It was a sunny day in May
When my hopes were stuck at sea
Counting blessings for the day
Waiting that grace might set them free
I came across a horseshoe crab
Life seemed as heavy as its shell
Burdens tacking on the tab
Waves relentlessly unquelled
Flipped helplessly undisguised
Grand purposes washed away
Blindly withering to gull cries
Despair cast around the bay
My stare breaks misfortune’s luck
Faith set aright by stronger hands
Plodding heartened from the muck
Sorrows evanescent in the sand
A weakened creature found favor
Now glides peacefully towards the deep
Trusting I too have a Savior
I surrender to His keep

As I breathed in deep fresh air,
its sharpness a timely kick to my lungs,
I uttered words of praise to God –
these words were unfeigned honest feelings.
Instantly a smothering weariness slackened its grip, faith and nature the sure-fire tonic to fragments of a bruised soul.
Overhead, Terns coasted: side to side like a pendulum.
Swirling unseen, the wind stroked my exposed skin
as the springy grass began to waltz between my uncovered toes –
the sunlit reflections on a glassy brook
unveiling a gaiety
etched on my widening smile.
Crisp water in cupped palms slapped against my butter-soft cheeks
that flushed a plump-wine-red
(full of fruitful vigour),
and satisfied the thirst for assurance – invariably found within the Lord.

I've begun to summon
a voice of my own
but it still falls short
when I need it the most.

I still have so much left to learn and yet
it just feels like I should
already know all of it.
I have only just begun
to dig my own place
in confidence and wonder and transparent faith.
but every time I look up it seems
I'm always losing my grip on more than I keep.
I am not hopeless, but
a little out-of-world, I spose.
it's been a while since I've had
a glimpse of where my path goes.

(stay by my side, Lord,
lend me Your hand.
together we'll walk
upon the dry land.)

With morning’s dawn and dew,
the blades of wet grass beckon
unto me, to cleanse… soiled
soles; as I stride across the
silence of greenery, wondrous
sparkling of unknown diamonds
mesmerize my gaze; the wealth
of my existence is enhanced,
as I envision Christ, before
His disciples, bent over their
feet… ready to humbly serve.

The ugliness of unseemly Faith
serves as an undesired deterrent
and stumbling block to the lost;
as our moral strength is spent,

we’re more apt to be watched!
The enemy will pounce as a lion,
wanting to **** and to destroy
our Hope; there’s no use trying

when the challenges to humanity
range from Life to Death. We must
rise up and strive to do good;
real Faith requires us to trust…

in the Holy One, Who sent us.
Therefore, let us live boldly!
Let’s run into the daily battle
and enjoy that we’re made holy!

It is not our responsibility,
to be carrying our sins daily;
Christ took them upon Himself
for our benefit, whereby we can
move beyond… our fallen nature.
Success isn’t based on ability,

but on our reliance upon Yahweh!
Repent from wickedness; cry unto
Him, Who saves; study and apply
His Word with diligence; ask for
divine wisdom; trust Him and gain
unimagined peace; His loving sway

reinforces the subtle and genuine
reality of a relationship with Him.
We have been instructed to choose
Life; a final death sentence awaits
us, if we ignorantly or unwittingly
insist on… carrying our sins.

Like me, even that shining moon
occasionally weeps, as we spend
time remembering you; moments
of nostalgia creep into our times
of dreams and wistful thinking.
And yet, there is a vast emptiness
that stirs our spirits.

We sorrowful souls, sob throughout
the night; the coldness of dawn
crystallizes our tears into
the morning dew and its beauty
encourages us… to cry even more.
How can we bear the loss of you?

The arid ground, greedily absorbs
our sadness without visible remorse.
Forgotten and lifeless cobwebs,
with their torn threads, now adorn
the empty landscape that marks
the boundaries of our separation.

Your absence is deafening; the moon
and I discuss ideas about the taste
of your salty tears, that you shed
from mourning our shattered union.
However, the moon remains unerringly
quiet, regarding the time, you two,
spend together! And I’m left with an
impression of unresolved jealousy.

Will you two… silently lament the
isolation of our three aching hearts?
Oh wait; why are there distant sounds
of laughter, reverberating under this
new moon, while these tears of mine,
resume its unwanted flow?

We are being prepared
for another world- one
that we can’t imagine;
the future will scare

some people with fears
unknown; being forced
to trust an unseen God,
to get over the tears

of a lifetime of pain…
seems to exceed human
comprehension. Life can
change us; we will gain

experiences that stretch
us beyond our comfort. He
wants our companionship,
to partner with wretched

souls for His utmost glory.
Now there’s another world,
waiting on our appointed
arrival… to join His story

and bask in His Presence.
We’ll observe wonders that
will amaze us, including…
the pure, eternal essence

of Who, Yahweh is!

When it comes to our Christianity,
we’re to be like tethered lambs;
ready to die for our Faith, while
displaying grace, love and humility!

Though we’re surrounded by wolves,
our Great Shepherd can keep us safe
in green meadows, under His watchful
eye; it’s usually from ourselves…

that we require the most protection.
Nothing can separate us from Yahweh
and His right hand; therefore, let’s
offer genuine praise for Salvation

and the promises expressed within
His Word, including… Life over sin.

The primary failure of…
self-righteousness is that
you become your own god;
besides fouling true Faith,
you’ll never walk in Love,

since you’ll be the center
of a personal firestorm;
you’ll choose to manipulate
others for satisfaction or
gain; as a human tormentor,

you’ll never possess a peace
that’s real or everlasting.
All attributes of character
and humility will dissipate;
unable to discover a release

from Life’s miseries, you’ll
become so isolated, that the
numbness of your spirit will
unwittingly beckon Death’s
realm to be…  the solitary fuel

of your own destruction.