Betty Jo lives in Garden Grove, California, with Rowland, her husband of over fifty years. She has three children and six grandchildren who all love the Lord. She started writing poems as a child, about the same time she received God's gift of eternal life.
In high school, she composed poems for the school paper, and while attending Biola University she wrote poems for their school publication also. For many years she sold personal Custom Poems, written for special occasions, and she also sold poems in decorated frames to Christian Bookstores throughout Southern California. She has had countless poems and articles published in books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and anthologies. Her writings are also available on her personal site at
POEMS FOR THE COMMON MAN
I feel compelled to write my rhymes.
But I have longed, so many times,
For just a touch of eloquence,
Instead of my incompetence
At being able to express
Majestic thoughts with great finesse.
Though maybe not the way I plan,
My poems are for the Common Man,
With phrases such as "saved by grace,"
And seeing Jesus "face to face."
Just simple words to touch a life,
And help to heal heart-rending strife.
I’m sure the critics will agree
That no great poet I’ll ever be.
Yet still I’ll write about my Lord,
And seek His blessing as reward.
For I could have no greater gain
Than knowing I have eased some pain,
Or helped someone who’s gone astray,
To come to Christ, the only way.
And so words flow -- each one a prayer
That God might somehow use, somewhere,
To do His will, and fill a need.
Ah, that would bring me joy indeed!
CHOICES
I stand upon the threshold of a brand new, spotless day,
And ponder all the choices that surround me as I pray.
Because of my redemption, and my gift from God above,
Today I'm free to choose, and I've decided I'll choose LOVE.
For no occasion justifies my hate or bitterness,
And love can cure a multitude of ills that cause distress.
Today I'll choose to dwell in PEACE, and quickly will forgive
Imagined hurts, and wrongful acts, so I might fully live.
I'll choose to act with PATIENCE as I go about my day,
And even though the wait be long, I'll use that time to pray.
I'll choose to show true KINDNESS to each person that I see,
And pray that they will see the love of Christ alive in me.
Today I'm choosing FAITHFULNESS to promises I make,
And I will be trustworthy, and the truth I'll not forsake.
My choice is also GOODNESS, and I'll strive for honesty
In every action that I take, with true humility.
Today my choice is GENTLENESS in every action done,
So I'll have no regrets to feel at setting of the sun.
I'll strive today for SELF CONTROL in thought, and word, and deed,
And choose the pure and noble things on which my soul can feed.
If I have been successful with the choices I have made,
And sleep tonight with conscience free, secure and unafraid,
I'll praise my precious Lord above, Who gives abundantly
His peace that money cannot buy, and love beyond degree.
But if I fail to live today the way I know I should,
And find I've chosen what is wrong, instead of what is good,
In true repentance I will bow before my Savior's feet,
And I'll find grace and His forgiveness at the Mercy Seat
