Patience
Darkness of morning
Massive thunderstorm gathers—
Waiting light of peace


Transition
Nighttime without joy
Storm’s anger now exhausted—
Brilliant sunrise
Answers
Today’s windy breath
Questions about tomorrow—
Navigating hope

Darkness of morning
Massive thunderstorm gathers—
Waiting light of peace


Nighttime without joy
Storm’s anger now exhausted—
Brilliant sunrise
Today’s windy breath
Questions about tomorrow—
Navigating hope

Taken from the words of German priest and Christian reformer, Martin Luther: “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.”

Pursuing truth within
Embracing Father’s Word
Meditating daily
Unlocking faith’s password
Father’s viewpoint of time
Filled with patient outlook
Each believer welcomed
Scripture’s trustworthy book
Father comes to gather
Those conquered, without peace
Light replaces darkness
Mercy set to release
Father shares living bread
Genuine grace sows trust
Fed from each Scripture verse
Righteousness to entrust
Transforming man’s spirit
Receiving precious gift
Accepting Father’s love
Witnessing hope’s airlift

From 2 Peter 3:18: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
From the words of American Christian author, Kay Arthur: Your times are in His hands. He’s in charge of the timetable, so wait patiently.

Quiet morning descends
Finding hope in rising sun
Filling each breath with His love
Christ’s mission shall be done
Mercy strengthens each heart
Knowing His love offers peace
Walking toward Calvary
Christ’s light shall never cease
Patience found in spirit
Waiting for His perfect time
Drawing love from trusted well
Christ’s truth must always climb
Death to sinful nature
Leaving darkness, love sings out
Seeing salvation in heavens
Christ’s now commanding route
Joy’s eager voice shares praise
Accepting love’s gift of grace
Upholding redemption’s light
Christ’s forgiving embrace

From Lamentations 3:25-26: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”

Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.
Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them. [Both quotes taken from Milne’s writings about Winnie-the-Pooh]
A. A. (Alan Alexander) Milne (1882-1956) was an English writer who was best known for his writings about Winnie-the-Pooh.
From James 1:2-5: “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.”

Trusting with confidence
Facing life’s many trials
Testing of faith endures
Patience studies each mile
God supplies every tool
His wisdom offers light
Faith strengthened every day
Removing doubts each night
Leaving evil’s darkness
Rising sun brings great joy
Receiving peace through grace
Richness in truth deploys
Temptation’s breath withers
Forgiveness brings fresh start
Every chain now broken
Filling hope in one’s heart
Persevering each day
Walking with Christ above
Embracing tomorrow
Submission tastes His love

From James 1:12: “Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Conflict’s illumination
Breathing at darkened crossroads
Competing sides debate
Feuding over each thought sowed
Wisdom arrives with patience
Lowering volume through grace
Pausing time to listen
Slowing down rhetoric’s pace
Conflict’s common ground merges
Finding compromise through peace
Hearing words of reason
Solving puzzle’s missing piece
Wisdom empowers new day
Offering one blessed choice
Walking together now
Gathering with single voice

From Proverbs 16:22: “Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it, but folly is the punishment of fools.”

Wisdom’s fountain of life
Vision of Christ unblurred
Blessing days without strife
Measuring every word
Wisdom’s voice fills each mind
Left hand joins truth of right
Maturing faith aligned
Cascading from Christ’s light
Wisdom’s appetite knows
Joy in Christ, never cease
Sowing hope’s seeds, trust flows
Reaping from fields of peace
Wisdom’s patience merging
Just as Father hath planned
Witnessing strength surging
Reaching out from Christ’s hand
Wisdom’s honest sweetness
Christ transforms man’s blindness
Filling life’s completeness
Building grace of kindness

From Proverbs 16:24: “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
From Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

Unconditional, none greater
Father’s steadfast and faithful love
He witnesses each human stain
Yet, His grace forgives from above
Eternity’s river of hope
Father’s truth expressed through His love
Heavenly spirit’s mercy flows
Righteousness descends from above
Enemy’s darkness now shattered
Father’s peace illuminates love
Patience always slow to anger
Angelic praises from above
Judgment left to His caring hands
Father’s vision expresses love
Invites man’s actions of kindness
Sunrise always leads from above
Truth sown from greatest commandment
Father looks inward at man’s love
Shared with every generation
Joy destined to praise from above

From Leviticus 19:18: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Darkness transformed by sunrise
Energy welcomes new day
Nurturing all living things
Creation’s welcome ballet
Light sprinkles from each raindrop
Nourishment covers this land
Offering prized refreshment
Creation’s spirit as planned
Landscape transformed once again
Yesterday’s page turns over
Embracing scene’s blessed touch
Creation’s own makeover
Peace rises with ocean tides
Gentleness coming ashore
Earmarking time’s tomorrow
Creation’s open front door
Patience streams through nature’s heart
River’s living waters flow
Quenching eternity’s thirst
Creation’s whispers aglow

From James 4:6: “But He gives all the more grace; therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'”

Our Creator’s divine plan
Offers fullest, living grace
Giving patience, just in case
When running life’s anxious race
Our Lord shares forgiveness
Relationships need healing
Forgiving sin, just in case
When each day seems freewheeling
Heaven’s Father, sharing peace
Imperfect lives needing change
Trimming each branch, just in case
When roaming lost on God’s range
God shares His timely wisdom
From Heaven, He sees us fall
Touching our hand, just in case
When we need His hope-filled call

From John 15:1-2: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more fruit.”
Originally published January, 2021.