The more difficulties one has to encounter, within and without, the more significant and the higher in inspiration his life will be.
From Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.”
Deserted, severed tree trunk
Shattered by storms long ago
Splitting this giant in two
Forsaken now in its woes
Nature’s hand calling the shots
Drawing dark cards from the deck
Standing alone, slowest death
Trying to salvage this wreck
Deformed snag appears lifeless
Yet, God calls this wildlife tree
Standing proudly, still on watch
Nature’s snack bar waits for free
Living nearby, log still lives
Covered with lichens and moss
Home for God’s smallest creatures
Termites, beetles . . . march across
Jagged stump remains on guard
Below the ground, roots still thrive
Life holds on, another year
Perseverance to survive
Around the dark, scuttled tree
Racing to reach sunlight first
Young saplings growing skyward
Cycle of life, marked to burst
All of the photographs were taken at Chestnut Ridge Metro Park, which is located just outside of Canal Winchester, Ohio. I frequently walk this park during the fall, spring, and summer months with an occasional hike in the wintertime.
Resolve never to quit, never to give up, no matter the situation.
Focus on remedies, not faults.
From the words of Latin priest and theologian Jerome of Stridon: “Love Holy Scripture, and wisdom will love you. Love her, and she will keep you. Honor her, and she will keep you.”
Pursuing wisdom over a lifetime
Gathering, enriching a single life
Applying to everyday challenges
Loving Scripture, supplanting darkest strife
Seeking wisdom with a hunger for more
Searching in the truthful and proper place
Persevering with consistency now
Tasting God’s Holy Word and loving grace
Sustaining the tree of life, holding fast
Following a righteous path, leads to peace
Finding God’s wisdom, life’s only true wealth
Blessing His wisdom, sustains life’s new lease
Trusting these blessed fruits of God’s wisdom
Turning evil away, aligned with Him
Refreshing mind and body, healing flesh
Respecting God’s Word, singing a new hymn
Treating our neighbors better than ourselves
Trusting, loving, supporting each other
Walking together with God, hand in hand
Partnering with each sister and brother
From Proverbs 3:13: “Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding,”
From Hebrews 10:19-20: “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh).”
Photo by Dobromir Hristov on Pexels.com
Sharing these words of eternal hope
Living with hope-filling optimism
Gathering with positive people
Persevering through God’s bold prism
Living as faithful children of God
Hearing our Father’s message of hope
Realizing now, hope springs from our Lord
Praising His Word, helping us to cope
Joining into a New Covenant
Filling with assurance from His Creed
Approaching with hearts, clean from evil
Washing with His pure water, indeed
Recalling our earlier struggles
Showing compassion through hopeful hearts
Maintaining endurance, life’s ahead
Remaining faithful, as life restarts
Holding fast to God’s blessings of hope
Encouraging daily, each other
Blessing with our love and gracious deeds
Standing with our sisters and brothers
Photo by Shayla on Pexels.com
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Jim Cymbala: “We urgently need people who encourage and inspire us to move toward God.”
This poem is inspired from viewing one of the posts from Alex Markovich Art. His Watercolor Sketch 43 stopped me in my writing tracks. Check out his site for further watercolor sketches, Russian postcards, and much more. There are plenty of incredible images.
Photo by Wendy Wei on Pexels.com
Walking this lonely road
Losing count of each step
Packing life’s hefty load
Careful not to misstep
Miles of infinite road
Where will it finally end?
Life scanned, like some bar code
What lies around the bend?
Few answers on this road
Walking day after day
Needing life to reload
Feeling like nature’s prey
Danger lurks on this road
Always staying alert
Life delayed in safe mode
Old, worn boots kicking dirt
Life resembles this road
Challenges come and go
Heavy, infinite load
Never walking too slow
Photo by Gabriela Palai on Pexels.com
This poem was written when one of my granddaughters was 11 years old. She had recently moved up to Level 7, and she was facing challenges with her uneven bars routine. At this meet, she finally completed her “giant” for the first time in competition.
