poetry | Craig T. Owens

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Poetry Saturday—Strength From Heaven

June 6, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Whence do our mournful thoughts arise?

And where’s our courage fled?

Has restless sin and raging hell

Struck all our comforts dead?

Have we forgot th’ almighty Name

That formed the earth and sea?

And can an all-creating Arm

Grow weary or decay?

Treasures of everlasting might

In our Jehovah dwell;

He gives the conquest to the weak

And treads their foes to hell.

Mere mortal power shall fade and die,

And youthful vigor cease;

But we that wait upon the Lord

Shall feel our strength increase.

The saints shall mount up on eagles’ wings

And taste the promis’d bliss,

Till their unwearied feet arrive

Where perfect pleasure is. —Isaac Watts (from Isaiah 40:27-30)

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible, God's strength, Isaac Watts, Isaiah, poem, poetry, thought life, victory. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—The Measure Of A Man

May 23, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Not “How did he die?”

But “How did he live?”

Not “What did he gain?”

But “What did he give?”

These are the units

To measure the worth

Of a man as a man

Regardless of birth.

Not “What was his station?”

But “Had he a heart?”

And how did he play

His God-given part?

Was he ever ready

With a word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile,

To banish a tear?

Not “What was his church?”

Nor “What was his creed?”

But “Had he befriended

Those really in need?”

Not what did the sketch

In the newspapers say?

But how many were sorry

When he passed away? —Anonymous

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: encourager, father, God's purpose, husband, manhood, poem, poetry, son, strength. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Failure Doesn’t Mean

May 16, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Lord, are You trying to tell me something? For…

Failure does not mean I’m a failure;

It does mean I have not yet succeeded.

Failure does not mean I have accomplished nothing;

It does mean I have learned something.

Failure does not mean I have been a fool;

It does mean I had enough faith to experiment.

Failure does not mean I’ve been disgraced;

It does mean I dared to try.

Failure does not mean I don’t have it;

It does mean I have to do something in a different way.

Failure does not mean I am inferior;

It does mean I am not perfect.

Failure does not mean I’ve wasted my time;

It does mean I have an excuse to start over.

Failure does not mean I should give up;

It does mean I must try harder.

Failure does not mean I’ll never make it;

It does mean I need more patience.

Failure does not mean You have abandoned me;

It does mean You must have a better idea. Amen. —Anonymous

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: failure, maturity, paradigm, patience, perseverance, perspective, poem, poetry, prayer, success. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Now

May 9, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

I leave with God tomorrow’s where and how,

And do concern myself but with the Now,

That little word, though half the future’s length,

Well used, holds twice its meaning and its strength.

Like one blindfolded groping out his way,

I will not try to touch beyond today.

Since all the future is concealed from sight

I need but strive to make the next step right.

That done, the next, and so on, till I find

Perchance someday I am no longer blind,

And looking up, behold a radiant Friend

Who says, “Rest, now, for you have reached the end.” —Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: action, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, future, now, poem, poetry, strength. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—While Others Are

May 2, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Believe while others are doubting.

Plan while others are playing.

Study while others are sleeping.

Decide while others are delaying.

Prepare while others are daydreaming.

Begin while others are procrastinating.

Work while others are wishing.

Save while others are wasting.

Listen while others are talking.

Smile while others are frowning.

Commend while others are criticizing.

Persist while others are quitting. —William Arthur Ward

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: belief, encouragement, initiative, listening, persistence, planning, poem, poetry, preparation, seize the day, study, William Arthur Ward, work ethic. Leave a Comment »

8 Quotes On Suffering & Overcoming

April 27, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Earlier today I posted a recap of the message I delivered Sunday morning at Calvary Assembly of God addressing the question on why we have to go through suffering. Here are a few quotes I found during my study time last week.

“By nature, we evaluate nearly every situation according to its immediate impact on our desires, and we make our choices accordingly. Consequently, we often sacrifice that which would bring infinite eternal benefit in exchange for temporary gratification.” —Stephen K. Scott

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —Jesus Christ

“Wherever souls are being tried and ripened, in whatever commonplace and homely way, there God is hewing out the pillars for His temple.” —Phillips Brooks

“Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.” —Thomas Moore

“Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy.” —Robert Pollok

“Joys are our wings, sorrows our spurs.” —Jean Paul Richter

“Sorrow is divine. Sorrow is reigning on all the thrones of the universe, and the crown of all crowns has been one of thorns. There have been many books that treat of the sympathy of sorrow, but only one that bids us glory in tribulations, and count it all joy when we fall into divers afflictions, that so we may be associated with that great fellowship of suffering of which the incarnate Son of God is the head, and through which He is carrying a redemptive conflict to the glorious victory over evil. If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.” —Harriet Beecher Stowe

I walked a mile with Pleasure—

She chattered all the way

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow

And ne’er a word said she,

But, oh, the things I learned from her

When Sorrow walked with me. —Robert Browning Hamilton

Poetry Saturday―Seize This Very Minute

April 25, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Lose this day loitering, ’twill be the same story

Tomorrow, and the rest more dilatory.

Thus indecision brings its own delays,

And days are lost tormenting over days.

Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute;

What you can do, or dream you can, begin it;

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it;

Only engage, and then the mind grows heated;

Begin, and then the work will be completed. ―Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: action, dream, Goethe, hard work, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poem, poetry, proactive, time, time management. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday―Sermons We See

April 18, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;

I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear;

Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.

And the best of all preachers are the men who live their creeds.

For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it if you’ll let me see it done;

I can watch your hands in actions, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,

But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.

For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give,

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind.

When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind

Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me

To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be.

And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today

Is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way.

One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold;

One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told.

Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear,

For right living speaks a language which to every one is clear.

Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say,

I’d rather see a sermon then to hear one, any day. —Edgar A. Guest

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: counsel, Edgar Guest, example, friends, integrity, kindness, observation, poem, poetry, preaching, sermon, teaching. 1 Comment »

Poetry Saturday―My Great Reward

April 11, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

My goal is God Himself, not joy, nor peace,

Nor even blessing, but Himself, my God;

‘Tis His to lead me there—not mine, but His—

At any cost, dear Lord, by any road.

So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,

And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;

Upheld by Him, my soul is following hard

Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.

No matter if the way be sometimes dark,

No matter though the cost be ofttimes great,

He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark,

The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.

One thing I know, I cannot say Him nay;

One thing I do, I press towards my Lord;

My God my glory here, from day to day,

And in the glory there my Great Reward. ―Frances Brooke

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: eternity, Frances Brooke, God's presence, poem, poetry, prayer, rewards. Leave a Comment »

Not Knowing Where (book review)

April 2, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Not Knowing Where by Oswald Chambers was the first book from Chambers that I ever read, and I was instantly hooked on this wise, godly man’s writing. I just finished reading this amazing book again, and found even more to love!

Not Knowing Where is a study on the life of Abraham from the book of Genesis. Chambers takes us slowly through Abraham’s life, with entire chapters in the book sometimes just looking at a handful of verse from the biblical account of Abraham. Not only do we get to know Abraham so much better, but Chambers also makes timeless applications that every Christian can live by.

These chapters are a series of lectures Chambers gave at the Bible Training College, so they have a very conversational feel to them, making them easily readable. We also get to see Chambers’ love of poetry, as in nearly every chapter he shares with us a verse or two from poets which so beautifully capture the scene Chambers is trying to paint.

I know many people say that My Utmost For His Highest is a good starter book for those wanting to discover the genius of Oswald Chambers, but for me there is no better starting point than Not Knowing Where.