Archive | November 2015

Pictorial Confirmation

There’s a picture in my texts,
A poignant voice in my ears,
Not a reminder of a tragic accident but,
That God’s timing is not based on our fears.

There are lots better pictures now,
This one is several weeks old,
A picture of a young man who was,
Broken and battered, far from the goal.

Ahh!! But we’ve prayed to The Great Physician,
The Healer, the Miracle Worker, The Living God.
And we’ve believed every Word and Promise,
‘Cause that’s how we roll with God.

I keep the photos and texts,
Because one thing you can’t deny,
Is the love and adoration in his eyes,
For the young woman at his side.

It’s the first of many confirmations,
God hears and answers our prayers,
Pray on in faith with thanksgiving,
God’s love will flood down in care.

I’ll know in my heart when it’s time,
To save, remove and let go,
Until God is finished answering prayers,
The picture shows all I need to know.
dfav 11/30/15
-Donna

Cottage-by-the-Sea, #35, 11/24/15

Nov24

Gratitude is an attitude of the heart,
And Lord, my attitude often stinks,
That’s raw and scary but it’s shockingly true.
Way too often I forget to communicate this to You.

You woke me this morning to a new sunrise,
The air that I breath You did provide.
The strength I move with begins with You.
No more self-pity or whine, time to speak true.

Self-preservation, ego,
Self-value and self-worth
Can give me an attitude,
I’m the better of us both!

But true humbleness and humility,
Will teach me a better way to fly,
And true gratitude with my attitude?
Teaches me a greater truth as mine.

Lord, please accept my heartfelt praise,
May it glorify Your name,
In all the finest ways,
May it bring the purifying flames.

All the finest blessings,
Come when the road between us is clear,
So see the view from house to shore,
Where no sin interfers.
dfav 11/23/15
—Donna

Cottage-by-the-Sea, #34, 11/20/15

Nov20

Abba,
Much to be grateful for, starting off with You,
For everything You are, and everything You do.
The times that I have plans of how my life should go,
And patiently You show me why You must tell me no.
My husband’s love which he has remained true to,
Faithful to me, home and thankfully Lord, You.
Our fourteen-year-old so close to flying away from home,
Who needs me still to be not her friend, but her mom.
A church family with arms open wide,
Who always care I’m stuck here inside.
I’m grateful for the food we have to eat,
The laughter and love where our hearts meet.
There’s my extended family who love me through it all,
My Hospice Angels who bless me when their steps strike the hall.
You, O Lord, the I Am I’m grateful for even when life sinks,
Because You, Lord Almighty never let Hope even blink.
For the lessons tough to learn for me,
You’ve been a teacher who helped me see.
And when I only gave to say I had,
You reminded me how that made You sad.
Thank You Abba Father, for everything.
Thank You Abba Father, for everything.
I thank You, dfav 11/20/15
—Donna

Cottage-by-the-Sea, #33, 11/19/15

Nov19

Abba Father,
I must confess I’ve neglected our Cottage-by-the-Sea,
Found it hard to meditate and pray,
So unclear of what to say,
Overwhelmed with the needs I have in me.

I’ve driven up outside and stared and waited.
Urged myself to “just do it”
But instead I just sit and sit.
How do I pray now all frustrated?

You reminded me of why we built this place.
The skeletons we’ve probed,
The walls I created.
Ugliness revealed though covered with lace.

Inside I go, it’s as if I never left.
My Bible lays open.
My prayer journal hopin’.
And I take up both from where I left.

Forgive me Lord, my desire to flee.
To escape the world’s madness,
Move around it’s sadness.
I’m ashamed of what this says of me.

But no matter where I try to go,
You are there beside me,
You are in everything I see.
You’ve created me to need You just so.
dfav 11/15/15
Thank you,
—Donna

Cottage-by-the-Sea, #32. 11/18/15

Nov18

Abba Father,
Words.
There just aren’t any.
Terrorists.
Violence their only way.
Words?
How do they counter?
Bombs?
Suicide missions?
Words.
Spoken softly, unheard.
Shouted.
Stir the anger.
Words.
Must be backed up.
With what?
More violence, death?
Words.
“Guide us, Lord.”
Whispered into the wind.
They empty me.
Words.
Now prayed.
In faith we wait,
For You.
dfav 11/18/15
—Donna

My heart mourns with France and all the war torn countries around the world. May God bring you some measure of comfort and peace.

