top of page
Search

but God gave the growth

  • Writer: rypennington94
    rypennington94
  • Jun 19
  • 1 min read

a poem



1 Corinthians 3:6 NRSV I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth

I peeled back soil

scattered the seed

moved out of sun's way

and let the ground drink deeply.

I planned

decided

worked

gave.


And yet, the dirt remains still.

And nothing has broken through

since I've broken through

at a quarter past two.


Wild flowers don't grow on my command

(that would be a disgrace to their name).

The pace of God's tending love—

a hidden process, free from formulas of refrain.

 
 
 

Recent Posts

See All
Light

a poem Exhaustion settles as soul untangles from grip of darkness. Night aims its sight to shape and steal, Light moves toward you restoring zeal. Wondering about Light wandering— popcorn amusement a

 
 
 

Comments

hi, it's a gift to meet you 

my fun bio:​

​

My name is Ryan Pennington. I'm an obnoxious Nebraska Husker fan (who doesn't even love corn or the color red). My favorite bands are Twenty One Pilots, Paramore, and Kings Kaleidoscope. I enjoy walking, making analog collages, playing piano, getting lost in good music, and traveling to concerts with my wife. Green is my favorite color and my tattoos prove it. 💚​​

​​

my spruced up bio: 

​

Ryan Pennington is a pastor-poet, communicator, and educator whose work explores the sacred architecture of ordinary beauty and inevitable pain. A lifelong Midwesterner, Ryan spent the first half of his life in Nebraska before settling in South Dakota, where the seasonal rhythms of the Great Plains deeply inform his writing.

He holds a B.A. in Theology from the University of Sioux Falls and an M.Div. from Kairos University (formerly Sioux Falls Seminary). After nine years in pastoral ministry, Ryan now serves within the Sioux Falls School District, maintaining a creative practice through writing poetry and prayers, creating analog collage, taking endless pictures and videos of everything beautiful, and inviting others into a more beautiful reality on social media.

His debut collection of poetry and prayer, Both And, is slated for publication in 2026.

He lives in Sioux Falls with his wife, Crystal, and their cat.​​

1708004a-9936-4cf2-b846-9843696ba68b.jpg.jpeg
1708004a-9936-4cf2-b846-9843696ba68b.jpg.jpeg

other ways to slow down with ryan

instagram

sermons

be the first to know about book updates, new poems, and other reflections

thanks! check your email for a confirmation : )

support my book release +

creative endeavors here

bottom of page