Numbered Days and Years

by Lauren Madsen

NUMBERED DAYS AND YEARS

There is something

about the number forty

Noah’s Ark days and nights

Israel’s manna mornings

Moses’ Covenant journey

Jesus’ wilderness fasting

waiting, wading

suffering strewn with miracles

line upon line, stretching, growing

on the other side of my forty

magnified purpose, assurance

and knowing, oh the knowing

mission clear, unparalleled joy

it took distressed but blessed years

babies lost, livelihood threatened

someone else’s secret to keep

buried burdens unspeakable

to stand so deeply rooted

unbending to brutal winds

bursting, blooming through impossible ground

trusting God. life’s seasons spanned

there is no refining without fire

no rainbow without the storm

no reason for striving without Him

shining through to sanctify it all.

LAUREN MADSEN

Lauren Madsen is a kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom. She rediscovered her love for reading and writing poetry during the unique experience of the 2020 pandemic. During that uncertain time, Lauren began carving out time to write as a gift to herself. While spiritual topics hold most of her writing focus, Lauren also enjoys eliciting a chuckle or two at her monthly poetry group, Word Weavers. She lives in Utah with her husband and four children.

Instagram: @a.lingering.light