns

All of this, most unusual for many

Life experiencing major breakdowns

Atmosphere of dark, winter gloom arrives

Quiet neighborhood lanes, filled with stillness

Sheltered-in-place covers the entire land

Fear and panic, with visions of illness

Households, overflowing with family

Quite unique for a midweek afternoon

Only essential employees at work

Life differs from a “Charlie Brown” cartoon

Spring’s portraits and sounds, arriving on schedule

Trees bud out, grass turning green, robins sing

God’s creation reminds us, He is near

His steadfast, faithful hope shall always ring

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

From Lamentations 3:21-23: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

God’s Promises

Posted on March 11, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

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.”

white concrete building beside concrete stairs

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.”

If I Was a . . .

Posted on March 6, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

This poem is inspired by a song which has been sung by many artists. Bobby Darin and later Johnny Cash and June Carter recorded their versions of “If I Were a Carpenter.” The song was written by Tim Hardin, and other artists have recorded and performed the song as well. Here is Bobby Darin’s version: “If I Were a Carpenter.”

Photo by Christina Morillo on Pexels.com

If I was a teacher

Bringing energy, passion, and patience

Transforming all into knowledge seekers

If I was a firefighter

Serving with unselfish duty and pride

Protecting all, making worries lighter

If I was an architect

Designing buildings for many uses

Looking ahead to challenging projects

If I was a farmer

Rising at dawn, working until sundown

Bringing a nation food, as God’s armor

If I was a nurse

Sharing with patient, compassionate care

Filling lives with hope, never for the worse

If I was a writer

Crafting words into stories and much more

Witnessing through eyes, open and brighter

If I was a musician

Creating good vibes through words and music

Bringing pleasure across generations

If I was a preacher

Instilling God’s Word with a church’s flock

Encouraged to be one of God’s teachers

If I was a soldier

Preserving peace and freedom in the world

Band of brothers, stand shoulder to shoulder

If I was a young tyke

Looking up to these inspiring adults

Growing up, each day feeling more alike

Photo by Wendy Wei on Pexels.com

Destined for Triumph

Posted on February 23, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

This poem is a sister poem which has been written as a follow-up to a previous poem “Destined for Nowhere.” If you haven’t read this poem yet, you may want to read it before viewing this poem.

From Isaiah 9:6: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon His shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Standing in the middle of “Nowhere”

Why should we even bother to care?

God answers, showing His Holy plan

Coming to earth, as the Son of Man

Bringing hope to a broken, darkened world

God’s love brings light, forever unfurled

Angels praise this Holy promise, yet to come

Christ promises life, no longer feeling numb

There is a new King in town, follow Him

His will defeats the Enemy, and our sin

Dust yourself off, bending a knee, and pray

God, the Father, loves us with plenty to say

From a cruel Cross, Jesus sheds blood for all

Forgiving our eternity of debts, is His call

Our Almighty Creator delivers His commands

Now come to taste His love, forever it stands

Christ offers the only path to Salvation

Remold our lives, flooded with stagnation

Believe Jesus, accept the Christ, follow Him

Step forward, forever freed from our sins

Through the Messiah, comes a risen taste

Destined for triumph, no longer disgraced

Photo by Artem Saranin on Pexels.com

Catherine Marshall Quote

Posted on January 27, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Of course you’ll encounter trouble. But behold a God of power who can take any evil and turn it into a door of hope.

From Colossians 1:26-27: “The mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to His saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Seeking His Guidance

Posted on January 4, 2020 by bigskybuckeye

Photo by Mike on Pexels.com

From Psalm 37:23-24: “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.”

God wants us to succeed today

Asking for our patience and trust

Allowing faith to rebuild hope

Studying from His Word, we must

Always trusting in our Father

Bringing us guidance and His love

Achieving good through His name

Touching hearts, His joy sings above

We are never forsaken, never

Leading, God offers direction

Finding the means, moving forward

Meeting trials with reflection

The wicked gather all around

Following the Enemy’s lies

Causing God to judge their follies

Coming Judgment Day will apprise

Our Savior’s coming, all waiting

Receiving God’s Grace, what a gift

The Lord standing with the righteous

Accepting His plan, lives not adrift

We may still misstep and stumble

Preventing us from falling down

Reaching out, God’s hand guiding us

Fleeing, the thirsty Enemy frowns

Through His Word, the Father blesses

Giving generously, all with love

Choosing Jesus, Salvation comes

Seeking God’s guidance, from above

From the words of Dutch priest, writer, and theologian Henri Nouwen: “A spiritual discipline is necessary in order to move slowly from an absurd to an obedient life, from a life filled with noisy worries to a life in which there is some free inner space where we can listen to our God and follow His guidance.”

man s hand in shallow focus and grayscale photography

Photo by lalesh aldarwish on Pexels.com

Paul Claudel Quotes

Posted on December 20, 2019 by bigskybuckeye

Photo by Lynnelle Richardson on Pexels.com

There is one thing sadder to lose than life, it is the reason to live, sadder than using your possessions, it is to lose your hope.

We must not seek happiness in peace, but in conflict.

Lonely Road

Posted on December 15, 2019 by bigskybuckeye

From 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Pexels.com

Sometimes life resembles a lonely road

Walking endless miles, filling with shame

Surrounded by darkness, bearing life’s load

Feeling mixed up, never into the game

God’s Word and Spirit bring transformation

Empty, spiritual desert . . . leaving now

Bringing dramatic change, new foundation

An oasis of faith becomes a vow

Discovering new hope, suffering ends

God’s light shines ahead of our faithful steps

Stumbling and failing, no longer contend

God’s Glory reigns supreme, without missteps

Old ways transforming to a better life

Exchanging total control with our Lord

God’s Grace gives, without cutting like a knife

His everlasting love, brings rich accord

God’s army of angels, walking ahead

Lonely road left . . . following Christ instead

Photo by Darrell Fraser on Pexels.com

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: