Poems with a Purpose: Rhyming Verse That Speaks to the Soul

By Rev. Paul E. Yanke

Everyone experiences discouragement in one way or another. If your faith needs strengthening or you just need encouragement to stay on the Christian course in the evil world that we live in, this is the book for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973663409

Rev. Paul E. Yanke

Paul Yanke’s life hasn’t gone as he planned, but it has been a blessing to all the people who know him. He grew up in a Christian Family on a Centennial Dairy Farm in Michigan. His father Eno also wrote poetry while milking cows and his mother Grace was always the positive push to try things new. Growing up Paul’s dad was so well respected as a God fearing family man and a hard worker, that Paul never wanted to be anything but like his father. At a young age he turned his life over to God saying; “Not my will, but your will Lord be done in my life.” From that time on his life has been a roller coaster ride. He became a decorated police officer, serving also as a detective, drug abuse and enforcement officer known as the Christian Cop. He is a husband, father and grandfather, serving second career for more than twenty years as a conservative Missouri Synod Lutheran Pastor. Paul and his family pull Antique John Deere Tractors, thus he is known as the Pulling Preacher. He has been currently serving the same congregation for eighteen years and helps out another small congregation as well. Paul holds an Associate’s Degree in the Arts, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Specialist, and more than a Master’s degree in Christian Theology. He believes the campus of life and God’s Word has taught him the most. His poetry is unique as he writes from personal experience grounded in the Bible.

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Copyright © 2019 Rev. Paul E. Yanke.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. www.zondervan.com The NIrV and New International Reader’s Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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ISBN: 978-1-9736-6341-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-6340-9 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date:     05/30/2019

Dedicated to my loving Christian Parents;

Eno and Grace Yanke

Contents

A Christian Christmas Eve

A Father’s and A Grandfather’s Prayer

A Father’s Prayer

A Grandmother’s Prayer

A Hunter’s Prayer - The Biblical Perspective

A Mother’s Prayer

A Pastor’s Heart

An Old Fashioned Christmas

Assured Easter Joy

Christmas Love

Christmas Message - Another Year Ended

Christmas Message In Rhyme

Christmas - From Darkness Into Light

Feast In The Way

For My Ailing Mom

God’s Biblical Love

God’s Law and Gospel

Good Friday - Jesus Suffered For Me

If Wishes Were Reality, A Merry Christmas I’d Have

Little Church On The Hill

On Faith

Season’s Of Faith

Thanksgiving Means Thanksliving

The Garden

The True Christmas Story

To A Pastor’s Wife

Tractor Puller’s Prayer

T’was The Night Before Christmas

Verses for a Pastor’s Wife’s Birthday

Worry/Anxiety

Ye Olde Cross

A Christian Christmas Eve

It was the Eve before Christmas and all through the church,

the pastor was wondering about God’s people in verse.

Had they opened their Bible, even once during the Advent Season,

so that God through the Holy Spirit might with their hearts reason.

Had they read the Christmas Story, taken five minutes to even take a look?

To see what treasures God has preserved for us in His Great Holy Book.

Would people of faith continue to follow all of God’s Word and not remain aloof,

see for over 2000 years it’s been the standard for Christian families, it’s the truth!

Will they let the devil Internet cause their hearts after this world to lust,

by just letting their Bible set on the shelf or the coffee table to collect dust.

Had they through prayer cleared their minds for the service that evening,

so that what God had to offer them to their souls would be pleasing.

Young parents can’t you see that worshiping on just Christmas and Easter,

isn’t enough because the devil attacks your children constantly and never makes life easier.

Because of the love God the Father has shown us in sending His only Son, our plight through faith to relieve,

we especially during this season should be open to the hearts of other’s needs, and truly their hurting perceive.

Perhaps during the last year a friend or loved one God has called home to