All of You

Unto the word of God, my heart at last was moved. Before Your holy face, at length I knew my sin. I cried out to the Lord, released the crimes I loved. Your holy grace, like rain, has washed me pure within. – CHORUS Your work alone! And nothing that I do, before Your throne, […]

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Reformation Hymn

All the doctrines of redemption, stand confirmed and stand alone. Truths eternal and unaltered, freely offered, freely known. Words that mark the road to heaven, grant us peace and end our strife, turn us toward our Lord of glory, point the path for truth and life. – Scripture only, not tradition, true foundation flawless guide. […]

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The Song of Gilboa

  The dew has fallen on the grass like tears. The early mourning sun has touched the sky. And far above, that promontory high, Gilboa, rises from the misty years. The shrike of arms, the shattering of spears are memories the wind bears in its sigh. The place for kings and warriors to die is […]

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Coming to America

Photo Credit: Isaac Talbert, Fresh Exposure Images I come to town inside a ship of steel, with all the belch of smoke and stench and people pushing at my back in fear, with officers in coats and New York frowns. I step inside a sea of brown and black, by stretching towers tall with steel […]

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Thoughts on Writing Poetry

Writing is communication. Yes, poetry is art. Yes, poetry emotionally expresses the things that prose cannot (theoretically). Yes, poetry can be ambiguous. But first and foremost, poetry should adhere to the central rule of all good writing. It must communicate. If your poetry is gorgeous but incomprehensible you have failed in the number one goal […]

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Orange Flames and Firewood

Shadows stretch across the stone to grasp the crisscrossed spears and rounded shield. A nearby fire, fighting back the dark, and glistening on the spear tips’ hardened steel casts its glow upon a wizened man. He sits beside his grandson, gazing at the flame. The boy is playing with a map. “The Empire of Assyria,” […]

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Mountain Trails

The path forks off and goes another way, nor you nor I know where the trail will trend. It leads up high into the misty grey. – And full of ardor, friends line up to say that they will join our journey to ascend the path that forks and goes another way. – But curving […]

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God of Words, God of Promise

God of words, God of promise, God whose truth will never die, Faithful Lord, Great Forgiver, Word of Life that cannot lie. – Ages past You formed the mountains, placed the bound’ries on the sea, Out of nothing, unimagined, through the Word they came to be. Looking down with righteous pity, on my lost and […]

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