Of oft I do obsess

Of oft I do obsess

Over things I cannot have

Whether now or ever

May wait and see

Yet for the present presently

Why can't I find the courage 

To simply be who I am

Meant to be 

Most positively life

And all it's many twists 

And turns will teach

If ere our hearts would learn

To trust that which does not

Change nor tarnish nor rust

For that is the only hope

Of which we must

All our lives depend

Our one and dearest friend 

Who despite our many doubts

And fears will love us

Through the passing years

Till all our will is broken

That we might turn

To Him who has spoken

Life itself into existence 

Is not all of life a waste

If not at last to have found

Our one and only true love 

In our eternal father

Up above

For He will ere prevail

Though all our best 

Attemps should fail

His ways are just

In Him and Him alone

Must we trust 

If we have any hope at all 

Let it be in Him who it gave all 

For one so small 

That they might know

True life abundant 

In Him who was

And is triumphant 

Ruler over all

-Joshua Lee Foist

As I pass and ponder

As I pass and ponder

By thy work's interior

My thoughts wander

To where thy thoughts

Wander exterior

Wondering in this passing

Moment if thy thoughts

Drift past or presently

Pondering on a lost

Chemistry could it be

Only time can know

The rumblings of the heart

The rummaging of the spirit

Within the mind of men

When might it's healing work

Begin in me - in thee

For all thy fears 

And longings

May thy greatest desire

Belonging be

With He who alone

Can set thy spirit free

From wandering

In the wreckage

Of the curse

This blessed misery 

For you for me

A passing pain

By which a deeper

Desire may we gain

In He who bore our shame

And carried our pain

That we in Him

All sorrows may shed

That we by His words

Of grace and truth

Be fed

Till we are more than faces 

Fleeting in the wind

But hearts repeating

In rhythm as one

Till at last

We are called

Home to the son

Our one and only 

Love and joy devine

-Joshua Lee Foist

Grant me humility

Grant me humility 

In all and every circumstance

For I am a mess of pride

And resentment 

Festering inside

Give me a love

For those who are unkind

Who happen to be present

Despite my ideal desire

Grant me a love for these

To not desire acceptance 

From anyone but you

Who knows my deepest 

Secrets and sins

And gives me strength

To make amends

When all others betray

And walk away

Grant me the grace

To remain amidst the pain

As you did for my gain

That but a trace of your love

Your joy, your forgiveness

May I employ for all

Who cross my path

May they not discover

My rath but see my

Love instead

May my frail humility 

Be the one ability

In me

That causes blind

Eyes to see

And deaf ears to hear

The wonder and glory

Of your unfathomable 

Mystery 

-Joshua Lee Foist

I need not fear my lack of ability

I need not fear my lack of ability

Nor let my own mere fragility

Remain steadfast upon

Another to fully supply 

My needs

Despite my many imperfections

My only source of true dependence

Is the one who has my steps determined

My course and where it shall lead

My one need He alone can satisfy

He alone can I completely depend

For He has borne the brunt of it all

And to Him alone do I surrender all

So as for healing

His love and grace appealing

Shall all my scars revealing

Be made whole

When I my life do give

In service to all shall live

That when at last

My life is past

Shall surely find my home

And know despite

My many faults 

These trials were not

In vain

All have I to gain

For Him who took my pain

Completely on Himself

That I may once more

Regain a hope

Beyond the grave 

-Joshua Lee Foist

On sorrowed shores shall we

On sorrowed shores shall we
While thee drift oft to sea
From clutches of frail humanity
So depart

Though not far from our
Broken hearts
Though still and barren
We know

Thy joy
Doth ever grow
More and more
As thee drift farther
From this fleeting shore

For far beyond the eyes that see
Yet for thy great joy arise
To that glorious celestial
Mystery

For all life's sorrows and pain
No more find their sting or gain
For thy joy complete
When at last

Meet thy savior
Before His feet
Do rise

And look full
Within His loving eyes
And know at last
Thy home

Eaternal
Where light shall
Never fade

Though here
Our eyes blur
With thoughts
Of memories past

Yet joy
Shall still remain
To comfort amidst
This present pain

For know we this
Our time here too
Is short

And for that
We pray may it
Be well endured

For we know not when
Our time shall come
And though we long
Once more to see

Much more we long
To do our savior's will
Until that day
Our greatest thrill

Shall join thee in
That great triumphant hall
When all who are called
Shall as one be there

What joys shall sing
When at last
Our sorrows past
Shall meet our Savior
And our King

-Joshua Lee Foist

*In Memory of Matthew Keith, a dear brother in the Lord.

Oh time how art thou oft spent with me

Oh time how art thou oft spent with me
And I of thee for all thy usefullness
My own complacency hath made
Waste of me

For oft in haste
Plan I hours upon end
Yet all that depend
Upon this house of cards

Yard upon yard
It stretches
Far too long
To waste away

How time doth take
To unravel this mistake
And me the sum
Of my own depravity

When to awake
Before heaven's quake
Before the last of trumps
Hath sound

Shall thou find me
In my shroud
Of hostility
And rage

Or might
I hope my soul
Cry out from this cage
In serenity at last
Humility

Have thy way with me
If at last thy sorrows
May chase
And hope tomorrows
May all
Embrace

For none but thee
Can drive it
From me

For my own
Ways are worn
Away

And all
Left to
Dust
And decay

Then come
Ah come
And wash me
Away from this
Scum of life
Still clinging
To me

It a counterfeit
Hath death
To me
Become

For heart
Of stone
Is all alone

Come fresh
Make flesh
Once more
Of me

That I may
Love thee
In part

As thou
Much more
Of me

-Joshua Lee Foist