FAITH
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:5–6
How can a fish breathe out of water?
How can a light bulb glow without electricity?
How can we truly live our lives without hope and faith?
I cannot imagine facing the strong winds of life without knowing He is there — holding me up, walking beside me, and gently pushing me forward toward my destination.
Faith gives us strength when we feel weak, hope when the road seems dark, and peace when life makes little sense.
These poems are reflections on that journey.
THE RAINBOW
“A reminder that even in our darkest moments, hope can appear when we least expect it — sometimes all it takes is one glimpse of light to change everything.”
The darkness surrounds me
I don't know where to go
I know that God loves me
I feel it in my soul
But there's so much sadness here
At every turn, a bad choice
I feel I've lost my vision
I feel I have no voice
The loneliness covers me
Like a wet blanket
The emptiness is complete
In my heart
I no longer hope to finish
I can't find a good place to start
I need answers and I need them now
Family and friends have left my side
I know it's all up to me now
There's absolutely nowhere left to hide
Then I saw a Rainbow.........
THE ANSWER
“A reminder that when life becomes complicated and the road ahead feels uncertain, love still remains the greatest answer of all.”
Searching for those answers
Digging ever so deep
How can you solve your problem
Should you stay or should you leave
There's only one answer
Just look up above
Love is the answer
It's always the answer
And God is love
Sadness surrounds and grips you
You don't know where to turn
You sense the darkness inside you
You feel the acid burn
You want to move forward
But you need a big ole shove
Love is the answer
It's always the answer
And God is love
It sounds so very simple
And so very hard to believe
That no matter what your dilemma
Or what crisis you can see
Insert love into the equation
You'll see with different eyes
You can just expect it to happen
There'll be no surprise
It works in every situation
Sure as the sun shines up above
Love is the answer
It's always the answer
And God is love
TOMORROW
“A reflection on life's journey — reminding us that tomorrows are precious gifts, and the moments we often rush past may be the ones that matter most.”
He only got so many
In the beginning, too many to count
At the start he didn't even consider them
But slowly, oh so slowly, they started to count down
His life began so carefree
Full of energy and light
No walls to contain him
The edges of his world out of sight
Childhood joys and fun behind him
He searched to find his way
But there was plenty of room to wander
Still lots to learn and play
He found someone to join him
A hand to hold as he walked along
Someone to share the path he was on
Someone to join him in his song
Looking back behind him
He saw his partner holding tiny hands
The duet that he'd been singing with
Was now a quartet, new members in their band
Putting the small one on his shoulders
They continued on down the trail
The job of protecting the little ones
Was a task he could not fail
Before long the load was too heavy
So he put them down to find their way
They went out to find their own path
And make their own choices day to day
Holding tighter to the hand
That walked with him by his side
He noticed the path was becoming more narrow
More steep and rocky, with fewer places to hide
As the path got darker
The bushes and trees started closing in
They tried to hold each other up
Hoping for a small ray of light to begin
There were thorns and stickers beside them
He brushed them aside to make their way
He noticed the hand he'd held so tightly
Had let go and gone away
Stopping in his tracks, he thought back
To all the tomorrows he had when he began
They had trickled down to just a few
It was never part of his plan
The darkness now engulfed him
The path was no longer there to see
There were no more tomorrows
He slowly dropped down to his knees
We hurry through life like it's forever
Work and bills and stress
We pass by what's so important
Never realizing just how much we're blessed
If we choose to walk our paths
Without the Light we desperately need
Then darkness is our destination
Life will be a real struggle indeed
Make those hugs last longer
Live and love and pray
Look forward to your tomorrows
As they slowly melt away
WAITING FOR THE ANGELS
This poem was inspired by the many families I met while serving as a hospice volunteer. Again and again, I witnessed extraordinary love, courage, and peace during life's final journey. While each story is unique, the emotions are universal—the love between spouses, the devotion of caregivers, and the hope that something beautiful awaits beyond this life.
My body feels so very heavy
Laying here on this old bed
My words now come in whispers
But I've heard everything
They all have said
I sit here with my friends
I'm trying to ease their pain
There's only so much I can do
There's only so much they can gain
My wonderful husband
Holds my hand and strokes my hair
His love and prayers so diligent
As he sits steadfast in his chair
Hospice work is a blessing
But always has the same end
You fall in love with a sweet spirit
But you always lose a friend
We both know I'm going home
We've talked about it for months on end
I just worry about him so much
He's been my rock, my soulmate, my friend
This sweet lady and her husband
Their hearts tied together for so many years
They seem to share one spirit
But I think he's almost out of tears
He talks to me about our life together
He shows me the old black and white photos
Of us in our prime
But I know how used up I feel
And I know it's so close to my time
My friend from Hospice is here
Always tending to my needs
She's always been so kind and understanding
To my husband and me
She sits beside him
She has become a dear, dear friend
Now she sits and waits
Holds our hands and awaits my end
It takes all I have to lift my arm
To touch his time-worn face
He knows God has a job for me
And has prepared for me a place
Her strength is almost gone
She reaches up to touch his face
I know if he had the choice
He would gladly take her place
But wait! What's going on?
