Draw me near to the place

Draw me near to the place
Where once I knew
Your love so true

Bring me out
Of the coma
My mind

Can oft escape
I am yours
Bring me back

For in you
Nothing
I lack

I was made
In your image
Perfect

Yet still I
Get lost
In the lie

Never enough
Never satisfied
Never

Truth tells
A different
Story

I am enough
Made of
The greatest stuff

Formed in
Your hand
And perfectly planned

So with your power
And will restore
My heart

To the place of you
Where I can taste
And see

That you
Are good
My first love

My every thought
Is in your hand
Not a thing

Outside
Your will
May depart

For I am
Apart
Of

Your
Glorious
Work of art

-Joshua Lee Foist

When was it last

When was it last

That I gazed upon 

Your loveliness

For all my wandering 

Heart pondering

Still you wait

Patiently you wait

For me to lose myself

And find you

For I all the while

Without a clue 

Am lost in this

Remiss in the hours

Of which I have missed

Longing ever for belonging

Yet with you

There is nothing

For me to do

Thy will before

My waking breath

Was life beyond death

A joy unquenched

By the drought 

Of life's disappointments

For here the roots go deep

In the soil of thy saving grace

To drink deep of thee

Tis no great gift than you

Oh to wade within

Thy quiet waters

To rest in thy gentle embrace

For all life's troubles 

Are but bubbles

Waiting to burst 

Upon the break

Of this wonder

When all awakes

To this life anew

Thy strife is lost

In joy becoming

The great waltz

Of mere existence 

Breaks its form

To fashion free

Upon thy glorious symphony

And loud and wondrous be

Thy bridal ceremony 

For at last

Hath come home

To thy King

And won his hand

For all eternity 

The Lord of all creation

Is mine as I am His

-Joshua Lee Foist

The Sunlit Skies Rise

The sunlit skies rise

On Australian seas

As ere the light

Doth beckon

The morn to break

Though still the tide

Of nodded eyelids wake

The sleep in dreams

That they forsake

For come the day

Here undisturbed 

Twill not be doddled 

By the twilight talk

For soon to dock

Down under way

And landed craft

Wheel at Sydney bay

Till perchance another day

When winds would whisk

The island breeze away

To farther shores

Where four scores 

A week to stay 

And then return

At Sydney bay

-Joshua Lee Foist

As I Call to You

As I call to you

Upon the morn of day

What can express

This gracious gift

Of life and breath

And deliverance

From death 

Though I am oft

In contempt

And discontent

My will is not

Thy will I ought

To do

Though I have not

The means to see

Nor ears to hear

For fear grips me

Peace come dwell

As promised in prayer

And thanks for this

And all tis bliss

Thy bounty beyond 

Imagining give me

The desire and will

You require

Before I retire

For all my days 

This one thing I ask

That I may praise

With fullness of heart

And grace and forgiveness 

Be part in me

So may thy kingdom work

And all within around

Be done

And humble I 

To testify what grace

And goodness

You have brought

Tis not of my own

Doing

But sure and only

Of my God and King

Oh Ruler of everything

-Joshua Lee Foist

In This Hour I Wait

In this hour I wait
And my mind stands fixed
In debate

You patiently wait
Steadfast and true
You are

And once more surrender
You cause me to remember
Your grace and mercy

Tis all I ever need
In the trial I feed
On thy joy inexpressible

My hope remains
For though my desires
Wane

Yet still I endure
The momentary pain
You remain

Persecution increase
Your joy your peace
Undending

So fill me
Renew me
Conform me

To walk in the way of truth
Thy words my guide
In thee will I abide

So ere the storms that come
So sweetly sleep
Within the bowels below 

For thy peace
Hath calmed the storm
And called me out

Upon the water
To walk in faith
With thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

Open My Eyes To Thee

Open my eyes to thee
If ere you call me
Upon the sea
Who meet me
In my misory

How can it be
I who am broken
Yet loved
Beyond
Comprehension

Teach me to return
For all my heart to yearn
To learn and seek
For thy words to speak

And of Him who was sent
To be the scent of Him
Where ere my feet may fall
To walk in step with His call

To the world beyond
To the present places
And thy tender graces
To carry me

Not for me
But thy will
In me
May it ever be

To glory in you
And have thy work
Flow through
In every breath

Breathe in me
Thy life that will
Endure beyond
The trial and strife

More than ere'd distant desires
So fuel the fires of my heart
That they may start
With you

And all of you
That this joy beyond
May oft and only be
To express thy righteousness

And in my brokeness
May thy light shine through
So whether in drought
Or in plenty

May I bow
In reverance
And thanksgiving
For all you have given
Both in past and present

And in hope
To know you shall
Remain faithful
And so shall I rest

This life in not toiled in vain
If oft and always to rise
In your Name
And fall for your Name

In life and in death
It will all be
For gain

So come
What ere
Thy will may bring
And teach my heart
To sing

As I ride
Upon the wings
Of thy reckoning

Till all of life
Tis beckoning
Come to the feast
Of the Lamb

-Joshua Lee Foist

Of Long Have Been Departed

Of long have been departed
This heart have broken
And been in a wake
Of doubt and fear

Yet still you are there
Though death depart me
And friends regard me
As cold and bold I find
My conflict within

Thy word remains
No condemnation now
I fear not for thou art with me
Yet grieve I the change
And know this season

Purposed it too
Whether die today
That more I may
Live for you

This I pray
May I always
Do

Your love is true
Betray my heart
You will not

Broken I am
So let thy love
And light shine in
And through the pores
Of my soul

No more to live in fear
But faith become more
My prayer acceptance
And reliance full
Upon you

Resting in thy promises
Sure for though waver oft
I in sin and shame
You always reclaim
My heart and know it
By name

How come I by
Such love as this
An unbridled kiss
Betrayed

But you always
Have stayed
And given all
That I may know
What love

Was always intended
To be
Free and boundless
Pure
And sure of all
Intentions

So pain me
To keep me
Upon the narrow path
That nothing else

I desire but you
And thy words
Are true
Give me oft
And only
Thyself

And in this
I shall be satistfied
And content
In all other things

-Joshua Lee Foist