Rhonda Bronte Brown is a National Board-Certified Teacher and retired teacher/counselor whose work has appeared in Better Than Starbucks, The Trouvaille Review, Meat for Tea, The Orchards Poetry Journal and The Best Haiku 2025 international anthology and several online journals. She holds both a BS and a Master’s degree and writes children’s literature and poetry exploring nature, SEL, and STEM.
Rhonda Brown Faith-forward Picture Book Parable 1335 Montana Drive WC 450 Conway, AR 72034 leighbrontebrown2@gmail.com Word Press: https://brontebrown2.com/ X: @RhondaLBrown2
Age Range: 5-8 years old Faith-based/ Inspirational/ Read Aloud
Theme: This story explores the classic omnipotence paradox through a child’s conversation with God, revealing God's nature in a clear, relational way. Story my not be sold or reproduced. It is on query. Full Story below. ---------------------------
Sidenote: Sometimes your mind denies what your heart knows to be true. God is easy to forget when you doubt He exists.
A Riddle in a Paradox: A Conversation with the Father By Rhonda Bronte Brown
Pages 5 (Hook) Some children grow up wrapped in hugs. Some hear bedtime stories every night. And some children wonder what love is supposed to feel like.
Pages 6-7 (Hook to inciting moment) One day, a quiet boy named Tom was thinking big thoughts- thoughts about family, thoughts about love, thoughts about truth.
Some thoughts felt confusing.
Pages 8-9 (Inciting Moment) “Hello, Tom,” said a deep, gentle voice. Tom looked up. “Do I know you?” “Not yet,” said the man. “But you have heard of Me.”
Pages 10-11 ( The Big Question) Tom studied Him for a moment. “Oh, you’re God, the one everyone talks about.” “Yes.” Tom took a breath. “I have a question.” “I like questions,” God said.
“Is it true that you can do anything?” “Yes,” God replied. “I created the heavens and the earth.” Curiosity tugged at Tom’s heart. “Is there anything You can’t do?” “Yes.”
Pages 12-13 (Paradox Introduction ) Tom’s eyes widened. He was not expecting that answer. “How can both be true?” Tom asked. “It is called a paradox.” Tom looked puzzled. “That means two surprising things can both be true,” God added.
Pages 14-15 (Imagination to meaning) “Here’s a riddle for you,” said God. “Imagine I made a rock so big that it would be impossible to pick up. What kind of rock would it be?” Tom thought big. He stretched his arms wide. “It have to be humongous- bigger than a mountain, bigger than the moon.”
Pages 16-17 (Bedrock Explanation) God laughed, the kind of laugh that made Tom feel safe. “Yes. And one more—a solid rock,” God said. “A bedrock.” Tom blinked. “What’s a bedrock?” Tom nodded. “It is a solid rock. no crack, no faults,” God said. “Like Me.” “Why a bedrock?”
Pages 18-19 (Truth vs Lies- Insight) “Because I spoke truth when I made the world,” God explained. “Truth is what the world stands on.” Tom was quiet. “So you cannot lie?” “I cannot.” God’s voice grew quiet. “Lies slip through like water on sand.”
Pages 20-21 (Insight) “They wash things away, even the things the heart wants to keep,” He said. Tom thought for a moment. “So truth keeps lies from taking root,” Tom said softly.
Pages 22-23 (Choice & Free will) “Yes,” God replied. “Truth stands strong.” Tom looked up. “How can I know it is really You?” “I am always here,” God said gently. “But it is your choice to see Me.” Tom thought for a moment. “Why do I decide?”
Pages 24-25 (Truth vs Free will) “Because love must be freely given,” God said. “I did not make you like a tree, rooted in one place. I made you with a heart- to come close or turn away.”
Pages 26-27 “And when you follow truth,” God added gently, “your heart stands safe, built on the solid rock of what is real.”
“I feel safe with You," Tom said.
Pages 28-29 (Resolution) Tom looked down, thinking. “So the riddle wasn’t about the size of the rock.”
“It was about your heart,” God said, “and what you choose to build upon.”
“It’s up to me,” Tom said. “Always,” God replied. Tom smiled.
Theme: This story explores the classic omnipotence paradox through a child’s conversation with God, revealing God's nature in a clear, relational way.
Philosophical Question: If all things are possible for God, then can God create a rock so big that it is impossible for Him to pick up? Scripture Reference:
Hebrews 6: 17-20 – “…God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of promise, the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus entered as a forerunner for us…”
Reflection / Takeaway: The two unchangeable things: His purpose rooted in truth, and that God cannot lie. He gave an oath to anchor our souls to hope, to Him. And hope is enough to blow away any doubts that stinging lies can hurl.
edits: A father's love guides us, wrapping us in hugs. But what if you never sat on your father's lap, never held his hand in kindness, never felt a hug for love's sake? This riddle is for you.
short version: A father's love guides us, wrapping us in hugs. Yet, some children may wonder what it feels like to be hugged for love’s sake This riddle is for them.
edits: “Why me?” “Because love must be chosen freely,” God said.
