The Imaginative Conservative recently published my essay with this title. This is an address I gave to a group of Union students at a guys morning Bible study a couple of years ago. Too many voices encourage men to laziness or a complaining, whining spirit. We must cast this off and embrace the call to …
My oldest son, Nathan, recently brought my attention to this powerful poem. Nathan has an interest in poems about nature, adventure, and perseverance- and that pleases me! I am quite taken with this poem, so I looked into the author, Douglas Malloch (May 5, 1877 – July 2, 1938). He was a poet and author of short …
I recently came across another hymn by Horatius Bonar, which I have added to my “Poems of Perseverance” file. It is on my office door this week as my Poem of the Week. “Go, Labor On; Spend, and Be Spent” Go, labor on; spend, and be spent; Thy joy to do the Father’s will; It …
My poem of the week this week comes from one of my favorite poets, Edgar Guest. I love how Guest speaks of the beauty of everyday life, home, family and perseverance. There is simple wisdom here. “Patience” The patient man who stands to care And shrugs his shoulders now and then At little hurts …
My poem of the week this week has been one of my favorites from Frank L. Stanton (February 22, 1857- January 7, 1927), who was the first poet laureate of the state of Georgia. I appreciate the “down home”, everyday life themes of his poems which are often sprinkled with what used to be common sense …
I’ve toyed with running the last few years, but the last several months I’ve gotten serious about it. I’ve started running with my 17 year old son on facing treadmills. We worked out a shared play list to listen to while we run- some old school Petra for me and some Lecrae for him. Of …
My poem of the week this week is a great call to perseverance, holding to faithfulness despite the immediate outcome. This, especially the last two stanzas, is a good word. OH IT IS HARD TO WORK FOR GOD Oh, it is hard to work for God, To rise and take His part Upon this battlefield …
The Man Who Was Greenmantle: A Biography of Aubrey Herbert, Margaret Fitzherbert (John Murray, 1983) This was my first “just for fun” read of the summer, and it was worthwhile. I purchased this book because I have so enjoyed the novels of John Buchan, especially his Richard Hannay series which I discovered while we lived …
I have enjoyed reading through the poems of George Herbert with my sons the last week or so. They are rich, full of the struggles of life and conscience and full of hope. I was struck by how often the word “mirth” appeared. My poem of the week this week has been his poem titled, …
Men are trained and prepared for secular contests, and they account it a great mark of honour, if they happen to be crowned in the sight of the people and the presence of the emperor. Behold a sublime and mighty contest, glorious with the prize of a heavenly crown, in which God beholds us contending …