She's sitting up and reaching for the sky
I know she's seeing something there
The tears are pouring from her eyes
What is this?
The ceiling is turning
To beautiful rainbows of light
I reach out to take the hand of an angel
As even more angels come into sight
I feel so much love and energy
As they pull me from my earthly home
I just wish I could tell my family
I really wish that they could know
The heavy weight that held me down
Is gone as I float through the air
I know my Heavenly home awaits me
I can't wait to spend eternity
With Jesus there.
STEP BY STEP
Sometimes faith is not a giant leap. Sometimes it is simply one more step, one more breath, one more moment of holding tightly to the hand that never lets go.
Continue on
Step by step by step
No matter what the obstacle
No matter what lies ahead
Keep your vision forward
Keep your hope steadfast
Always moving forward
Ever onward toward the task
Take the hand that’s there beside you
Take Him with you on your quest
Never letting go
Always giving your very best
Hold tightly
The choice is yours to make
When you’re uncertain
Hold even tighter on your way
You may let go of His grasp
But beside you He’ll always be
Those nail-scarred hands will protect you
Then forever set you free
THE OLD CROSS ROAD
Ancel P. Thomas / Mark W. Stracener
The next poem came about when I was going through some old boxes in my basement. It was time to do some cleanup and get rid of things I no longer needed. At the bottom of one stack, I found an old box with no writing on it, so I opened it to see what was inside. It turned out to be a box that had belonged to my grandfather. Inside were sermons and songs he had written. This particular one caught my eye. He had started it but never finished it. The opportunity to be a part of something with him, even years later, was heartwarming. I took it and carefully worked on it, eventually completing it as the poem you are about to read. I love you, Grandpa Thomas!
There are many roads
In this world of sin
But only one
Where our Christian lives begin
Where the Crown of Life
And friends now wait
Only one way
To the Pearly Gate
There are many who struggle
In this old world below
The Heavenly Road
They fail to know
Now the Old Cross Road
So beautiful and straight
Is the only way
To the Pearly Gate
Some of today's roads
Go down below
Some travel there
Who fail to know
It's the Old Cross Road
Where my Savior's been
He lights the road
Through this dark world of sin
I mind not their requests
To walk their new-made roads
As I travel on toward
My blessed abode
To my Crown of Life
Where friends now wait
Still the only way
To the Pearly Gate
SIMPLY PARADISE
I lay here on the lush green grass
A breeze blows through my hair
How blessed I am to rest here now
Without a need or care
The smell of spring is all around
Beautiful birds fill up the sky
The trees are full, the flowers bloom
In their midst are butterflies
I hear a choir of multitudes
Not very far away
Their harmonies, so fine and true
Not one note of dismay
I hear a voice and turn around
And who else could it be
But Jesus, my closest, dearest friend
Who'd like to sit and talk with me
We both sit back and wonder at
The beauty all around
I thank Him for His loving sacrifice
And this paradise I've found.
Sometimes I wonder what Heaven will be like. I imagine a place of perfect peace, where beauty surrounds us and the burdens of this life are finally gone. This poem is simply my heart imagining a quiet conversation with my Savior and the joy of finally being home.
PERFECT HARMONY
We all seek out the harmonies
In all our daily lives
Something to make our lives complete
Something to make us thrive
The notes aren't always perfect
Though we try and try and try
But You, dear Lord, are faithful
And standing so close by
You are my harmony
You make my voice complete
The perfect pitch
The perfect note
That makes my life so sweet
Together we make music
Alone, there's just one voice
But put the two together
It's so much more than noise
My inner music is beautiful
And it's all because of You
The perfect harmony, impossible
Until You come shining through
So walk along beside me
And listen to us sing
Because nothing could be better
Than to harmonize with the King
You are my harmony
You are my harmony
Life often feels like a song with missing notes and imperfect melodies. Through faith, I've come to believe that God supplies what we cannot. This poem is about discovering that our lives become complete when we walk beside Him and allow His love to become our perfect harmony.
I HAVE NO ARMY
I have often been amazed by how quickly strangers can become a community when someone is in need. This poem is a reflection on the power of kindness and the generosity that still exists all around us.
The grocery store was crowded
As I stopped on my way home
Standing in line, I noticed her
An old woman, frail and all alone
She looked so small and vulnerable
Standing there beside her cart
I couldn't tell if she was done shopping
Or if she was just about to start
The only things in her basket
Were tuna, an apple, and some cheese
The cashier totaled up her purchase
"That will be $3.60, please."
