Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn’t calculate his happiness.
If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself.
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.
The minute a person whose word means a great deal dares to take the open-hearted and courageous way, many others will follow.
We are all here to have a kind of living of our own and to be recognized for what we are.
Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was an American contralto whose deep, rich voice presented a variety of music from opera to spirituals. She performed in many venues in both Europe and the United States for nearly 40 years.
We cannot afford to be naive about evil–it must be faced. But we cannot be intimidated by it either. It will be used by God to bring good.
From Romans 8:31: “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”
Eugene Peterson (1932-2018) was an American pastor, theologian, and Christian author.
From Psalm 92:12-15: “The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap, showing that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”
River of life, unceasing in its travels
Mysteries of life, shall ever unravel
From heavenly source, cascades living water
Shaping clay, molded by Creation’s potter
When ultimate challenges travel too high
Overcoming all odds, courage one’s ally
Life’s purpose, taking self far from safety’s home
Discovering meaning, hidden catacombs
Fate knocking, invisible hand clearly seen
Traveling waters, transparent with routine
Years continue to advance, filled with Lord’s grace
Breathing enduring joy, from life’s timeless chase
Life’s sunset glimmers, over cloudless skyline
Looking back, years richer than any gold mine
Mysteries of life, eternally fulfilled
River of life, journey which only God builds
From the words of American pastor and Christian teacher, Charles Stanley: “Our bodies may age, but we get old only if we choose to do so–attitude is what makes the difference.”
Originally published January, 2021.
Tested
By circumstances
Faith’s resolute light
Loneliness retreats to shadows
Trusting
Faced
With darkness
Faith’s boldest moves
Enemy expelled by light
Overwhelming
Surrounded
By storms
Faith gathers strength
Rising from Calvary’s light
Reassuring
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.
Stay busy, Be useful.
Strength does not come with winning. Your struggles develop your strengths.
Arnold Schwarzenegger (born 1947) is an Austrian-born bodybuilder who has lived the American dream as an actor and California governor.
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) was the 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945).
The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but the difficulty of it does not make us faint and cave in, it rouses us up to overcome.
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.”
Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was a Scottish evangelist and Christian teacher. Following his death from an illness while in Egypt during World War I, his wife took on the task of transcribing the detailed notes she had written from his lectures and sermons. Gertrude Hobbs Chambers’ efforts resulted in the publication in 1924 of MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. I frequently read from this devotional, and it has greatly deepened my faith and understanding of God’s Word.
From Proverbs 23:23: “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”
Philosophy breathes steady, faith’s living truths
Waiting with wisdom, long missing from our youth
Life’s daily chase may not be worth small treasure
Reading God’s Word, bringing life’s honest measure
Plan on giving more to others than ourselves
Blessing us with far more than dusty bookshelves
Jesus teaches us to treat others with love
Harnessing our Lord’s grace and peace from above
Trust lives as hope’s virtue, never to be lost
Securing it tightly, at ultimate cost
Our daily comfort zone brings false sense of peace
Rising up with Christ, offering life’s new lease
Failure teaches toughest lessons of living
Earning later success, praise with thanksgiving
Mankind’s world spins daily, filled with too much change
Praying to God, calms life with daily exchange
From James 1:17-18: “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of His own purpose He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of His creatures.”
Originally published December, 2020.
Obstacles ahead
Shading vision from darkness—
Coming into light
Bumpy road jumps up
Watch out . . . another crater—
Changing tire again
“Things” lose their luster
Instead, heart swells with people—
Living simple life
Big Sky Buckeye 