Silhouettes in sunset

Silhouettes in sunset

Where clouds o'rhead

Color the expanse

With their iridescent trance 

So the last rays of sunlight 

Descend upon the cityscape

Soaring upon the wing

My soul sings the wonders 

Of your majesty

Here through this portal of flight 

My eyes delight 

In thy beautiful shades

Of sunset

-Joshua Lee Foist

To thee I die day by day

To thee I die day by day

To me I die as I cry as I pray

No more illusions 

No more idols

My desires are passing away

My selfish ambitions no more

May they not become me

May they not run me

For a love I have oft sought

I have long forgot

While I have stayed 

In this desert land 

Dreaming dillusions of oases

Long ago where no more remain

Those days are gone

We grow we move on

Though the road ahead

Seems uncertain 

This truth is certain

No more hiding

No more idlying

In my ideals

That which pain

Hath proved can

Also heal

My doubts

Repeal my 

Hopes

For only one can fill

Only one hath brought

Me all this way

Though oft have I 

Sought to stray

No doubt

No depth of

Deceit can

Remove your love

From me

Your love alone

Hath saved me

So cling I to your

Faithful embrace 

Grace upon grace

Tis enough to know

You are here

Through all doubt

And fear

Your love alone

Conquers all

Till death becomes me

And life is full found 

Set free 

Thy joy enough

Thy peace to calm

My every storm 

That come

-Joshua Lee Foist

Now to that which is hidden

Now to that which is hidden

Of old things forbidden

My mind made new

In that which is you 

For all that which was before

Must I abhore 

My old self seeking its own 

May it no more greave

But only to you may it cleave

Thy life made new

Thou who art true

Draw me near to you

For long my mind

Doth seek what it can find

Though it findest not

That which it ought

My ways destroy

My thoughts employ

Darkness and death 

Though this faint breath 

Of existence remains

Thy stripes and stains

So heal me

Thy ways reveal me

May my joy come true 

May it be found in you

And all which is discontent

Of these may I repent

Let not my callus life

Be a strife 

For all of which I long

May thou be my only song

E'en a tender helper

May ne'er know

Thy spirit be my guide

Thy hope I abide 

No matter the desert 

My delight

In thy love thy life

I recite

Day by day

How I long

I pray to wait

For you

Thy ways

Become mine

Thy thoughts

In me fill

That I calm

And be still 

To abide

In thy will

For all the breath

Of life long

This my one song

To remain steadfast

In thee oh my

Savior King

-Joshua Lee Foist

Through the chill of winter's eve

Through the chill of winter's eve
I hope and strive to believe
Yet all my strength alone
Cannot reprieve me
Of who I am
Instead

Yet in the dark
Of chilling ice
My warm windowed
Visage finds me here
Quickening to come

And be with thee
Though oft my heart
Doth strangely see
For only itself
Complacency

Though still
Thy sure found
Chemistry begins
To work in me

Thy love
And grace
Doth not care
My woes
Hath come
To warm
And cleanse

So ripe the morn
And not forlorn
The taste of paradise
When look upon
The pearly plain
Tis hope there not
In vain

So soft then sooth
My aching bones
And breathe thy
Benevolence broad
My soul

Yea flutter in
My floundering
Heart and hem
Me deep within

No other love
Can hold my
Tapestry true 

No stronger cord
Can cut so deep
As you

For thou
And thou
Alone

Thy name
A shudder
And a wonder
All

Did form
The earth
And all
That grow

So strum in me
Thy melody
And play
Thy tune
Through all
Of time

That I may one
And only serve
The one and true
Divine

-Joshua Lee Foist

Through Trial and Tempest

Through trial and tempest

Through doubt and fear

Ever your hand that been

Near me

Through anger and pain

Through worry and blame

Thy name alone

Do I claim

Thou hast been as always

And ever wilt be

Thou most faithful

Thou most true

My joy my one desire

May thee ever be

I thank thee this day

For thy great abundance

Thy grace full shown

In me is it known

The cost so great

Thy love beyond

Hope of my life

Love divine

May thy ways

Be as mine

Surrendering all

To thee and for thee

Living and loving

Suffering and serving

That thy joy may be full

Found in me this day

For this and many more beside

I thank thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

Between the Autumn and the Spring

Between the Autumn and the Spring
The wind that chases everything
How soft and sweetly once
They did sing

Now their dissonant cords ring
Through the passages of time
Playing their melancholy rhyme
And I am caught in their song

The days go on and on
From dusk to dawn
My heart, my mind
Seeks once more

To find the lost
One that once more
May be found
The one so loved

Might be loved on
Yet dawned that day
Now so many
Daze of rain

Wash their welcome
Cross this glazed
Window pane

And ere my heart
Doth pain
To think of thee
No more

Of thee I do adore
I ask shall it ere be
That we should
Know love

For its broken chemistry
Where hath thee gone
And the winter stead
By which the nights
Chill is fed

We make our bed
And sleep
The night
And pray

Recite
These words
One day dear Lord
Thy will be done

And awake anew
In this view
All others forsake

What ere
The hour or day
May break

Save for thy sake
Shall return
Or yet to wait

Thy love
Enough to warm
The coldest of hearts

In the deeper parts
That fragile love
And fallen
Can ere to know

No despair
Can cloud
Or enshroud
Its hopes

No more shall fear
Come and freeze
Thy hopes thy dreams
Shall warm shall please

For thy ways are sure
And close the door
Of past days afore

What ere shall be
Shall we yet
Take this journey
Onward and out

Into the great
Oceans of imagining
Where our hearts once
Flurried now

Our worries
Are lost in thee
Who guides us
Beyond
The raging sea 

-Joshua Lee Foist

On this day I do accept

On this day I do accept

Me for who I am

Of others whether kin

Or not in part

My heart it must release

My soul be satisfied

In Him who accepts

No matter what

I am

Oh love come swift

Come take thy hold

Upon me

Give me boldness

To see that which long

My eyes distorted

Did refrain to see

Believe

My mind so clouded

Enshrouded in

Self doubt and pity

Beyond itself

Broken I am

And beautiful

To you

You who make me

Acceptable and true

Bind me to your

Heart

Give me acceptance

For those too as I

Broken banished and bruised

Grant me joy in service

For those in need

May selfishness

Drift and selflessness

Feed

For all we need

And all we hope

We cannot

We dare not

On our own

We need thee

We find thee

Our source

Provide

Now give us hearts

And minds

That will abide

To welcome

And warm the coldest

Of hearts with love

From you who only

Can make all

Things new

-Joshua Lee Foist