How? “I am always here,” God said gently. “It is your choice to see Me.” “So, I choose.” “Yes, I did not make you like a tree, rooted in one place. I made you with a heart that can feel and a will that can choose to know Me.
Note: Love built on the solid rock of truth sustains the heart. Truth remains when lies wash and wear away the heart. It is the boy's heart seeking truth when it is hard to find.
A Picture Book About Time, Love, and Being Grand By R. Bronte Brown
FMF: Longing My Gran: The Grandest in the Universe grew out of a longing I’ve felt at every stage of family life. As a child, I knew the freedom of being fully present. As a parent, I experienced the intensity and exhaustion of raising children. As a grandparent, I discovered a gentler joy, one rooted in time, patience, and deep love.
This story reflects my memories of childhood, raising my own children, and now watching my grandchildren grow. Each stage carries its own kind of joy and its own kind of loss. Childhood passes. Children grow. Grandchildren leave, and the house grows quiet again.
In today’s fast-paced world, time with family often feels rushed and fragmented. This book imagines a space where time slows down, where generations overlap, and where love is not measured by clocks or schedules.
At its heart, this story explores how families both fulfill us and awaken longing, a longing for what has been, what is fleeting, and what endures beyond time. For me, that longing ultimately points heavenward, toward a love that is complete, unhurried, and eternal.
Theme: This story explores the classic omnipotence paradox through a child’s conversation with God, revealing God's nature in a clear, relational way.
Philosophical Question: If all things are possible for God, then can God create a rock so big that it is impossible for Him to pick up?
Scripture Reference: Hebrews 6:17-20 – “…God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of promise, the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus entered as a forerunner for us…”
Reflection / Takeaway: The two unchangeable things: His purpose rooted in truth, and that God cannot lie. He gave an oath to anchor our souls to hope, to Him.
This story is on submission and may not be reproduce, sold or used in any commercial avenue.
Rhonda Brown Faith-forward Picture Book Parable 1335 Montana Drive WC 450 Conway, AR 72034 On Submission leighbrontebrown2@gmail.com Word Press: https://brontebrown2.com/ https://x.com/RhondaLBrown2
Age Range: 5-8 years old Faith-based/ Inspirational/ Read Aloud
A Riddle in a Paradox: A Conversation with the Father of Light By Rhonda Bronte Brown
A father’s love guides us, helps us feel significant. Some children grow up wrapped in hugs. Some hear bedtime stories every night. And some children wonder what love is supposed to feel like. This story is for them.
Page 5 A father’s love guides us, helps us feel significant. Some children grow up wrapped in hugs. Some hear bedtime stories every night. And some children wonder what love is supposed to feel like. This story is for them. Page 6-7 One day, a quiet boy named Tom was thinking big thoughts: thoughts about family, thoughts about love, thoughts about truth. Some thoughts felt confusing.
Pages 8-9 “Hello, Tom,” said a deep, gentle voice. Tom looked up. “Do I know you?” “Not yet,” said the man. “But you have heard of Me.” Page 10-11 Tom studied Him for a moment. “Oh, you’re God, the one everyone talks about.” “Yes.” Tom took a breath. “I have a question.” “I like questions,” God said. “Is it true that you can do anything?” “Yes,” God replied. “I created the heavens and the earth.” Pages 12-13 Curiosity tugged at Tom’s heart. “Is there anything You can’t do?” “Yes.” Tom’s eyes widened. He was not expecting that answer. “How can both be true?” Tom asked. “It is called a paradox.” Tom looked puzzled. “That means two surprising things can both be true,” God added. Page 14-15 “Here’s a riddle for you,” said God. “Imagine I made a rock so big that it would be impossible to pick up.” Tom thought big. He stretched his arms wide. “Humongous, bigger than a mountain, bigger than the moon.” Pages 16-17 God laughed, the kind of laugh that made Tom feel safe. “Yes. And one more: a solid rock,” God said. “A bedrock.” Tom blinked. “What’s a bedrock?” “A bedrock is a strong rock with no cracks, a rock to build on.” Tom nodded. “It is a rock of truth,” God said. “Like Me.” “Why a bedrock?” Pages 18-19 “Because I spoke truth when I made the world,” God explained. “Truth is what the world stands on.” Tom was quiet. “So you cannot lie?” “I cannot.” God’s voice grew quiet. “Lies slip through like water on sand.” Pages 20-21 “They wash things away, even the things the heart wants to keep,” He said. Tom thought for a moment. “So truth keeps lies from taking root,” Tom said softly. “Yes,” God replied. “Truth stands strong.” Pages 22-23 Tom looked up. “How can I know it is really You?” “I am always here,” God said gently. “But it is your choice to see Me.” Tom thought for a moment. “Why do I decide?” Pages 24-25 “Because love must be freely given,” God said. “I did not make you like a tree, rooted in one place. I made you with a heart, to come close or turn away.” Pages 26-27 “And when you follow truth,” God added gently, “your heart stands safe, built on the solid rock of what is real.” “I feel safe with You.” Pages 28-29 Tom looked down, thinking. “So the riddle wasn’t really about the size of the rock.” “It was about your heart,” God said, “and what you choose to build upon.” “It’s up to me,” Tom said. “Always,” God replied. Tom smiled.
