Content my soul to be

Content my soul to be
Constantly desiring of thee
Displace all the me
For which I should cling

And give everything
To my hope and King
I have no other assurance
Than He

For though I oft
Proud and inwardly
Sinking also in
My sin

He hath paid it
He hath purified
The soul beyond
Control

His life
Become
My own

His heart
Replaced
The stone
In me

The Rock
Upon which
My new foundation
Stand

Cannot be shaken
Amidst the drought
And storms about

He will not fail
He shall pravail
And so may I
Remain

In gladness
In joy
Acceptance
Employ

In me
A servants
Heart

To see outside
The world within
And beyond

To all the world
Around
The lost so
Desperate

To be found
To give
An ear

To listen
A prayer
A pause

To lean in
There and not
Mar the moment

With my own
Melodies
For love
In silence

Does much
And I desire
To make much
Of it

If this to please
My Lord alone
I desire such Love
For my own

Oh God
In my broken
Estate

Give me
Strength to follow
Faithfully

Yet still
When faultering
As I do

Most daily
Yet still awake
My soul to rise

And look up
Mine eyes
To see

Your glory
Lies on the
Wings of
The dawn

You have done this
It is complete

So now grant me
The faith to see
That I may
Also turn
To Thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

The Divined Valentine

Now within this mirror we see
That of which we hope to see
And that of which we may
Yet be

Yet still amidst it's plain reflection
Truth reveals a poor estate
We are far worse than we think
And more loved than ever
We imagine

Who could love us
Such as this
Who could rejoice
Over us
As this

Only He
The master creator
He who knows us
Deeper than we
Ourselves

And it is plain
When He calls
Us by name
To come

His words are peace
And kind in their release
From worry and pain

All the facades
Of this life to gain
Are worthless

To that gracious
Refrain:
Do not fear

Oh, sweet child
I am here
And I love you

Because you are
My own
And most precious

No matter what ills
This life may come
And what pits
You may befall

Within and without
Beyond doubt
I am here

I am with you
And I will guide you
In the course
You should take

Though you may at times forsake
Never shall I leave you
Never shall I fail you
I am faithful

And always I shall remain
So in this day
Of celebration

Feast on me
Who am love
Itself

There is no
Greater than I
And I do

So desire
For you
To trust
In Me

-Joshua Lee Foist

Upon This Fair Flight

Upon this fair flight

The fight of faith

In purpose

Amidst the trial

O'ercome

Thy will

Be done

Now to sit

And gaze

Upon the wing

And glory

Shines as

Setting sun

Upon the wait

And here rejoice

In thy great gift

Beyond here lies

The wondrous 

Surprise

And first meeting

My heart tis beating

Faster still

Faster till

Wheel turned

Wheel runs

Way to wind

Away and air

To climb

The time

In flight

Delight

Of what

Ahead

Beyond

Yet presently

In thought and 

Prayer I trust

Will meet me

There till then

And still

My every joy

Is here

No fear

What ere

May come

Thy will be

Done 

-Joshua Lee Foist

Wherefore my soul shall wander

Wherefore my soul shall wander
Where doth my mind stray to ponder
Fear catch it in it's gaze
And long it amaze

Fly from me oh fleeting thing
Save me from myself
Oh from the lies
That creep within

And lonely in my sin
They seek to do me in
And poison the pure
And true

I long for you
Though so dull
I remain
And without
Control

Thy hope
Reclaim in me
No more for folly
So catch me
In my calamity

Cleanse me of myself seeking
That only thy joy may fill
Draw me deep within

For all my desires
May they be proved pure
With thy cleansing fire

I long for the day
Of when the battle
Shall cease

And at last
The prince of peace
Shall reclaim
This barren land

So open my heart
And reclaim in me
That which is lost

No matter the cost
That I be lost
And found
In thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

Beneath the shadows of my sin

Beneath the shadows of my sin

I scarce begin to think

This all there is

That dawn should break

The spell that hells

Within my heart

So here I remain

And wallow in my pain 

My pride to gain 

That grace abstain 

Yet sorrow aches

While thee alone

My soul forsakes

I've Martha'd my mind

In cycles of perfection

For all this grand baffet

Will pass away

And what becomes my joy

And grief my heart

When scarce it hear

The master urge me

To Mary my way

At His feet 

That humility should

My pride defeat

What love Devine 

Would have me in my scorn

While all the while am I 

Caught up in myself 

And judgement

Takes top shelf

Of all my bottled

Mess

Forgive me

Of my idle tongue 

And thoughts

That hung thee

Upon the tree 

I scare can gaze

Upon the cursed corpse

For know I it shouldst

Been mine

Did hang upon it there 

Yet my sorrowed despair 

Did rather take upon

Thyself 

That I should be

Made free

Thy misery 

A mystery to me

That majesty

Should stoop

To call me it's

Own

And in death

Should call me

Home as son

Betrothed and bride

Safe through 

All eternity

To abide

By His side

-Joshua Lee Foist

Break Me of Me

Break me of me

And my oh so fond

Obsession

For all I do

In this my

Confession

Make my desires

Be to thy glorious 

Affections

Who looks long

With eyes of love

Upon my imperfections 

Pursuing me

When I am full

Of discontent 

Carry me

And fill me

For I am undone

Void of desires 

Ere are passing

In thy presence

Erelasting the days

May be with hands

Raised to thee

My heart restore 

Anew emplore

That thy life 

May fill my veins 

Pure thy joy 

Restore 

Prepare my mind

And fixed be

On thee 

Repent and ere

Relent my will

Thy will be done

In me my heart

Now fill the more 

To ponder

And adore

No more of me

Thy ways

For all that life

Shall give

Tis a gift

And oh to joy 

This heart of mine

Employ divine

Thy light to shine 

Stain the dark

With thy lark of love

And spark a flame

In me that in

The darkest shadows

Bright the broken

Hearted night

That once more

Dawn again 

And conquer sin

And death shall be

No more

-Joshua Lee Foist

May not my status lie

May not my status lie
In what others think
Save in thy own
Great pleasure

May I ere
To treasure thee
More as thou
Dost me

For where
I may flee
No where else
Can I

That you
Are not
Nor death
To save

For thy life
Already
Gave

And here
Is love
The kind
I all too oft
Fear

To give
To live
In such
A way

Each and every
Day thou grants
So fond of
Acknowledgement

My life is hidden
With thee
And it need be
No mystery

So may my waking
And dying breath
Ever be

Oft and only
For thee
No matter
What trial

Or joy may be
Thou art
The only life
I know

That will never
Cease to bring
Me sweet
And fullest

Peace
To fill
My doubting
Mind

Hope beyond
All mankind
Thou art
And more

-Joshua Lee Foist