His Presence Leading

From Psalm 88:1-2:  “Lord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry.”

Photo by Torsten Kellermann on Pexels.com

Cold stillness greets early morning air

Dressed in armor’s extra warm layers

Pre-dawn speaks with inviting brightness

Heavenly Father answers prayers

 

Heart’s emptiness filled with sorrow’s grief

Walking life’s open road with brisk pace

Precious moments with Father’s goodness

He stands ready at this time and place

 

Frigid frost slaps rosy cheeks and nose

Step after step, life moving along

Chill penetrates through extra clothing

Heart needs comfort, love from Heaven’s song

 

Absent clouds replaced with brightest sun

God’s advent warms both body and soul

Speaking with loving mercy and grace

Father softens pain from rocky shoal

 

Walk’s intensity traded for peace

Warmness and hope, alive and feeding

Life’s burdens lightened with God’s blessings

Sharing much more, His presence leading

 

Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com

From Psalm 25:16-17:  “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.”

Eternal Presence (Elfchen Series #43)

Obeying

Child

Of God

Respect your Father

With love and obedient

Heart

Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com

Needing

Weariness

Day’s trials

God’s soothing Word

Heals fragile, tender hearts

Peace

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile on Pexels.com

Seeking

Focus

Life’s attention

God’s secure refuge

Stabilized by His love

Jesus

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

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.

Daily Blessings

From Ephesians 1:3:  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Accepting life’s ongoing gifts

Filling wonder, never adrift

 

Marveling at heavens above

Inspiring vastness of God’s love

 

Walking in righteousness with God

Comforted by His love, unflawed

 

Looking ahead, with peace and hope

Holding tightly to God’s firm rope

 

Treating others with words which say

Sharing compassion’s rich bouquet

 

Gathering strength for life’s travels

Trusting God, nothing unravels

 

Listening to deepest feelings

Surveying each moment’s healing

 

Receiving mid-course corrections

Hearing God’s faithful directions

 

Sailing in darkness, never cursed

Navigating by God, headfirst

 

Achieving goals, each passing day

Tasting our Lord’s hope-filled buffet

 

Tackling challenges without fear

Taking risks, with God set to steer

 

Stepping forward beyond life’s dreams

Following each path as God deems

 

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

From 1 Corinthians 10:16:  “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?”

Morning Dreams

Photo by icon0.com on Pexels.com

Darkness hides

Morning’s reception

Silence riddles chilly air

 

Mellow breeze

Wind chimes serenade

Peace soothing this resting soul

 

Candle glows

Dancing shadows play

Frolicking, flickering flame

 

Hot coffee

Early, steady mate

Comforting, every drop

 

Good ol’ friend

Morning hums with fun

Feeling the caffeine-fueled boost

 

Dawn’s twilight

Distant horizon

Breaking through hardheaded clouds

 

Music plays

Tunes stir memories

Jukebox sings with sunrise joy

 

Life’s pages

Another chapter

Feeling all cozy and warm

 

Dreams invite

Delightful journey

Buzzing, unmistaken joy

 

Snooze button

Calling, “Please hit me”

Let’s start all over . . . again!

 

Photo by Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush on Pexels.com

Monday Memories: Walk With Me

Photo by Ivars on Pexels.com

Walking in the quiet, pre-dawn darkness

Inviting someone to share its calmness

Appreciating the morning’s starkness

Jesus joins these moments of peacefulness

 

Sharing these special times, feeling so blessed

Listening to Savior Jesus, what joy!

Feeling renewed, with mercy invested

God’s Son gathers peace, ready to deploy

 

Witnessing this time, brings purpose to life

Forgiving light, leading this faithful walk

Sensing Christ’s harmony, removing all strife

His eternal love, conveying faithful talk

 

God shapes His flock as a skillful potter

Drawing closer to our Holy Father

 

Photo by Mochammad Algi on Pexels.com

Living Truths

From Proverbs 23:23:  “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

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

 

Photo by Garon Piceli on Pexels.com

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.”

Peace in Christ

From Psalm 27:1:  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Photo by Benjamin Suter on Pexels.com

Love-filling peace coming to earth

Saving us from darkness and sin

Messiah’s birth bringing shalom

Born to us, root of Jesse’s kin

 

Precious child of peace shall be born

Ruling with righteousness, indeed

Heaven’s Wonderful Counselor

Prince of Peace proclaims Father’s creed

 

Glory to God, highest heaven

Peace sharing goodwill amongst man

Worshipping, now as one body

Trusting the way, His divine plan

 

Exchanging weakness for God’s strength

Blessed will be the peacemakers

Forever called children of God

Sowing peace, Holy Caretaker

 

Light the way into our future

Adoring child delivers peace

Born the hallowed King of Angels

Hope, peace, and joy shall never cease

 

Photo by Ben Mack on Pexels.com

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.”

Ultimate Grace

From Romans 5:1-2:  “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Our sinful nature

Takes Christ to the Cross

God responds with love

Grace reaches across

 

Jesus defeats death

Living cornerstone

Sacred salvation

Grace comes to atone

 

Father’s gift of life

Receive daily bread

Through our faith alone

Grace walking ahead

 

Christ teaches of love

Shares His peace of mind

Hearts and minds now cleansed

Grace saving mankind

 

Never fear again

Look forward to peace

Fate sealed with God’s love

Grace, life’s Holy lease

 

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

From the words of American pastor and Christian teacher, Charles Stanley:  “When facing painful trials, we may be tempted to doubt God’s love for us.  Remember that God orchestrated the greatest demonstration of love possible–His Son’s death on the cross.”

Keep It Simple

From Proverbs 15:15:  “All the days of the poor are hard, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.”

Photo by Alexander Zvir on Pexels.com

Life draining, more exhausted each day

Skies and mind, filling with darkest gray

 

Feet feeling locked, stuck in deepest mud

Fear turns on its spigot, now a flood

 

Advice shouts from all comers, all sides

Inner soul overwhelmed, faith divides

 

Daily walk, no longer stunning bright

Chaos reigns, becoming lasting night

 

Seasoned man, parked at Main Street’s corner

Life hits pause, who is this foreigner?

 

His thoughts and words, simple in their task

Holy Spirit reaches, to unmask

 

Keep it simple, fill your life with love

God’s peace, bringing comfort from above

 

In an instant, the wise sage departs

Night transforms to day, love fills this heart

 

Photo by Lukas Rodriguez on Pexels.com

From 1 John 5:3-4:  “ For the love of God is this, that we obey His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world.  And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.”

Rejoice and Be Glad

From Psalm 118:1:  “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!”

Photo by Adam Kontor on Pexels.com

Rejoice and be glad in our God

His steadfast love endures forever

 

Giving thanks and praise to the Lord

His goodness shall reign forever

 

In our distress, God hears each cry

Without fear, we follow His way

 

His Peace driving away our fears

His Mercy filling up our hearts

 

His voice calls us to His refuge

Our confidence rests with the Lord

 

His Word comforting our sorrows

His Love healing our many wounds

 

From Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

 

His Holy Son, our cornerstone

Salvation arrives at the Cross

 

His Grace delivering His love

His righteousness covering sins

 

God, the Father, blessing Spirit

Through His beloved Son, Jesus

 

His Wisdom showing us the way

His Manna feeding hungry souls

 

God’s infinite strength, our fixed Rock

All foes challenging us . . . vanquished!

 

Rejoice and be glad in our Lord

His steadfast love endures forever

 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

From Psalm 118:29:  “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.”