Poems

Beautiful Person 

You’re not just a face that I see.

You are more than a stranger to me.

You’re a person.
 

A person with wounds and needs,

A person with longings and pleas.

Just like me.
 

You’re a hopeful new friend—

Never a means to an end.

You’re a beautiful person.
 

How long between visits?

How long between chats?

A day? A month? Or a year?
 

No matter what, no matter where

Our paths may go from here,

Whether parallel or perpendicular—
 

You are worth this present moment.

Finding Prayer

Sunshine warm upon my face—this is prayer.
Raindrops lighting on my skin—this is prayer.

Breezes blowing on my frame—this is prayer.

Every day an act of worship—this is prayer.

Loving You and loving others—this is prayer.

Kneeling, standing, bending, walking—these are prayer.

Hugging, holding, touching, talking—these are prayer.

Happy moments, spacious breathing—all around is prayer.

Joyful thoughts and desperate pleas —in this moment, prayer.

Retching, crying, bleeding, fighting—even these are prayer.

Watching, waiting, sighing, staying—all I do is prayer.

WORTH
Who determines your worth?

Is it someone you know?

Some circumstance you can’t control?

Is it chance or race or religion?

Is worth how smart you are, how strong, or how beautiful?

Is it time, convenience, location, or power?

Is it skin color, eye color, position, or gender?
Is worth how attractive you are or how useful you’ll be?
When did you start becoming fully human?
Was it when you drew your first birth?

Or spoke your first word?

What happened when ovum and sperm knit together?
When all your cells began to multiply at an astonishing rate?
Did someone want you? Did anyone desire you at all?
Did that change your worth?
Is one person’s choice what gave you value?
Or is it something more?
What happens if your size is too small
Or when your heart’s no longer strong?
What happens when reason starts to fade
And your mind grows dim?
Will worth be discounted then?

Who decides when it’s time to say “The End”?
Will it be parent, sibling, child, governor, or friend?
Will your worth remain when you can’t pull your next breath?
What’s the exact moment when we can say, “This one’s not worth fighting for”?

Today, Oh, God, we need Your help.
We need Your strength to see the value You’ve given each and every one of us.
These bodies You’ve given us are so frail.
Young or old, tiny or grown, they’re no match

Against knives, injections, and “not-quite-human” labels.
Yet, these souls You’ve designed to live within such frail shells.
Help us, Lord, to treasure even the most vulnerable among ourselves.

Change our perspective to match Yours.

One Small Farthing

To the One who made me, You give me all I have.

Now I lay these gifts down at Your feet and wonder—is this all?
I planned to give You mountains, warehouses full of gold,
Boats full of untold riches—not a farthing dull and old.

I watch the coin fall in Your hands through a sheen of tears.

How can my gift be worthy, though I labored through the years? 

“My child,” gentle You speak, Your voice so calm and tender,

“What is gained through love and trust is worth a million islands.

Your service lowly may have been, but worth far more is this—

You did it ever for My name and your gaze it held My face.

Your joy depended on My own and your labor never hesitated.

One small farthing—that is all—but how great your gift to Me.

I love you, Child, now and ever. Come, live eternally.”

The Well

There’s a well called Father’s Heart

And I see that well in you.

The well, it calls, “Come, draw and drink—

That’s all you need to do.” 
 

No limit set on Father’s love,

No fear it may run dry.

No circumstance it can’t be found

When with my heart I cry. 

I love this gift, the Father’s heart,

Displayed within your eyes.

The prayers you say flow from this place

And my heart is satisfied. 

“Come, find rest,” invites His heart

And offers sustenance too.

This warmth and trust burst forth great joy

That floods my soul anew. 

Perfect gift, this Father’s love

To those abused and worn.

No condemnation. It’s all free,

And my heart begins to soar. 

“Abide in faith, abide in Me.”

I hear you say His words.

If at times you need to know—

His grace flows strong from you.

To Walk With Jesus

I want to walk with Jesus more so every day,
To hold His hand and go with Him along life’s narrow way.

I want  to find new graces and open chapters in my life.

There are routes that need exploring as I give up all for Christ.

I want to see His workmanship and the artwork of His hand.

How precious just to walk beside Him, to abide within His plan.

I want to walk with Jesus, to follow where He goes.

For the road will lead me far away from the places I used to know.

Oh, to walk with Jesus, to surrender at His side,

To learn the trade of grow and reap, and find the strength to die.

Yes, I’ll walk with Jesus, a sickle in my hand.

There’s a harvest out there waiting—and few who understand.

Fragments

Broken bread

                Of my fragile life lies strewn.

Fragments littered,

                Scattered across wind-tossed fields.

Birds scratch and peck

                At the crumbs discarded, disregarded.

Heart hurting, aching

                With a loss so great, I mourn.

But less is more

                When others gain. Dear poor

And starving souls

                Clutch with feeble fingers

Small, torn morsels—

                Price of obedience—offered free.

My winter’s scraps

                Nourish now from woundedness

More than my existence fed

                When I was strong and whole.

Goliath

I just encountered a giant, and it wasn’t what I expected.
I just ran face to face with an idol, and I didn’t recognize it.

Chains snapped ‘round my wrists. Despair twisted into my heart. 

Demands issued from the idol’s mouth: “Bow down and feed me,

Offer the best of what you have, and I’ll shred it to pieces.

Then ask you to do it again. I’ll take and maybe give,

But only if you please me and serve me whatever I ask.” 

Then slowly I began to awaken, like a dreamer from a clogging dream.

Gentleness murmured my name, drew me with grace-filled hands.

Who is it I’m serving? Who is it I should fear?

Not a pride-made goliath, not a devouring, soul-hungry giant.

I adore the Lord my God. Before Him only will I bow.

Ah, the breath of freedom! The joy of release sweeps in!

I spin on the road of liberty, mercy abounding, lovely and sweet.

Christ alone commands my future—I’ll worship and glory at His holy feet.

The Road He Took Me On
(set to music by Tom Widhalm)

I thought it would just be a hurdle,
An obstacle to pass.
I'd get through it and move on.
I didn't expect the moment to last.

Then God said it would be a journey,
A road to travel on.
Then God said He'd be there beside me,
That I needed to simply hold on.

His presence and His person,
Ever present through my trial.
He was right there with me.
Giving grace with every mile.

Maybe sometimes we have to walk
A road we wouldn't choose,
But He in His sovereign goodness
Provides enough to make it through.

I learned to see with different eyes
the way that God provides.
He doesn't always make life easy,
But He always graciously supplies.