Poetry

Between Mundane And Disaster

Much of our lives we spend
avoiding life’s extremes.
In one compass swing
mundane,
in the other,
disaster.
We hope our hearts are strong enough
to live in between.

We search, often aimlessly,
avoiding the extremes.
We hope to endure,
just wishing life would bring
something better.

There’s a way to thrive,
to bring those hands we’ve used to push away
out to the world that needs us,
to our hearts,
and up to our God who wants to be
our life supply.

It’s alright not to completely understand,
with uncertainty to live.
It’s okay that you don’t know every answer
or all of God’s plan.
That’s a lot of what faith is.

Your life can be more than just existing
between mundane and disaster,
beyond dreary or the crushing of your stars.
The transforming power of the Holy Spirit
will enable you to see how far
if you only believe.

© Joel Tipple
#26/14

Missing Heartbeats

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One fifteen thousand times a day,
your heart was born to beat that way.
Jesus died for you and he rose again,
abundant life is now yours and freedom from sin.
The joy that you’ll feel will make your heart skip some beats,
now you’re free from that Adam disease.

If it seems I’m missing just a few of my heartbeats,
if counting them I come up shy every time,
it’s cause Lord, you fill me up with love and new meaning. I’m your design.
Your perfect love covers all my imperfections
and all I’ve gotta do is to surrender me.
You make my heart so full God that it skips some beats, see,
but they were never mine.
No they were never mine.

Joyfully my heart beats. Joyfully my heart beats.
Joyfully my heart beats. Joyfully my heart beats.
Joyfully my heart beats. Joyfully my heart beats.
Joyfully my heart beats. Joyfully my heart beats.

Life everlasting
Love never failing
Push away from the shore
Now you’re sailing!

God gives a new heart when you turn from sin,
when you turn to him.
You’ll put away your childish ways and become a beacon of light.
Help those you meet in the world gain new sight.

“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;
then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.”

If it seems I’m missing just a few of my heartbeats,
if counting them I come up shy every time,
it’s cause Lord, you fill me up with love and new meaning. I’m your design.
Your perfect love covers all my imperfections
and all I’ve gotta do is to surrender me.
You make my heart so full God that it skips some beats, see,
but they were never mine.
No they were never mine.

They were never mine.
And you take my breath away.
They were never mine.
You take my breath away.
They were never mine.

© Joel Tipple
#25/14

it’s not for me

my gift is not for me
not for that empty spot on my trophy shelf
not to keep me company
when i’m lonely

it’s not for holding so tight it’s crushed and ugly
or for hiding in a closet where it gets musty and moldy

it’s for fitting together with all the rest
as though part of a body Lego
forming as one to function
as our God surely knows best

it doesn’t puff out its chest or compare itself
showing the bitter side of pride
it doesn’t waste much time in the mirror
asking its reflection why

the better part of each day it spends
in deepest gratitude
looking forward to each turn of the road
as it winds and wends

© Joel Tipple
#24/14

Wake Up And Breathe

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My friend, like a lot of people
you are searching
and searching’s not a bad place to be

to the light
point me to the light

but neon signs of false gods
masquerade as reality
their garish promises mislead
and leave you empty

to the light
point me to the light

truth strikes a chord when you find it
just like God designed it
you thought your heart was locked securely
but Jesus has the key

wake up and breathe
wake up and breathe
you were made to be one with the Father
where he leads, you can learn to follow
wake up and breathe
wake up and breathe

trade in those superficial dreams you thought were so fantastic
back before you had eyes to see
throw away your calendar
full of yesterdays
wake up and breathe

instead of marching in place
move
instead of waiting for someone
move
instead of trying in vain to reinvent yourself
let Jesus reveal who you were always meant to be

wake up and breathe
wake up and breathe
you were made to be one with the Father
where he leads, you can learn to follow
wake up and breathe
wake up and breathe

This is the most important decision you will ever make.
Are you ready?
Okay…
now breathe.

© Joel Tipple
#23/14

The Center

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Lord, help me be in the center of your will,
like a note in sympathy with your heavenly symphony.
When needless tempests are whipped up
by my stubborn mind,
place your hand upon my shoulder…
make me still.

Make my heart soft but strong
to help the hurting without breaking.
Help me point the way to your door
and lift up those
who are tired of trying.

The road to your center is a rough and rocky climb.
Those who say it’s easy likely haven’t tried.
I cried out to you Lord, when the load
got too heavy.
Sometimes giving up is tempting,
but the life we’ve been given is worth the fight.

Holding onto Jesus,
take another step.
Holding onto Jesus,
take another breath.
Looking forward to heaven,
but before I leave
I want help those I meet
live abundantly.

Abundantly,
what’s your definition?
Abundantly,
it isn’t all cake.
Abundantly,
learn to live in the moments you’re given,
not just for heaven’s sake.
Abundantly,
life lived in the rear view mirror
won’t take you much past yesterday.
God treats His children well
and you have a story to tell.
About overcoming.
About victory.

