GROWING AND CHANGING

CHANGING AND GROWING
I went through a time
In college
Where I
QUESTIONED MY FAITH
I QUIT practicing my
CHRISTIAN religion=but it really
Was a time
Of GROWING AND CHANGING
For me
"O God
You taught me
From my YOUTH
And till the present=
I proclaim
Your wondrous deeds"                                                                                                         Psalm 71:17
Looking back-
NOW I see
That the SPIRIT=
Christ's own spirit=
The HOLY SPIRIT
Really was guiding me
THROUGHOUT that period
Of my life
I was CHANGING AND GROWING-
Growing into the FAITH
That would last me
Through my life FOREVER
I had to
SEARCH for the answers=
I had to change
And GROW INTO GOD
CHANGING=GROWING IN GOD!
"And Jesus
GREW in wisdom
And stature
And in FAVOR
With God and man"                                                                                                              Luke 2:52
"So the chuches
Were strengthened
In the faith
And GREW daily
In numbers"                                                                                                                                  Acts 16:5
"But GROW in the grace
And knowledge of
Our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ
To him be glory
BOTH now and forever"                                                                                                           2 Peter 3:18
I RETURNED to God
I returned to faith=
But I learned
An important lesson
NEVER ASSUME you know
What is going on
in the heart
Of another human being
Their heart
May need to CHANGE AND GROW
Just like mine did=
MAYBE like yours did too
This Advent=we are
WAITING for the Lord
To come once again
BE PATIENT and WAIT=
Grow and change-
If you have to=
Our Lord Jesus Christ is COMING
"A person's wisdom
Yields PATIENCE
It is to one's glory
To overlook an offense"                                                                                                     Proverbs 19:11
BE PATIENT this Advent
With yourself=
As you CHANGE AND GROW
And wait for
The COMING OF THE LORD
May we all be
MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE
Like God=this Advent
With others=as they GROW and change-
And with ourselves too
In Jesus' name=and in the name=of our ever PATIENT=waiting-nurturing FATHER
Robert P. Wallman
12-18-19

Ps        INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH by Terri Mifek