Prayer for When You Stumble

Nov12

Hold me up,
God, I falter,
Lift me high,
To Thy altar.
Wash my wounds,
In Thy Holy Water,
Stand guard for me,
Replace my halter.
Hide me, Lord,
‘Til I’m again a walker.
Shield me, Father,
At Thy altar.
dfav 11/12/15
—Donna

The Gospel via the Arts

Nov9

See the Dancer,
Upon the stage?
She is Ruth,
Waiting for Boaz,
Their story live,
From Bible page.

Hear the music,
Rainbow bursts,
Against the sky.
He’s the Musician,
Bringing notes,
To color first.

Watch the writer,
Fingers fly,
Characters live,
Inside her head,
Redemption sought,
For sins gone bye.

Observe the artist,
On the beach,
To capture the Divine.
Two sets of footprints,
In the sand,
God within reach.

Listen well,
The Poet’s lines,
Explain salvation,
How one believes,
Without altering,
Truth thru time.

Pay close attention,
Preacher’s sermon,
Heed his words,
God’s provision,
Gospel shared,
Disciple learnin’.

Pay heed to actors,
Screen or stage,
Who share stories,
In theatrical ways,
And all who work,
To bring life to page.

Different methods,
More different still,
What reaches one,
Doesn’t another,
Let Truth be told,
It has God’s seal.
dfav 11/08/15
—Donna

For Me, the Unpopular One

Nov6

On Sunday morning I sat near you,
Sang the songs and worshipped too.
I wasn’t quite as loud and clear,
But I was close, did you see me there?
Before worship in Sunday School,
I hugged the wall as you all acted so cool.
Once I gathered my courage and said “Hi”.
But little registered as you passed by.
You and your friends were never mean,
Just that knowledge I wasn’t seen.
I’ve never been a popular kid,
Fitting in seamlessly I never did.
But here where God’s truth is known,
Shouldn’t it be easier if in us He’s grown?
Is it my school or my hair?
Is it my size or gender? Hardly fair.
Is it my shyness that puts you off?
Or was I wrong and there’s no room at the cross?
Why did I keep coming back to see,
Something change in a group who won’t miss me?
But take this from a newcomer who tried coming in,
I really wanted to be your friend.
And if Jesus can forgive where we’ve been,
All our screw-ups, all our sins,
Then surely so can we who do not know,
Who made these rules of whose cool anyhow?
I think it may be too late for us to be friends,
I’m really sick and our chance passed by like the wind.
But perhaps I can help you now,
For me, make extra effort somehow,
To open up to the new quiet kid coming in,
Who searched for fellowship among their spiritual kin.
dfav 11/6/15
—Donna

Child, Do You Love Me

Nov5

Do you love me, My Child?
Am I first in your heart?
Is it for My Kingdom,
You work for each day?
Then-
Am I in each word you say?

Are you grateful, Child of Mine?
Do I shine in each act you do?
Does your thanks rule your mind?
Do you give in spirit kind?
Then-
That evidence will be easy to find.

When you say grace you bow your head,
Am I foremost in your thoughts?
Is it Me that you consider,
Providing all that you have need?
Then-
Surely first you sowed My seed?

My Child, as you drive the streets,
It is Me you see in the homeless eyes,
Me in the tattered clothes they wear?
Me begging for their daily bread?
Then –
Their needs are met and goodwill spread.

Love, gratitude, thanks are easily spoken,
Not so often as easily displayed,
It must be something forever seen,
That there is a cost to follow me.
Then –
You’re willing in what must be.

Pick up your cross and follow Me.
dfav 11/4/15
—Donna

The Road to Blessing

Nov4

Thanking You is easy,
Counting blessings one by one,
Straight on through infinity,
Can’t outdo Your generosity.

From life’s first breath,
In the Paradise called Eden,
To the Jesus’ death at Calvary,
Gratitude given with formality.

But beyond the Garden Tomb,
After the curtain torn into,
Humanity can express their thanks,
Without thought to file and rank.

In screams and yells and loud glee,
Shaky voices or ones confident,
However the gratitude expressed,
It is because we know we’re blessed.

Road behind us reveals Your touch,
Road beside us shows us now,
If we can thank You for was and be,
We’ll thank You for what we cannot see.

Road of gratitude lead me on,
I know You go to our eternal home,
May the road ring day and night
Count our blessings to be to make it right.
d. f. a. v. 1/3/15
-Donna

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Christian poetry & essays about one woman's faith walk.