Poetry: People and Paths

Photographs

by Tina

Image by LEEROY Agency from Pixabay

Photographs won’t tell the whole story

Behind smiles can lay trials

Hidden crimes

Served time

And broken dreams.

Photographs won’t show you the heartache

Sharp focus is hocus pocus

Where truth lies 

Behind twinkling eyes 

And well pressed seams.

However, photographs never tell us the ending 

They don’t predict the future

And they won’t show us the way.

Don’t despise those forced smiles they have captured

Nor the perfect life they falsely portray

There’s still hope for change on the horizon 

And revival for the life of decay.

So don’t despise those stolen memories

Nor the joy that didn’t stay

There’s still hope to be found going forward

There are blessings when God leads the way.

Tina  

May 23, 2022 – August 22, 2022

Ask and Choose Your Path Forward 

We have a choice to seek, serve and follow Jesus. Or we can choose to travel alone. But for the one who chooses wisely the future holds hope and blessings.

This is what the Lord says:

Stand at the crossroads and look.

Ask which paths are the old, reliable paths.

Ask which way leads to blessings.

Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves.

But you said that you wouldn’t live that way.

Jeremiah 6:16 (GOD’S WORD Translation) 

I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 (GOD’S WORD Translation)

29 thoughts on “Photographs”

  2. Beautiful words Tina that speak of a truth that we need to be reminded of. We look at other peoples pics and think they got it all sorted or we are quick to judge. May we never forget that a photo never tells the whole story.

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  3. A powerful post and very thought provoking. Something that came to mind when I was reading this was a line from the song “The Father’s House” by Cory Asbury: “the story isn’t over, if the story isn’t good.” I choose Jesus! Thanks for this encouragement. 🤗🦋

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  5. Tina, this post takes an honest look at the world around us. Perhaps instead of admiring our own photos, we should take a reflective look at ourselves in the mirror . . . using God’s lens. Blessings to you.

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  8. Thank you Tina. I am the lady always with the camera – you caused me to reflect of even the occasions when I choose to get the camera out, when I think, ‘I want to capture this’. It happens daily, but… I wonder what God’s ‘photographs’ of us contain?

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    1. Yes, I wonder too Dawn. He sees more than those snap shots He sees the full picture from beginning to end. Suddenly I’m imaging Him holding a photo album of all those captured moments of our life from infancy to old age. 🙂❤ I hope your week is full of blessings.

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      2. He might. He just might, revealing both the good moments and the not so good moments. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15) Thankfully He is merciful, loving and fair. 🙂❤❤ AND He completes what He has started. 🙂

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  9. Wow, Tina, those words from your Photograph poem really caught my heart…I’ve been guilty of envy over other’s “picture perfect” lives in the past but also have even looked back on my own pictures seeing a smile on my face but knowing the true feelings I was actually having and what a stark difference…love your encouragement at the end of the poem though:

    “There’s still hope to be found going forward.
    There are blessings when God leads the way.”

    Sooooooo good and full of hope!!!!

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    1. So glad that my poem is full of hope and encouragement and that it caught your heart. I think it’s probably not too uncommon to look at others photographs and feel like we are missing out on something. I know I’ve felt that way at times myself. I also have photographs where I know life wasn’t perfect. It was a push, but God gets us through and he will continue to do so. Hang in there Ali. God saves the best for last. We are headed in the right direction. ❤

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