Grace Gives Birth to Joy

Art, quote and photo by dfav.

Joy!  Joy is still a peace that all of us can claim we've found,
In unceasing waves of calm to wrap life around.
Joy highlights hope.

Hope!  Hope is still very much alive and well,
Countless occurrences of praises to tell.
Hope gives way to prayer.

Prayer!  Prayer is still flowing heavenward from our lips,
It is possible to just touch Your hem with fingertips.
Prayer breaths love.

Love!  Love is still within most human hearts,
Even of those determined to keep us apart.
Love provides forgiveness.

Forgiveness!  Forgiveness is still what we all seek,
For our deepest wounds and anger make us weak.
Forgiveness flows to grace.

Grace!  Grace is still that which we are in great need,
There are unknown harvests from Your gospel seed.
Grace gives birth to joy.

Joy links hope causing prayer where love reveals forgiveness,
Forgiveness gives way to grace and joy returns selfless.
All joined by God. 

----dfav
4/9/21 

Free Souls

Emerging from the depths of soil
Of what was but days ago
Frozen,
Cold,
Still.
Now life bursts forth in glee
Proof that somehow life
Finds a way,
Continues on,
Has a will.
Beneath us one and all
In a cycle of continuing
Miracles happen,
Time marks passage,
Birth occurs.
From depths of human hearts
Acknowledgement as Spring arrives
Despite COVID,
Shutdowns
Separation.
Resolutions, determinations unfurl
The hibernating hope in us
To reawaken,
Feel the Sonshine,
Unfurl our wings.
Seeds opening in prepared soil
Buds bursting beneath nests
Babies soar,
On newly found wings,
Free souls.

----dfav
4/8/2021

Hope Transcends

Hope lives here,
Not always content,
Not always well rested,
Or without shed tears,
But hope lives here.

Hope exists within,
Sometimes under protest,
Sometimes with caution,
Often wounded to win,
But hope exists within.

Hope dwells inside,
Every human heart,
Every soul truly alive,
Should love within abide,
Hope dwells inside.

Hope blooms despite,
Of roaring lions,
Of depressive powers,
Love feeds hope so right,
For hope blooms despite.

Hope generates hope,
Though chances falter,
Though roads seem lost,
And weary hearts must cope,
Hope generates hope.

Hope flies free here,
Given by God,
Given one breath,
Though year turns to years,
Hope flies free here.

Hope transcends this life,
Reminding each of us,
Reminding life of each,
That this life has its strife,
But hope transcends this life.
           dfav 11/15/16

—Donna

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

So Flys the Red, White and Blue

The American Flag waves on,
Over Capitals, Courthouses, Post Offices and Homes.
It flaps in the wind over car dealerships,
It’s the jewel of many town square.
And soldiers, patriots, and the brave of today,
Still hold us accountable for every tear or rip.
But as proud as we, I am, of this Banner so true,
The flags just a relic of long yesteryear
Unless people still stand up for the Red, White and Blue.
Hold the line, don’t give up again,
Read God’s Word again daily,
This time that flag flying depends on me & you.
          d.f.a.v.  7/4/15
–‘Donna

Our Hope

From the hearts of mankind
Come the truths of his humanity
The depravity of souls embracing evil
Their own voices stands within them and cries,
“This is who I truly am!”

What we hold as evidence can crash instantly,
It matters not if rich or poor or which university
They attended or didn’t attend
Or of their dreams which flies or dies.
In their heart they’re who they are.

Not any of them unredeemable
If they choose to repent and change
But some are evil wrapped in flesh
The more they gourge the more they grow
And like weeds choke out others good.

Hope does exist in this citizenship
For choice is within each one’s range
In the smallest sliver of an opening
The love of God does beckon and glow
Hence He remains the redemption of all man.

The Holocaust, genocide, slavery
Wars and other atrocities we can’t forget exist
These acts wave flags of remembrance
Beware! Witness evil out-of-control
And plea for salvation not revenge.

There is no true peace in an eye-for-an-eye
Or a value that can be assigned
As whose life is more important
God should decide each man’s lifespan
For He is man’s truest Friend.
                    d.f.a.v.  1/27/15
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”      John 3:16 NIV

“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”     John 3:21 NIV

—Donna

How to Offer Hope in this World

It is hard to be cynical

In the face of hope,

Hard to be skeptical

When miracles occur,

Hard to give up

With a hand reaching out,

And this my, friends

Is what Christ’s hope is about.

 

It is hard to be cold-hearted

If you truly know God’s love,

Hard to be blind minded

When your heart has the ears,

Hard to be judgmental

When ourselves we truly see,

And this is how my friends

Christ Jesus sets us free.

 

It is hard to find hope

When life beats you down,

Troubles have you tangled,

Friends can’t be found,

Hard to be open to love

If hurt and pain’s all you know,

Difficult to accept truth

If hates all you’ve been shown.

 

We learn to reach out to others

When we first reach out to Him

He then reach others through us.

In a world losing hope,

Where hate and greed reign proud

And when real truth is hard to find.

