Advent 2019

In a season of waiting

Each morning unfolds

Open hands to receive

The story being told

Clenched or closing

Refusing new grace

Shackles old thoughts

No mercy embraced

Sun rises slowly

Brings light to new ways

Trusting the process

Turns color from grays

A blanket of snow

Warms earth underneath

To bear the cold season

Hope springs new relief

For so many years

God’s people were yearning

A Savior foretold

A long time of learning

The birth of a baby

In a manger of hay

The answer to prayer

In the Father’s way

The King who came walking

Just like one of us

His holiness hidden

To love and not crush

This love that was given

Is heavy to bear

Yet when I receive it

I learn how to share

From Advent to Christmas

I must travel alone

Hand in hand with Jesus

To learn what He knows.

She Does

Blades of grass

Soft under her feet

Gift of a journey

A mission to meet

Called from the chaos

A moment of rest

Time slowing down

To gather the best

Her grip is loosened

Uncontrollable things

Falling behind her

Like butterfly wings

A gentle voice guiding

Faith is her strength

Joy is the weapon

She uses at length

Never forgetting

The battle at hand

Obedience leads her

To new spacious land

Aware of the darkness

Existing with light

Following her Father

Persevering with might

For now like Mary

She chooses the good

At the feet of Messiah

She does as she should.

 

“His love broke open the way and he brought me into a beautiful broad place. He rescued me—because his delight is in me!” (Psalm 18:19)

Inspired by Luke 10:42

“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

 

Shift

Weightless but grounded

Like a feather in dirt

Softly kept freedom

Rises above the hurt

Wakeful with prayer

Salted with grace

Voice spoken words

A smile on my face

Breathing in deep

Life upon lungs

Another day opens

Where yesterday hung

Light upon shadows

Like waves upon sand

Washing away

Mistakes of my hand

Morning brings promise

An unopened gift

Carefully unwrapping

Joy takes the next shift.

Memorial Day Tribute 2019

Gratitude gleams in the sunshine

Reflecting on tears that have fallen

Red, white, and blue, stripes given

From a hero who walks life uncommon

A call of the duty that beckons

Brothers and sisters in arms

They take up the cross that burdens

To protect and keep love from harm

Pause and reflect on the cost

Notice the eyes of those who have served

Join me and pause to see them

These warriors with hearts submerged

Sometimes the rough exterior

Will hide their hidden kindness

They deserve the searching

Treasures found in exteriors that blind us

Losses and pain kept secret

Heavy like balls and chains

Lets us be seekers with gracefulness

To bind mercy in the life unchanged

Honor to those who gave their lives

Forgiveness for those who remain

Hope in the promise of Jesus

Who’s love sacrifice was one in the same

He is the only Redeemer

The One who understands our pain

No matter the life we walk while on earth

His love and healing will stay

I lift my hope this Memorial Day

For those who are lost and alone

That the sadness you feel would be planted

Into beauty this fought for freedom can grow.

What Love Does

When you give your heart away

There is floating in between

A place of honest giving

Trust in how it will be received

The truth in giving love

Is to draw from our Redeemer

The One who gave it all

To the frail and flawed receivers

Faded flower calling in colors

Take a second look before you pass

New does not always mean best

Return to the the richer past

Knowing and loving and being true

Words to solve a puzzle

Understanding why is not so bad

Soak into my loving nuzzel

The question of how does not matter

My heart has been rooted in God

Loving a man that is in a battle

Is a wife’s holy and graceful nod

Moving to the next me brigade

Is nothing compared to commitment

A vow to be what I could not be

Without my Saviour’s commission

A love was protrayed in agony

A sheep praying for her wolves

Nailed to a cross with a silent prayer

Sacrifice is what love does

New Wings

With wings you can fly

Soaring from place to place

Nothing else but freedom

Discovering beauty and grace

Hungry storms crawl in

Glance behind your shoulder

Determined to stay on course

Freedom becomes bolder

Bliss is changed to forced

A door is opened wide

Unbeknownst it is cage

Decision based on pride

Enter through at will

Escape a painful chase

Giving up too soon

To find a friendly face

Joined by those in prison

Trapped by choices made

We are in this life together

I hear distant songs of praise

My heart of faith is willing

To step ahead with prayer

To sing the songs of a risen King

He will meet us here

When prison doors fling open

I will be here waiting

Do not fall upon your sword

New wings are for the taking.