The little old woman fumbled in her purse
To gather up her cash
But when she pulled her money out
She let out an audible gasp
She handed the cashier two dollar bills
Then went for a change purse in her bag
I could see her face turn from concerned
To tearful, then to sad
She told the cashier, "Put the apple back.
It's really more than I need.
I can get by without it.
It's not like I have an army to feed."
I no longer could stand and watch
I offered to pay her bill
She pulled her glasses down her nose
Bowed her head and got quite still
"Young man," she said, "you have a family,
And I'm sure they need your help.
I appreciate your kind offer,
But I can take care of myself."
A man behind me shouted,
"I have more bread than I need!
What you said was right.
I have no army to feed."
Then another and another
Spoke up to fill her cart
I knew one thing for certain
As her basket filled, so did my heart
She stood there speechless
Before reaching in her purse, down deep inside
She pulled out a single white tissue
To wipe the tears falling from her eyes
"You've all been so kind to this old lady.
I can't thank you enough for all this food.
But I know one thing for sure:
God is good. Yes, God is good."
DELIVER ME
One of the greatest lessons I learned was that some people possess a quiet wisdom that changes everyone around them. This poem is inspired by one such woman whose kindness, faith, and simple hospitality transformed the lives of an entire family.
It was her job to do
In rain, sleet, or snow
The mail had to be delivered
But today, her steps were kind of slow
Still fuming from a fight
With her husband the night before
She didn't know if her marriage would survive
She didn't know if she could take it anymore
She went about her route
Just trying to finish her day
She was stepping off a front porch
When she heard someone say,
"Good morning, young lady.
I hope you're having a good day."
Looking back at the front porch,
An elderly lady pushed
An old screen door out of her way.
"Would you like to come in for some breakfast?
I won't hold you too long.
You know you're welcome to come in,
Unless your boss thinks it's wrong."
She was taken aback
She didn't quite know what to say
But they had a good visit on that porch
And it helped to bring a smile to her day
She sat silently at the supper table
With her husband that night
Something told her to tell him about her visit
Instead of holding it inside
He told her after her confession,
"Be careful.
You never know about people like that.
Besides, you could get into trouble.
Let's just leave it at that."
She'd always smile
When she came to her street
She thought today would be a great time
To take her up on her offer to come in and eat
Looking through the screen,
The lady was waiting for her return
She gave the same offer as always
But this time, the mail lady showed no concern
"You bet I'll come in and eat.
I'm pretty hungry, I'd say.
I could smell your breakfast
Through the screen door,
And I'm in no hurry today."
Their visit was brief
But meaningful for sure
She knew she had found a friendship
That for years would endure
Biscuits and gravy
Was the morning treat
And they decided they'd plan
A weekend to meet
It took a lot of convincing
To get her husband and kids to come along
But together they drove over
She told them to put their manners
And nice faces on
Walking into the house
His awkwardness he couldn't disguise
The elderly lady could see it
So clearly in his eyes
She came over to hug him and the kids
To make them feel at rest
She said, "I don't have many things,
But my life has been blessed."
She pointed to all the pictures on the wall
Of her husband and kids
They were my life, my love, and my passion
The sparkle in her eyes could not be hidden
They all sat down to a wonderful dinner
And she served them so well
They could tell she loved to serve
It was so easy to tell
After dinner the photo albums came out
And each picture seemed to shine with such love
She was very careful to give credit
To her God up above
Then with a hug and a kiss
And some leftover apple pie
They left to go home
And she noticed a tear
In her husband's eye
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Is everything okay?"
After quite a long pause
He began to say,
"I want what she has.
I want one day to look back,
To show someone our photo albums,
And to be a better husband and dad.
I know the road we're on
Is going nowhere.
I want to be on her road.
I want to go there."
Her tears then began
As they drove their way home
The next weekend she went to church,
But this time not alone
They were all smiles and hugs
Holding hands as they walked down the aisle
In the back pew their elderly guest
Couldn't help but shed a tear
Through her smile.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT SHE SEES
After my mother's passing, I often found myself wondering what she was seeing from her new home in Heaven. This poem is a reflection on that longing, and the comfort that comes from believing she is still close to my heart.
Looking around my world
I see evil and wrong
Sometimes I feel like an alien
Most times I don't belong
What used to be right
What used to be just
Has now been replaced
With arrogance and distrust
I long for another time
When there was goodness and light
I long for my childhood
When life wasn't such a fight
I think of my mother
And where she is now
My soul longs to join her
To visit her somehow
I want to see what she sees
I want to hear her sweet voice
I want to smell the roses of Heaven
If I could just have that choice
I want to shield my eyes
Because the Golden Streets are too bright
Oh, but to soak in the beauty
Of every awesome, majestic sight
But the world's not going to change
From its darkness to light
I have no control
Of its sadness and plight
But I know my God's in control
Of this world and its woe
He'll continue to bless His children
Under Heaven below
I know all will be good
I have no fear
I know I'll be more than safe
Because my mother whispers in His ear