Calling
His army
Prayer warriors march
Father’s mercy moves mountains
Believe
Calling
His name
From earth’s darkness
Receiving Spirit’s timeless grace
Faith
Calling
His Son
Jesus rising above
Walking upon heaven’s waters
Redemption
Change is inevitable, growth is optional.
From Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
John Maxwell (born 1947) is an American pastor, author, and speaker. He has written numerous books about leadership, with a Christian point of view.
Fulfilled
With confidence
Walking by faith
Light of righteousness leads
Trust
Encouraged
With assurance
Faith’s trusted steps
Perseverance carries hope forward
Endurance
Overwhelmed
With adversity
Grace transforms darkness
Faithful outlook trusts Jesus
Triumphant
From Isaiah 41:1: “Listen to Me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment.”
Waking to morning’s silence
Praying to Father above
Faithful headwaters of strength
Renewing hope, filled with love
Energizing day’s journey
Tapping into Father’s grace
Coastlines reassured of strength
Offering peace to embrace
Joining in togetherness
Reciting from Father’s Word
River’s swift transforming strength
Navigating from what’s heard
Waiting with patience of Job
Seeing now through Father’s love
Each tide arrives with His strength
Restoring joy from above
Leaving wilderness for good
Fulfilling Father’s delight
Hope’s thirst quenched from water’s strength
Rising Son harbors faith’s light
From Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
From the words of Dr. Martin Luther King: “Courage faces fear and thereby masters it. Cowardice represses fear and is thereby mastered by it.”
Worry arrives with concerns never to come
Building upon past fears, stoking future ones
Life’s landscape fills with looming mountains
Instead of gentle molehills, fear gathers and stuns
Concerns about future challenges come forth
Transforming into worries, fueling more fear
Darkest clouds come together and gather
Who will grab the wheel and start to steer?
Waiting for our Lord, He renews our strength
Living by faith, His Word restores our soul
Rejoicing in hope, patient in suffering
Renewed by the Spirit, we feel more whole
God always walks with us, seek Him in prayer
Darkest valleys ahead, His love casts out fears
With compassion for our sufferings, hear His Word
Comforted by His rod and staff, God never veers
Asking of our Father, seeking His counsel
Bringing clearer witness, through His precise scope
His guidance renews our hearts, calming fears
His wisdom touches minds, filled with Gospel hope
From Mark 5:35-36: “While He was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’ But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.'”
Originally published June, 2020.
Enlightened
Accepting Jesus
One, true Messiah
Through Him, new life
Beholding
Empowered
Denying oneself
Ready to serve
Heart overflows with grace
Believing
Undaunted
Emptying thyself
Filled with faithfulness
Carrying Christ’s own cross
Following
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.
From Proverbs 10:2: “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.”
Footsteps seeking shortcut
Tempted with distractions
Detours filled with wrong turns
Darkness shrouds each transaction
Father’s road forsaken
Evil offers his way
Man’s eagerness to shine
Misguided bypass each day
Pulled away from Father
North, then south . . . now alone
West, then east . . . deeply lost
Next destination . . . unknown
Spirit’s faithfulness breathes
Constant grace, always bright
Jesus walking ahead
Resurrection’s blessed light
Filled with hope’s renewal
Witness of Savior’s peace
Fruits of Spirit descend
Wondrous joy fills every piece
Pathway of righteousness
Obstacles cleared away
Father’s trusted wisdom
Faith’s choices follow His way
From Psalm 23:1-3: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for His name’s sake.”
God’s specialty is bringing renewal to our strength, not reminders of our weakness. Take it by faith.
From Proverbs 3:1-2: “My child, do not forget My teaching, but let your heart keep My commandments, for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you.”
Experiencing
Father’s love
Tender mercies given
Washing away each transgression
Forgiveness
Trusting
Father’s promises
Righteousness nourishes faith
Eternity’s wealth of knowledge
Wisdom
Witnessing
Father’s presence
Never feeling forsaken
Grace creates clean heart
Renewal
Facing each mountain
Pausing, take time to refresh—
Energized to climb
Daily feast waiting
Feeding every cheerful heart—
Laughter’s nutrition
Warmed with lasting joy
Cold feelings evaporate—
Welcoming sunrise
Big Sky Buckeye 