When Jesus shines through us

He can offer hope to mankind.

 

He will extend others grace

And mercy undeserved,

Even if the world appears

Completely conquered by sin

If we surrender ourselves

God’s vessel to truly be

Then the hope we can offer

Is the Jesus in us they see.

    d.f.a.v. 11/30/2014

—Donna

 

 

The Writer

The words are beautiful in the openness and raw gaping view of hurt.  They are slow but steady upwards rungs on a ladder of hope provided by the increasing intensity of the writer showing you the light of hope. 

A collection of letters forming words forming thoughts that seem to give you strength to pull yourself over to where, even though you are a sweaty mess, you manage to wrap your arms around the ladder leading up and out. You are ready to follow this hope anywhere. 

With a powerful gentleness these indescribable words have penetrated your fuzzy mind, fueled your muscles and you have begun to climb out of the pit you are in. Gratefully you realize you are not alone in your suffering. Someone else knows, someone else understands, someone else gets it. They have made this climb themselves.

Then the thoughts you’re reading are supported by the writer pointing you to ancient inscribed words of God Himself. Deeply rooted truths anchored to the very beginning when by His spoken words the universe and all of this Earth including man and woman were formed.

You can see sunshine. You can see unexpected beauty. You feel the hand of God as you view His handiwork.

It is a rare gift, this talent for writing this man has been given. A rare gift of compassion within his heart. It is uncommon, his ability to tell a person’s story as if it were your’s or his own.

He is no saint. He stumbles in his journey with God. Yet he writes, oh, how he writes. He doesn’t preach. He doesn’t condemn. He pours out a portion of himself to aid others struggling like him, like me, like you.

His blog, Scribing the Journey, can be found here; http://www.scribingthejourney.com. Trust me it is well worth a visit.

Down

It.
Is.
Over.
Nothing.
Left.
Life.
Ruined.
Heart.
Destroyed.
Charred remains.
Barren terrain.
Wasteland lain.
It.
Is.
Over.
Face.
Down.
In.
Emptiness.
Filthy.
Ashes.
Charred remains.
Barren terrain.
Wasteland lain.
Where.
Is.
God?
Your.
Healing?
Right.
Winning?
Truth.
Triumphant?
Charred remains.
Bare terrain.
Wasteland lain.
Just.
A.
Breath.
Light.
Shallow.
Faint.
Totally.
Unseen.
Movement.
Embers glow.
Life grows.
Heart knows.
Down.
Not.
Defeated.
Buried.
Alive.
God.
Stronger.
Satan.
Lies.
Embers glow.
Life grows.
Heart knows.
You’re.
Not.
Forsaken.
Close.
Eyes.
Open.
Heart.
You.
Survive.
Embers glow.
Life grows.
Heart knows.
God.
Is.
There.
Here.
Present.
Counted.
Unwavering.
No.
Surrender.
Hope arrives.
Despair dies.
Changed lives.
God.
Is.
Everlasting.
He’s
Never-ending.
Always.
Was.
Always.
Be.
Hope arrived.
Despair died.
Life changed.
       -d.f.a.v. 9/25/13

Don’t give up!
–Faye

poem and photo original to the author, all rights reserved.

Always God, Always Hope

 

“If you falter in times of trouble,

how small is your strength!”

Proverbs 24:10 (NIV)

 

 

Poem is original to author. All rights reserved.

 

There is always God

There is always Hope

Dark may be the night

Shadowed may be the day

There is always God

There is always Hope.

Bad things will happen

Disappoints they will fall

There is always God

There is always Hope

Death will come unbidden

Pain will surge be no doubt

There is always God

There is always Hope.

Your strength will fail

Your courage deflate

There is always God

There is always Hope

Evil may seem to prosper

Good may seem thrown away

There is always God

There is always Hope

Prayer may seem so little

Faith may seem so weak

There is always God

There is always Hope

Troubles can deceive you

Woes rebuke your faith

There is always God

There is always Hope

Answers may be different

Relief may be delayed

There is always God

There is always Hope

Though some call you foolish

Though some say much worse

There is always God

There is always Hope

He is strong in your weakness

He is calm in your fear

There is always God

There is always Hope

Don’t be deceived

Don’t be knocked out

There is always God

There is always Hope

Hear this each of you

Quiet you’re sinking hearts

There is always God

There is always Hope

Though the waters rise

Though sorrows overwhelm

There is always God!

There is always Hope!

There is always God

There is always Hope

There is always God

There is always Hope!

    -dfav 8/9/13

 

 

 

“So do not throw away your confidence;

it will be richly rewarded.

You need to persevere so that when

you have done the will of God,

you will receive what he has promised.

For in just a little while,

    ‘He who is coming will come and

    will not delay.

    But my righteous one will live

    by faith.

    And if he shrinks back,

    I will not be pleased with him.’

But we are not of those who shrink back

and are destroyed,

But of those who believe

and are saved.”

    Hebrews 10:35-39 (NIV)

Always God, always Hope!

-Faye