Inspired by Acts 16:25-34 The Passion Translation (TPT)

25 Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship.

26 Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. All at once every prison door flung open and the chains of all the prisoners came loose.

27 Startled, the jailer awoke and saw every cell door standing open. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself 28 when Paul shouted in the darkness, “Stop! Don’t hurt yourself. We’re all still here.”

29 The jailer called for a light. When he saw that they were still in their cells, he rushed in and fell trembling at their feet. 30 Then he led Paul and Silas outside and asked, “What must I do to be saved?”

31 They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all your family.”32 Then they prophesied the word of the Lord over him and all his family. 33 Even though the hour was late, he washed their wounds. Then he and all his family were baptized. He took Paul and Silas into his home and set them at his table and fed them. 34 The jailer and all his family were filled with joy in their newfound faith in God.

For Such a Time

Share to Strengthen

(For Such a Time)

Inspired by Rebekah and Esther 4:14

When the waters are choppy
and the way seems unclear
Let my heart be at peace
Step out with no fear
When others around me
Seem worried and frail
May my walk show confidence
That my God will not fail
Shall I shrink back in shadows
When I hear His voice call?
And avoid the abundance
Jesus came to give all?
My spirit cries “no!”
I will not be afraid
I will rest in the safety
His promises made
This journey prepared me
Lessons not to be missed
My life given purpose
For such a time as this.

I pray for each one of us that no matter our situation, we will trust in the hands that formed us, in Jesus who saved us, and God will not fail us. May our hearts be filled with strength enough for our…

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Always Been

Upon each tiny grain

moments spread beneath our feet

careful steps reveal

Where faith and movement meet

Seconds move the future

Pages written with a choice

choose the next adventure

Listen carefully to the Voice

Who is speaking truth

What does my heart desire

Where is this path leading

When will we light the fire

How will we find our way

On the road filled with lies

Find the map that’s hidden

From the lost and broken tries

With each new breath that’s drawn

A lighted path is seen

The road that leads us home

Is where it’s always been.

Apekdechomai (Assiduously Waiting)

Shifting sand and pulling waves

I struggle to keep my balance

Longing heart desire craves

Recall the accepted challenge

Cooling water ebb and flow

Await the next relief

Timely answers held in shadow

Faith beyond belief

New year dawns with stealth approach

Creeping near my soul

Time has passed with tears and love

A healed heart becomes whole

Paused behind the starting line

Poised to take my stance

Anticipation for sound of blast

Strength builds to take the chance

How long before the race is won

Seeps doubt into my mind

Eyes glance up and see the Judge

Hope rests in His sacrifice

A love so vast and worthy

A man so real and true

Jesus came to lay the track

The Way to make it through

This banner raised above my year

A word for hope and wait

Patience with excitement brews

Apekdechomai is the gate.

True Christmas

For those of us who are hidden

By the twinkle of Christmas lights

Cloaked by the carols and merry

Our souls are shining bright

The Kingdom where it all began

Shimmers in everlasting position

The most lovely of all gifts is waiting

Filled with glorious redemption

Tucked underneath a Savior’s arms

Born into a world warring and blue

He holds the sacrificial present

A knight in shining armor kind of rescue

The dreams in our hearts that lie dormant

Our childhood fantasies seem failed

In a blink of an eye they awaken

To the pain of His hands that were nailed

This holiday we know has been stolen

By the rush of shopping and glee

And so we hide beneath tears of loss

But this lament is not where He leaves

Shadows removed by the lights of love

The twinkle can reveal rather than hide

A tree represents the remnant of God

The stump that seemed dead reignites

Hands lifting high we give in worship

What our souls and ours hearts truly need

A focus away from our own selfishness

Notice places of hunger craving seeds

Shifting holy ground is shaken by grace

What was hidden can emerge in mercy

Tears salt the earth and we celebrate

Rejoice in satisfying what was thirsty

Christmas steps into the lost and weary

With the journey of adventurous souls

Come out of hiding with heads lifted high

Walk forth in truth of the ancient scrolls.