Grace Period: selected poems by K.L. Johnston

By K. L. Johnston

Grace Period is filled with faith, imagination, and whimsy grounded in everyday experience. This is poetry that takes us on a journey through creation in touch with the Creator. Returning to the most fundamental pleasures of life, we take part in baking bread, celebrating new births, and walking in the woods. From repentance to restoral and through some of the difficulties in between, these are poems that ultimately lead to joy and celebration. Grace Period moves us to that place where we are “party to miracles, always loved, never alone”.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385013241

K. L. Johnston

K.L. Johnston is an award-winning poet and photographer whose works are widely available in anthologies, literary reviews, and journals. Her previous book, In Every Season, is a photo-illustrated collection of poetic meditations and her award-winning haiku are internationally published. Sensitive to finding God in the everyday, her great loves are for family and this “small blue planet, still singing, keeping time rattling in its chains.” K.L. Johnston lives and works near the banks of the Savannah River, a place whose changeable beauties constantly remind her of God’s sovereignty and grace.

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 K.L. Johnston.

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.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Cover photo by K.L. Johnston copyright 2022

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1323-4 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1324-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023922486

WestBow Press rev. date:   01/02/2024

Dedication

To the Three in One who instills whatever sparks of creativity and courage I may carry within.

And to my husband Joe who has been my unfailing supporter and a true reflection of what it means to live day by day in Christ’s image.

Contents

midnight oil

Belief

Cathedral

Inspiration in This House

In Bath Cathedral

Firepoint

What Do You Hear?

Evangelium

Curiouser

In The Presence of Angels

Lady of the House

Yeshua’s Sister

Mary’s Lamb

Mary III

Second Call

After Hours, Before the Altar

Prayers of the Righteous

Tears in Advent

Waiting

Resting Deep

Coming to Terms

Choice

journeys

Crossroads

Curriculum Vitae

I-20, 1967

London 1976

Decision in Oahu

Traveling West

Trailhead

Bison at Fountain Paint Pots, 2010

Stopping for Lunch

A Lifetime Acquaintance With Bandits

storm wash

Red Sky

All Saint’s Day, Savannah

Artesian Spring

Whitewater

Carpe Quaestionum

Afternoon By the Brick Pond

Price’s Bottom

Dusk at Horn Creek Church 1979

Migration

hearth and heart

Unsleepy

Morning Devotion

Easter Day 2020

Magenta

Stealing the Rose

Intercession

What Could it Hurt?

to my friend in mourning, ten years later

Bless This House

In Praise of Brown

Whole Wheat

In the Hierophant’s Kitchen

Found It

First Moments, First Born

Front Porch Lore

Short Hall

Seasonal Lights

In Queue

the green surround

cold

tanka for the New Year

Sabbath of the Year

Winter Garden

Convalescent

Below Zero

Herald

signs

Early Thaw

Misting Rain

Going Barefoot

Evening Prayers for Fukushima

day off

Small Bouquets

Salad Blessing

Garden Chores III

Whitetails

Invitation

memory

Small Mysteries

pillbugs

Spendthrift

Grace Period

midnight oil

Belief

A whisper of

impossible

raining

between

this warm little

breath

springing a

surprise beneath

star song

hand filled

heart fullest

hopes

dare

simple light

Cathedral

Beautiful the light, the glass.

Easy to forget once the

sanctuary empties, all

those dynamics of art: light

throwing shifting colors

that flicker over faces

raised in song and praise.

Not the same praise as sunrise

or bird song,