Sometimes I feel the weight of the spiritual battles being waged around me, as if the forces of darkness intensify the more I strive to bring light to the world. Like a desert monsoon, my emotions have been in constant flux this week. But throughout all the ups and downs, the theme of rugged hope remains.
Crayons | Day 11
In the hands of the skilled,
They are instruments of beauty
But caught in the grasp
Of one untrained,
They become weapons of destruction
Leaving their waxy mark
On every surface
An explosion of creativity
Within the confines of their canvas
But with each swipe of the rag
I’m reminded
That now, these crayons
May only be toys
But they pave the way
For greater things to come
And maybe someday
The marks my children leave on the world
Will go deeper than playful scribbles
Frayed Edges | Day 12
When I feel for all the world
Like one loose thread will be my undoing
Because the giants in front of me
Seem like armed Goliaths
And I am a shepherd boy
With a few smooth stones
I put my hope in the One
Who’s in the business of felling strongholds
Of parting seas
Of raising the dead
And suddenly my giant
Doesn’t feel so impossible to topple
Rain | Day 13
The downpour comes down accompanied by
Cracks of thunder
Causing my kids to run screaming
Into my arms
They only see the haze
And hear the distant rumbles—
The things that cause them fear
But I know the rain
Means life
And renewal
Once the winds have passed on
If only we can weather
The storm for a while
Candle | Day 14
When darkness descends
And the shadows creep in
And it feels like all hope is gone
Light will come
Like break of dawn
To cast aside the dark
Never fear, my child
The howling storm
The swirling doubts of night
Like a burning flame
Held close to my chest
I will carry this fire for you
Hummingbird | Day 15
This tiny creature
Flitting around with the energy
Of a thousand suns
Never ceasing in its flight
And endless activity
The blurring wings reminding me
Of a day full of productivity
Hours spent cultivating
A family
Alive with purpose
And intention
Sunset | Day 16
Sunsets always give me
Nostalgia
And longing for the days when
I used to drive with windows down,
Hair whipping back against the headrest
Music turned off so the only sound
Came from the waning desert
I can almost taste that summer breeze
As it rolls off the mountain
And the kinds of thoughts
Encircling me
Were of purpose, potential, and
Restless longing
Like a loaded spring
With no direction
Those days before I felt
Responsibility for other lives
Freedom, yet untethered
Wandering until my feet
Found a place to rest