Passion, Purpose and Purity: A poem

To say I know someone
Because I have heard their name spoken.
To say I love someone
Because I know what they have done.
Is to deceive myself,
Cloud my vision
So that knowledge can not increase
and love begin to grow.

To know is not the possession of facts
To love not some casual feeling.
To know is to anticipate what they'll do.
It takes time, determination, a passion.
A desire to learn more, a striving to this purpose.
To love is to desire their will above yours,
To strive to please them and to seek to know them more.
It is a passion, a passion which provides a purpose.

Knowledge and love, passion and purpose
Interwoven; each driving the other.
Passion giving us purpose, and our
Purpose increasing our passion.
One purpose, one passion, pure uncomplicated.
Turn your thoughts, single minded
To that which you'd love.
Seek that love, strive to find it
With a passion and as your sole purpose.

Always and Only - Wife: A poem

The second part of the two part post - the poem my wife wrote for me.

Always and Only

Always and only, you have my heart,
Always and only, we never shall part.

The ‘always’ comes from our view of life
We shall be one, husband and wife
For the rest of our lives, till death us do part
Always and only, you have my heart.

The ‘only’ arises from the Lord that we know
You and me together, daily we shall grow
Our wedding and honeymoon are only the start,
Always and only, we never shall part.

Me and you, and you and me
I'm so happy that this is the way it will be
For the rest of our lives, not just in part,
Always and only, you have my heart.

The love that we share will build and build
Just the thought of that makes me thrilled
Thrilled to know you are my sweetheart
Always and only, we never shall part.

Always and only, you have my heart,
Always and only, we never shall part.

Always and Only - Husband: A Poem

This is a slightly unusual two part post - comprising two poems. I have recently got married to the most amazing woman I know and I wrote this poem for her as part of my wedding speech. At the same time my now wife wrote a poem for me which was surprisingly similar.

Always and Only

My eye caught you
And would not let go
My amazing fish
Juggling in the snow

Many things join us
Our life intertwined
Linked as polar bears
Our story to find

Always together
This life we will walk
Growing together
As we play and talk

Whatever life brings
As one we will strive
To paint a picture
Of Christ and his bride

My promise to you
Never be lonely
To work love for you
Always and Only

A heart of thankfulness: A poem

Praise Him, mine soul,
Mine lips, mine heart,
From dawn to dusk,
Days end to start.

Praise Him, thank Him,
Exalt and proclaim Him,
For laughter and joy,
Days full to the brim.

What thanks mine all declares,
For times of chat and laughter,
For quietude of heart,
And exuberant joy thereafter.

The heart, which beats
First slow, then quick,
This languid soul,
Accelerating tick.

This heart which beats,
This voice which sings,
Thankful to Thee,
For what the new day brings.

Praise Him, mine soul,
Quickened within,
Mine lips, mine heart,
What joy to bring.

A Prayer for Love in the Church

Today, I am going to make a bit of a departure in what I write. I am writing this blog for many reasons, one of which is as an incentive to work through my understanding of various passages in the Bible. The reason behind this is my desire to know more of God, and to make my beliefs and actions imitate the ideal we have in the life of Jesus. However, it is not the act of knowing more itself which can make us more Christ like, rather this transformation is only possibly in God’s will and with his help. That is why the Spirit was sent amongst us, as a helper – to enable and encourage us to live holy lives. This relational aspect of Christianity is important, and from this flows the need, and indeed the command, that we pray. Indeed in Philippians’ we read “do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

So, to encourage myself to pray more I’m going to do something I haven’t done before. Rather than letting my thoughts meander as I pray, I am going to try and organise them and commit a prayer to paper (well, to this blog anyway). Here goes, not with eloquent or wise words,…

My Lord and Father, I am yours. Let all I do, think or say please you. Let my thoughts turn to you and dwell on you always, for you alone are good. Equip me my God, not that I would be more holy, or wise, although these I desire also, but that I might be more full of your love. A love that is so complete it leaves room for nothing else and overflows from such a meagre vessel as I. Yet I do not pray this only for myself, but also for all those who know you, that your Church would be a place of such love that the world must stop in its tracks and stare. A unified body, a beautiful bride. A Church which does not look inward, but seeks to share your love with any neighbour. I pray for those neighbours, that they would hear the outstanding good news of the Gospel, that they would love this truth, and that you would save them, oh God. That they too would call you Father, and that I could rejoice with the angles in heaven at having many new brothers and sisters. I pray in the name of the Son, crucified that I and they might have life, and that life to the full, Amen.