Photo by Johan Bos on Pexels.com
Perseverance is her nickname
Tenacity ignites her flame
A young gymnast spends hours sharpening her skills
Improving a challenging routine stirs up a giant thrill
Her practices have been going well thus far
Showing tireless energy to conquer the bars
Recent meets have brought a challenge her way
Missing the giant on the uneven bars both days
This Level 7 gymnast travels to her next meet
Hoping the Warrior Challenge will bring a feat
She will compete today in three events plus the bars
Believing in her athletic destiny as she arrives by car
The judges will be looking for routines to score the best
Expecting to assess poise and skills that pass the test
This determined gymnast competes with renewed poise
Warming up, she seems oblivious to the crowd’s noise
Her bars warm-up finishes exceedingly well
Feeling her inner confidence grow and swell
It’s her turn to show the best she can be
Nailing the giant at last for judges to see
Perseverance is her nickname
Tenacity ignites her flame
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
From Genesis 2:24: “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com
Creating a rainbow, love inspires
Connecting two lives, becoming one
Merging together, feelings inside
Celebrating, we’ve only begun
Meeting at life’s crossroads, love brings truth
Confessing before our Lord, now one
Living as a twosome, sharing love
Spending time together, never done
Cherishing our love, always special
Sharing our dreams, dwelling between us
Leading us on a life adventure
Capturing a moment, on life’s bus
Depending on each other, love bonds
Growing tired of each other, never
Celebrating God’s gifts, shared with us
Changing our minds about us, never
Weathering life’s storms, love conquers all
Singing Hallelujah, love declares
Leaning on each other, love endures
Treasuring us, God’s love truly cares
Photo by Jasmine Wallace Carter on Pexels.com
From 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
Photo by Immortal shots on Pexels.com
Bone-chilling winds turn life upside down today
Delivering frigid, Arctic storms to every town
Thickening ice, spreading across the lake’s bay
People running straight into gusts, heads down
Wind chimes endlessly sing a winter-filled blast
Watching the thermometer effortlessly dive
Wondering, how long will this deep freeze last?
Somehow, everyone remains warm and thrives
The townsfolk cope, accepting winter’s greed
Facing long, harsh winters, most every year
Helping others to survive, when one’s in need
Winter’s severity never brings about fear
Finally one day, the wind changes its sound
Pitching warmer air, by way of a chinook
Lightening the load for everyone around
Smiles arrive, from every cranny and nook
Spring will soon send out her welcoming band
Replacing life’s burdens, with warmer wishes
Surviving winter’s struggles across the land
Winter to spring, life crosses familiar bridges
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
The text for this poem is based upon God’s Word as well as a recent sermon message given at New Life Church, Gahanna, Ohio.
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU on Pexels.com
From Hebrews 12:1-3
Let us throw off everything
Hindering sin, which easily entangles
Running life’s race with perseverance
Fixing faith’s eyes on Christ
He endures Calvary’s Cross
Defeating sin’s darkness and shame
Now sitting at God’s side
Bringing hope to lost hearts
The Message
Life’s treadmill defines our race
Running with God’s steady faith
Life’s marathon, hard and long
Facing emotional ups and downs
God sends His encouraging words
Overcoming defeat, distress, and despair
Trusting in Jesus, keep running
With perseverance, to the end
Jesus endures His own journey
Running to “our” bloody Cross
Following always Jesus’ faithful example
Showing us perseverance and trust
Young David ignores Goliath’s size
Focusing on faith in God
Christ faces the impossible
Yet, His journey will succeed
Jesus surrenders to God’s plan
Faithfully carrying our burdens
We all suffer sin’s consequences
Christ comes, guarding our hearts
Withstanding life’s harsh body blows
In this fallen, broken world
Take Action
Trusting God, eyes on Jesus
Focusing on Christ, remain obedient
Replacing life’s empty, negative notions
Knowing Jesus as our Savior!
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Big Sky Buckeye 