As to return

As to return
I once more
To this place

Wherefore all
My wandering
Seems a disgrace

Yet still
Embrace I
All that you

Have brought
Me through
What love

Is this
That steals
This kiss

Remiss
And sacrifice
All for me

So change in me
And humble be
My heart

For that which
Is hard pressed
Upon me

Bring me
To thy side
Always in thee

May I abide
And fear be
Fleeting

That all my
Hope repeating
My heart

Still beating
You in grief
In sorrow

Today
Tomorrow
No other

Shall I borrow
For thy grace
Enough

So now
Love within
Defend

And depend
I all on thee
And courage

Come
That I may
In thee

Be one
In mind
And spirit

And share
This love
That you

Alone
Have brought
In me

So now
We change
Though once

A child
Was I
Now I

A man
And mirror
Within mirror

Shade within shade
This hope that will not
Fade in passing

Reminds of where
We begin
And where we

Shall one day be
Face to face
And fully

Know
As we are
Known

-Joshua Lee Foist

Reminiscing as I Do

Reminiscing as I do
Upon the morning scene
Reflecting on the things
That had been

And that which may yet be
For in my naivety
How oft I thought of my will
Than thine alone

So as to that which lies
Yet ahead
So guide me
In thy grace

To seek thy face
In all things
Thy faith secure
Shall guide me

For all my desires
Become thy own
Thy divine power
Shower over me

And lead me
In thy pathes
Of righteousness
Till that day

When all shall
Be made new
And at last
I shall be
With you

-Joshua Lee Foist

Surrendering all to that which shall never fade

Surrendering all to that which shall never fade
For all my hope is stayed upon Him
And all fleeting fantasies
Find their fancies no more

For all that I do adore
May it lie with thee
And thee alone
Evermore

This much is sure
None other
Shall I seek
Though I am weak

Thy joy untamed
My hope beyond lies
In you who know me
Full well

Strip me of my idolatry
For acceptance
May it only be in you
Who remain true

For all as I
Are but fallen
And broken

Thy love alone
Be my living hope
This joy I know
Shall not fade

But increasing
All the more
As I reach
The other shore

Where thy
Celestial lands
Begin and sorrows
Are at their end

For here come
My savior friend
Brother and king

The hope of everything
For which my soul
Doth sing
Tis here

-Joshua Lee Foist

How do I let you go

How do I let you go

When you're everywhere

I go

I try to forget you

But all the more I miss you

It haunts me inside

God forgive me

If my motives are wrong

Guide me to your truth

In you alone I long

Yet here in my heart

I do not know

How to let go

Where to begin

Or start over

Where do you go

When it seems

There's nowhere

To go

Where do you hide

For you alone

Inside

Know me for who 

I am the good the bad

It all

And love me

In my brokenness 

And repetitious lies

Oh open my eyes

May your truth

Be my guide

Nothing else

To confide 

Always by

Yourside

What ere the doubt

May come

Cannot o'ercome

Your love 

So catch me

In my guise of woe

And bring me to

Your heart

Nothing I have

Tis gain but only

In your name alone

All others are

Counterfeit

And I will none

Of it

-Joshua Lee Foist

Bring me to thy light

Bring me to thy light
And all for which
I do delight

Cast me from this shadow
Of sin and obsession
For my false profession

May faith find me
Renewed by thy
Unchanging presence

For all I have
Oft upheld
As my own

I do so surrender
To thy throne
And claim thee

As my own
For my price
Hath paid

My life tis saved
And this not of myself
Thy death and life

Have proved
Thy love
Unmoved

From me
The least of these
And greatest of failures

Forgiven
For all my
Waywardness

So create in me
A new self
Surrender

All of once I knew
That I may oft
And only

Desire you
And you
Above all others

For whether
Any other
This life may find

Thy love alone
Divine
No other can give

So by thy power
And truth
May I live

Free of all other
Oppression
Thee alone

My one
And great
Profession

-Joshua Lee Foist

Once more to wade and wander

Once more to wade and wander
Upon the uncharted sea
Of my own melancholy
Exposed for what it
Dare could be

Oh hope
That trials
Within me
And doubt
Disdain

Would have me
In its vain conceit
I bear thee no more
For though the light
Through that open door

Tis a thing most glorious
And which I do so much abhor
Tis more of guilt than guile
For while I here gaze

My inward soul doth praise
At last to see the light of rest
And endless days
To know the truth
And always

For too long
Have I sung
This tiresome
Song

Dependent I
On all others
Whether sisters
Or brothers

Save not on that which
Is most safe and true
The only one I do
So much depend

Ah so then
To crucify
My old obsessions
And have thee
At thy word

So teach me this
That I myself deny
And trust thee alone

Fill my faith
And grow within
Let not doubt
Weed its way in

So as I
Depart
And cast
Away

May my only gaze
Be upon you
All days

For I have no other hope
Then thou alone
Who cannot fail
So in thy truth

May I only sail
The shores of that
Isle of salvation
My one and only
Destination

-Joshua Lee Foist

For where do I place my affections

For where do I place my affections

Remind me of my obsessions

I am all confessions

But what of thee

Thou art unchanging

My heart is broken

It bleeds a little at a time

Yet you alone know 

More than I could ere believe

Thou hast gone farther still

Thy love tis more than this

Forgive me of my Judis kiss

I must move on

I must surrender

Dare I remember

And live in memory

Alone I am not

Though all too oft

I can myself deceive 

In thee alone may I

Believe fill the void 

I do avoid to admit 

Thy love alone enough

Let me not forget 

This hope I have remains

Yet drive me from 

This fit if it is not

Within your plan

My heart is in your hand

And though I may not

Understand I must believe

Thy ways are true

Thou and thou alone

Wilt do and no one

Ere beside

-Joshua Lee Foist