Choose life in the center,
not just on the outside looking in.
Abundant life is waiting on the other side
of the door in front of you.
Turn away from distractions
that would rob you of what God intends.
Life everlasting begins now,
not just in the future tense.

© Joel Tipple
#22/14

My Condition

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My condition,
conditional faith.
My condition,
conditional prayer.
My condition,
conditional belief, as though,
I could choose
whether God is, or isn’t there.

But no matter how high I built my castle walls,
protecting treasure that was only fantasy,
God broke them down with love and a pardon.
Blessed reality.

My condition,
conditional service.
My condition,
conditional love.
My condition
seemed incurable until God healed me…
He made me whole by his mercy.

The birds of the air do not sow reap or store,
yet our Father keeps them all fed.
So why do we worry?
Why do we bury
ourselves in possessions
while we lust for more?

Our condition without Christ was lost,
but praise Him, we are found.
God’s will is not for some,
but all of our devotion.
By the light His word gives me
I am my heavenly father’s child,
unconditionally.

© Joel Tipple
#21/14

We Are New

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We are drawn to the cross, Lord,
where instead of a bitter ending
a joyous new beginning burst forth for all humanity.
Because of your astounding love we are new.

We are new and becoming new,
though by rights we should not be.
The sin that was our inheritance
you purchased on Calvary.
We are new and becoming new.
You reached down with your nail scarred hand.
You saw the lost children we were,
then gave us vision for who we could be.

The future we embrace now,
for this course we race now
we do not run alone.
You carry us when our strength leaves
and eternal life is our guarantee
for your power rolled away the stone.

We are new and becoming new,
for your sacrifice tore the veil.
Because we are adopted sons and daughters
death cannot prevail.
Life is new.

The world now can’t claim us as its own.
We have eternity written in our hearts
and a place before your throne.
We are new.

Earthquakes and tidal waves,
fires and ferocious storms,
poverty and sickness,
cannot prevail against your love.
No matter what the scales read before
your love is more.
Because you died
and rose again
we are new,
and becoming new.

© Joel Tipple
#20/14

Creature of Hope

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You were drowning in despair,
just waiting for the end.
Then you came up for air.
A message from a friend
spelled new beginning for you.

Now you’re a new creature,
a creature of hope,
a child of Jesus,
giving out warm
as the world grows colder.
You can’t contain it.
Why would you want to?
And so, you’re growing bolder.

This is victory,
now you can see
beyond you.
Your eyes open wide,
seeing possibilities
you never saw before.
God is alive in you.

Feed the flame, feed the flame.
Call out His name,
creature of hope.
Feed the flame, feed the flame.
Call out the name of Jesus,
creature of hope.

Let the world know
for them the stone was rolled,
creatures of hope.
For those who were healed,
to those the truth revealed
share the message
of death, resurrection, and new life…
Creatures of hope, creatures of hope.

© Joel Tipple
#19/14

Center Stage

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“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. God this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

In our time there seems to be an epidemic of actors jostling for their spot on center stage. There are so many ways to promote oneself, be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or even blogs like this. While each of these have their place, they contribute to a message that no matter what your personal talents or leanings may be, in order to be successful in life you must promote yourself without ceasing. Widen your platform. Make some noise. The message society seems to be pushing has led to a widening sense of entitlement. “We” is often sacrificed at the altar of “me.” As in most things a sense of balance is called for. Promote yourself and your work? Yes, but even more, we are called to be servants, as Jesus was.

There are invisible
ties of love
linking those
who give all
for the sake of others,
who find
fulfillment
in a supporting role.
Never lonely
when they find themselves
standing at center stage,
gently pushed there
by those they pushed,
enveloped by gratitude’s glow.

© Joel Tipple
#18/14

Ode to Wormwood (Inspired by The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis)

Your job is not difficult,
junior worker for the dark.
Your task in the main
is to hinder your subject’s work
for the enemy.
It’s no secret
the war is lost
but we have many battles
which we may yet win,
so do your best for the company.

You’ve reported
he is passionate.
Well, that is fine,
passions can be redirected.
His enthusiasm for
memorizing scripture,
sharing his faith,
or uplifting others of the opposition
can be channeled toward innocuous pursuits
the moment they are detected.

You say he persists in meeting with his ilk,
sometimes more than twice a week.
This simply indicates you’re lazy.
How hard is it to suggest alternatives to him?
There are dozens of human sports being played on Sunday.
You can encourage him to stay up too late on Saturday.
If you fail to keep him from raining on your weekend,
talk him into believing that’s holiness enough for one week,
or your scorecard may be grim.

Finally, beginning agent,
among your allies,
in addition to the usual vices
are those modern conveniences
such as the internet.
Oh sure, it’s a portal to all
sorts of invaluable sin,
but the not so obvious boon to our business
is its ability to keep him harmlessly busy.
Keep those hours high,
and you may make senior grade demon yet.

© Joel Tipple
#17/14