Published Works

In a dry and weary land,
life’s struggles, barely could I withstand;
no sight of water to be found,
there a rock lay on the ground.
I picked it up,
it did not flinch;
and when I tossed it in the air,
it came back down and settled there.
I squeezed it hard,
but it did not change;
how many others had come before me,
and tried its flint-like form to alter or to rearrange?
Not a rock, Lord, do I want.
What could I learn from this?
In a dry and weary land,
I want to feel a mist!
I need water, Lord,
can’t you see?
Why are you denying me
the water that I need?
When Jonah was covered by the castor oil tree,
he felt he needed shade;
but then he got the hot sun,
and he became dismayed.
Could it be You’re saying to me,
don’t let hard times hinder me?
Like the rock,
don’t let others change me
from who You’ve created me to be!

God does not want life circumstances to change us from who He created us to be. He doesn’t want those hard places to change us from the person He knows we can be. The only changes that should take place in us during these times involve spiritual growth, increased fortitude, and a deeper intimacy with Him. These are the changes He is looking for. Not change which will reflect the fleshly character, but change that will reflect divine character—a change that reflects refinement.. . . The words in I Peter, Chapter One, Verses 6 and 7 read, “In this, you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Though trials are not pleasant at the moment, refined results will bring maturity and lasting change. Those hard places will prove our faith, reshape our character, and will bring the sweetness out of what was once a bitter and hard experience.

One day, as I walked past my flower garden,
I thought I saw a little weed.
I stopped and stared down at it,
but just couldn’t quite believe
that such a form of beauty
would be what my mind perceived.
I sensed there might be something wrong,
but as I examined it,
it held its form and beauty.
So, what else could I do?
But rise and extend a pardon,
for it looked just like all the other flowers
in my flower garden.
Day after day, it lay nestled in its bed snug and warm,
and every day it still mimicked the other flowers’ form.
And although I often looked at it, it never gave away
that it was something other than what I saw that day.
But each day, I continued to give a trained and watchful eye
to see if that flower should live or if that flower should die.
And then one day when I went outside, something caught my eye,
I went to that same “flower” and bent down to find out why.
Its form was now quite different--it turned out to be a weed!
I was so glad I kept listening to that little voice that said to heed!
I snatched up that little weed and instantly was able to see,
God had used my flower garden as life’s analogy--
this is what happens to God’s children when we have been misled,
we don’t stop long enough to examine the lies we’re fed!

The inspiration behind the writing of this poem actually came from the very scenario this poem describes. In my very first home, there was a flower garden that used to lace the sidewalk to my front door. One day, when I was walking past these flowers, I saw what I thought was a smaller yellow flower growing amongst the other yellow flowers, and it caught my eye. Something was just a little bit different about this “flower” than the others. Though I couldn’t readily identify what the real difference was, nevertheless, my spirit had been pricked. So, I bent down to examine this “flower” with my fingers, but still, I couldn’t see any real difference. Each day though, the Holy Spirit kept nudging my heart that something was wrong. I just couldn’t see it, but I could sense it. So every day, I kept watching that “flower.” Days passed by, and nothing happened, I thought. But, just when I almost settled in my mind that perhaps, I was in error, I bent down to examine that “flower” one more time and discovered that it was actually a yellow weed! An imposter! You know I yanked that weed up real quick! And then I thought to myself, “This is exactly how the enemy of our soul infiltrates our lives today. He masquerades as something or someone belonging in our lives to benefit and beautify our lives when all the while that something or someone will devastate our lives.”

I saw a gnarled tree as I walked along today.
Its spindly thin branches reached out to me to say,
“I know in your eyes I’m still quite beautiful to you,
for you know something that makes what I say true!
My twisted, distorted body is no longer in its youthful form,
but you know I’ve sheltered many from the harsh rains
and the storm.

“No longer young, I cannot run or play in the strong gusty wind,
but I sit quietly, still observing, still learning from all
my Creator sends.
And I still stand tall inside though my outer form
is bent and frail,
for those who have eyes to see beneath my twisted outer shell.”

. . . This morning, I stopped on the sidewalk, observing this beautiful gnarled tree. I stared at it for a while and just listened to the words that spoke to my heart about the life of this tree. No, I do not know where this tree has been in its journey here on earth nor what it has seen, but I do know since it has lived long and pretty much unsheltered from the winds, it has withstood much through its years. This poem about this tree says to me when our years have been long and spent. Our physical strength is no longer there, God is still speaking, still providing experiences, maybe more quieter, perhaps more serene, but He is still speaking His message, which speaks volumes to our hearts from those who have lived long with Him, those who have been a pillar of strength in His Name. . . .
. . In Psalm 92, the aging saints are compared to trees, a palm, and a cedar. They are both long-lived evergreen trees that flourish in harsh conditions, one in a hot climate and the other on windy heights . . . they paint the picture of the spiritual character and the mental caliber of aging Christians. . . .