Poetry by Val Conner

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Man of Faith
It doesn't take a man of faith

To smile when things are good
To speak volumes of God's goodness
When things go "the way they should."

It doesn't take a man of faith
To bow on bended knee
To recognize God's providence
When His plan you're sure you see.

It doesn't take a man of faith
To travel a road well lit
Or lead when others follow willingly
Their stipulations you have met.

It takes a man of faith, you see
To wait upon God's word
To listen, patient, and not act
Until His voice is heard.

And when at His anointing
Understanding not it all
A breath you take, one step you make
Down a path you do not know.

And step by step, though trials and snares
Sometimes obscure the way,
And the task appears so daunting -
By His side, resolved, you stay.

And with the test of time you find
His word to you is true
The path that he called you to take
Was designed by Him  - for you.

For it wasn't by coincidence
This road He ask you take
He longed to spend some time alone with you
And time is His to make.

Your expertise, He did not need
From you no lesson need He learn
He simply wants more time with you
For His heart, He knows, you yearn.

He longs to hear your prayer invite
 "Oh Savior be thou near"
He waits until His face you seek
For then, His voice you'll hear.

For it's only then, you understand
The reasoning behind,
The forlorn valleys walked alone 
The turns, sometimes, so blind.

His call for you, was a call to you
To cast down things that matter not
To rest in Him, to trust in Him
And to seek His ways, His thoughts.

So as you venture down another road
As quickly as you might
Recall once again, His presence near and
Walk by faith, not sight.

The Path

My heart cries out, to you, Oh Lord, I know not what to do.

I do not wish to travel down a path that I’ve come to.

It leads not where I want to go- to valley’s of despair

Provide, dear Lord, another way and let me join you there.

This path, you say, was made for me? That seems not right at all.

It’s slope is steep, its way is dark,  I fear that I may fall.

And Lord, you know, I am so frail, how will I make it through?

Please do not bid me down this path, let me stay here with you.

“Dear child, my ways, are not your ways”,  in love He said to me.

“You’ll never fully comprehend my all sufficiency

Until you find, that all you need, is found in me alone

And trust the path prepared for you, prepares your heart for home.

For it is not the journey that I wish for you to view,

But what you’ll learn about me, as you lean on me, not you.

For as you place you’re trust in me, though the future’s hard to see

Is that wherever you may go, my child,  I’ll also be.

So do not weary at the path that you have been brought to,

Or fear the valley’s that you see, that you WILL venture through.

But place your trust in me and know you’ll never walk alone,

For I shall never lead you down a path, to me, unknown.”

There Is a Place

There is a place where acceptance is found, a place of peace and contentment

Where fears subside

and smiles of hope exist

Where warm embraces have long since replaced cold shoulders

And I can be me.

There is a place where freedom of expression is welcomed

Where “sincerely” describes a life lived honorably

And not merely impotent words penned at the end of a letter

Where the distance between opposing views

is treasured for its diversity, not measured by its intensity

And I can be me.

There is a place where one’s value is based on” Whose” you are,  not “whom” you are

Where the barometer of success is gauged by the attitude of one’s heart

 Not the platitudes of one’s performances

Where life is valued because it is a gift -

regardless of gender, race, or geography

And I can be me.

There s a place where beauty lies not in the eyes of the behold’en, but solely in the eyes of the Begotten

Where one’s spirit describes the splendor of one’s presence, and the measure of one’s age is the compilation of past memories -  not years passed       

Where the shaping of one’s mind is

more important than mindings one’s shape

And I can be me.

“There”

This place I long to be -

Where the law of the jungle is but a fable,

Where darkness finds no place in which to cower,

Where we are not merely acceptable in His sight -

We are the accepted by His side.

Where joyful todays are always followed by joyous tomorrows -

and tomorrows are forever.

“There” is the place I want to be –

but not just yet.

For now,  I choose to dwell here;

To fulfill the purpose He has chosen for me.

To be a refuge and a reminder

For people -  like me -

Of His Peace

And of their

Acceptance,

Value, and

Beauty.

To touch every soul I can,

As if it were His touching mine,

And to willingly follow Him down the road he has selected me to travel.

For here - in this place -

I am ever mindful that as I place my hand in His

I am learning that I am exactly where

I can be me.

I Scarce Do Understand

 That One would love so infinitely

As to establish

A plan of redemption

Before time itself had been created

To reconcile and draw

A people -whom by their very nature -

Would never fully comprehend

The breadth of such love… I scarce do understand.

That One would love so unconditionally

As to tender

A plan of redemption

Before acceptance of that gift would be received

To fulfill a promise to

A people - whom by their very nature -

Would never fully appreciate

The sacrifice of such love…I scarce do understand.

That One would love so personally

As to execute

A plan of redemption

Before a heart had yet turned to Him and

To steadfastly pursue

A people -whom by their very nature -

Would never reciprocate

The faithfulness of such love …I scarce do understand.

Redeeming love

Patient You wait

And by your grace transform my fate

The cross, its claim, eradicate

Sin’s penalty, as planned.

Redeeming love

The thought of such

The sacrifice that paid so much

Removes my guilt, reveals Your touch

Created by Your hand.

Redeeming love

How can it be?

That before time was, You thought of me

So with You I ‘d spend eternity

What love you have for man!

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