Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Archive for the ‘Poems’ Category

What Do I Do?

What do I do
With the pain inside?
Do I try to hide?
Do I run away?
Do I try to hang on
for one more day?
Do I pray,
and pray, and pray?

What do I do
With the pain inside?
Do I thank my God
For what He’s allowed?
What do I do
With the pain inside?

What do I do
With the dreadful hurt?
The answers curt,
The putdowns, letdowns,
Sarcastic laughter,
Disapproving frowns?
What do I do
With the dreadful hurt?

What do I do
When he turns away?
When he doesn’t say
A thing to me,
And I want to scream,
“Please talk to me!” ?

What do I do
With the pain I’ve caused?
Do I try to hide?
Do I run away?
Do I face the fact
That I’m inexact
In my love for others?

What do I do
With the hurt I’ve caused?
Do I see my flaws?
Will I run to God,
And to my neighbor
To ask their favor?

What do I do
With the love inside?
Do I try to hide?
Do I run away?
For fear of pain,
To express it refrain?

What do I do?
Do I turn it around
‘Til I find my ground?
Do I look inside
And listen for the sound
Of peace profound?

What will I do?
Will I learn a way
Of peace, of prayer,
Of listening for
The other’s pain?
What will I do?
Only God can tell.

Category:

Poems

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Walking on Water

Go out onto the water;
Yes, take the first brave step.
No doubt cause you to falter,
Nor look in water’s depth.

Climb up onto the summit;
Go forth one step each time.
Fear not, and you’ll not plummet —
The view will be sublime.

Reach out to many hurting,
One person at a time.
Though you don’t feel worthy,
God’s love from you must shine.

Go forth into the darkness,
Though you do not know the way.
There’s death and there is starkness,
But His light will be your stay.

Keep on, though you are weary;
Make your eyes look up above.
Your goal, which is God’s heaven
Will heal your heart with love.

Category:

Christian, Hope, Poems

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While I Was Busy

While I was busy
Feeling self-pity
I missed the joy of the moment

While I was busy
Being offended
I missed a lesson I could learn

While I was busy
With jealousy and envy
I missed my abundant blessings

While I was busy
Feeling so bitter
I missed the sweetness of creation

While I was busy
Being self-righteous
I missed the grace that I could give and receive

While I was busy
Feeling you’d attacked me or my beliefs
I missed God’s unconditional love for me

While I was busy
Holding onto my anger
I missed God’s unconditional love for you

Category:

Poems

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Retreat

I’ve retreated
To a quiet place;
Just need my space.

Too many things
Are coming at me;
I cannot think.

Different voices,
Different choices;
Who’s telling the truth?

All sincerely,
Intensely believing;
Is someone lying?

Focus on Jesus,
He’ll never leave us.
Our mighty God!

Category:

Christian, Poems

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Silence

Help me understand.
I didn’t know
What my words might do to you.

I’m in a fantasy land;
Can’t understand
What my actions do to you.

Am I bereft
Of empathy?
Completely void
Of sympathy?

How did I know
What I could do,
Since silent were those
Who’d tell me true?

What does the silence mean?
It can be peaceful and serene.
It can be tense, it can be mean.

Let our silence be a calm,
A healing balm,
A space that will give birth to song.

Category:

Poems

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Broken Today

Broken today
By my own sin.
Tears of sorrow
Fall like the rain.
Only Your love
Will bring a new day.

So weak without You;
Why do I doubt You?
Wandering eyes
Start looking at lies.
Inadequate soul —
Why my surprise?

Why all the violence?
Lacking godly reliance.
Too driven by lust —
In God we must trust.
We all have our fears —
To Him let’s draw near.

Feel so insecure,
But Your love is sure.
Yes, I am weak,
But Your strength I will seek.
Though sometimes depressed,
By You I am blessed.

You’ve won the war,
The strife for my soul.
Now I allow
Your grace to endow
Your new life in me —
And thus victory.

Category:

Christian, Poems

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I Need Your Healing

Lord, I need Your healing
From pride, from sin,
From jealousies within.

Please cleanse this broken heart,
Let me make a new start,
Give me Your Sacred Heart.

From fear, from hate,
Wipe clean the slate —
Your love demonstrate.

Help me look up above,
Focus only on Your love,
Fly free like a dove.

Then Your healing light
Will give my soul flight.
I am whole in Your sight.

Category:

Christian, Jesus, Poems

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A Thousand Ways

Your Love is told a thousand ways
As steady we traverse our days.
The fact that we exist is one,
And then the Father, Spirit, Son.

Each new green leaf, each tender stalk,
Each fragrant flower, as we do walk.
A tender touch, a kindly smile,
The one who says, “Come stay a while.”

Forgiving words and peaceful pardons,
Sustaining waters, grace-filled gardens.
Creation sings; Your love song rings.
The stars, the skies, let praises rise.

Majestic mountains, roiling streams,
Icy fountains, bright sunbeams.
And darkness too, can give You glory —
More brightly shines the candle’s story.

A thousand ways let hearts explore.
Your Love still gives a thousand more.

Category:

Christian, Creation, Jesus, love, Nature, Poems

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Come Walk with Me

“Come walk with me”, the Savior said
“Leave earthly cares behind
Leave all that comes twixt you and me
The sin and worry bind”

His heart was aching with such pain
He saw men struggle, strive in vain
When in His hand He held all things
The peace, the joy, that His love brings

He said, “You must the silence keep
The quietness, the inner deep
Close every door and go inside
To you My love I will confide”

“Each day go to the inner door
And listen as I speak, and more.
My inner peace I will impart
And make a fountain in your heart”

All men will one day bow the knee
To Him who hung upon a tree
‘Till then let us be well content
In silence, a true sacrament

Category:

Christian, Jesus, Poems

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This Ship I Travel

This ship I travel, on treach’rous sea
I often wished that I could flee

I did not choose this ship of life —
Of sin, of sorrow; sadness, strife

I felt alone, though many traveled;
In darkest ignorance my life unraveled

But now and then a Light would shine
And slowly came the gift divine

I am not here for self alone
My purpose through the darkness shone

And as this ship sails on or stalls
With others do I meet life’s squalls

And I have met an Unseen Friend;
His Presence here do not contend

And if I may but save one soul
From falling, jumping in the sea

My soul will thrill, my heart will sing
‘Tis purpose done; ’tis destiny

Category:

Christian, Hope, Poems

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