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One response to “FMF Jan 2026”
Thanks. David came instantly to mind. He was tending sheep, called home, anointed future king. He was sent to the…
I like your take on this week’s prompt.
Yes! You said it exactly. “compressed” … as I think of my childhood looking through photos my mom left behind…
so fast they grow and change, life phases go by so fast. visiting from FMF18
In the blink of an eye, my baby boy is about to have his 2nd child.
shimmering night cadence skipping across a frozen plateau Mångata reverie
2. Autumn’s Play
leaf-whistles needles oscillate psithuric wind song
trees shimmer deeply yawning anticipation stirs
aureate honeyed, tawny, burnt Autumn's play
3. soulful
a soulful tune summer's harmony in sync cicadas sing.
4. psithuric whisper
psithuric whispers a wooed heart- her breath catches
rimes - rapid freezing of water vapors
--
rare fire horse forward, focused, adaptable old notions gone
coming moments of wonderment and awe touching the soul
In God's Word seek perspicacious clarity.
He has given us the Holy Spirit
burnishing glow the Cold Moon kneels, terrestrial kiss
brushed golds silver highlights lush greenery
5. Oneiric trails
ice feathers scrape the sky
dancing while tomorrow sleeps
beneath your pillow, wonder waits
6. Crepuscular Moment
burnishing glow the Cold Moon kneels terrestrial kiss
7. Winter’s Deep Sleep
moonbeams prance atop the subnivean zone, a gentle nightlight
winter's shield snow blanket or hoarfrost, what holds, what rimes,
silence broken predatory footfalls winter creaks
relentless onslaught of graupel, freeze and thaw- precarious
safely tucked in the between, nestled deep, all sleep --
Nature’s Fury
blissed ignorance twirling in the wind a prelude
whispered chaos distance rumbles sirens forewarn
impending danger thunderous clouds clash hook echo forms
wrapped winds, dark tornadoes swirl, March roars
nature’s fury in the eyes of the beholder- watch ---
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Before Tomorrow Wakes / With a crescent wink and radiating argent hues, the night sky wakes.
Tomorrow sleeps while silver beams thread through the darkness, inviting whimsy to skate on imaginative trails.
Dreams dance.
Slow, quick-quick, slow- a small step etched with sandy footprints.
Chimerical images skirt golden pathways across a sea of midnight blue.
Suspended momentarily from Ganymede's summit, hangs a breathtaking view.
Laced with ice feathers, dreams frolic on through the night sky, searching for sky treasures.
Stories lie quiet in star streams as wide-eyed tales fill the mind's eye.
Tomorrow wakes.
dreams collide with opportunity a star is born
Star Streams/ Before Tomorrow Wakes/ Prose With a crescent wink and radiating argent hues, the night sky wakes. Tomorrow sleeps while silver beams thread through the darkness, inviting whimsy to skate on imaginative trails. Dreams dance.
Slow, slow, quick-quick, slow, a small step etched with sandy footprints. Chimerical images skirt golden pathways across a sea of midnight blue. From Ganymede's summit, a breathtaking view is suspended momentarily.
Laced with ice feathers, dreams frolic on through the night sky, searching for sky treasures. Stories lie quiet in star streams as wide-eyed tales fill the mind's eye. Tomorrow wakes.
dreams dance on silvery moonbeams, tomorrow sleeps ----
burnishing cerpuscular glow Earth's kiss in terrestrial embrace Cold Moon rises
short form
burnishing glow The Cold Moon kneels terrestrial kiss ---
rare fire horse forward, focused, adaptable old notions gone
coming moments of wonderment and awe touching the soul
Deep into winter Primrose’s colors delight. Stark against the snow
Pale Season of Titivated Lace (rewrite of Winter’s Lace)
Vibrant blooms ignite against a blank canvas under brooding, iron-gray skies.
Amaryllis gazes out from the window; a periwinkle winks back, whisper-warm.
Across a stark alabaster landscape, autumn falls silent while pansies thrive.
Bleak, bitter, yet, in defiance, Narcissus lifts its radiant face for all to see.
A little ray of sunshine, burnishing a crepuscular glow, Wendy’s Gold rises.
Lucille’s Squill, whimsical scent swirls with the turning season.
Write an imaginative landscape poem without using snow, snowy or wintry terms.
Winter's Lace cont-
Varied highs and lows, February vacillates. Snowdrops appear.
Narcissus’ beauty shines for all to see, defying winter’s hold
Colorful and sweet Pansies’ cousin, Viola, a winter survivor.
Glory-of-the-Snow, star-shaped and whimsical, greets winter’s end. A little ray of sunshine burnishing a crepuscular glow, the Wendy’s Gold rises.
Lucile’s Squill whimsical scent swirl, Hints of a seasonal shift.
Wassailing through their quarters, Holly and Ivy sang yuletide tunes. Preening on the desert table, a bourbon-soaked fruitcake that could render a sailor drunk in minutes. And next door, the inflatable dancing Santa, now plastered like an Andy Warhol-inspired Art Deco project. TopTweetTuesday challenge.
long-awaited brilliant hues fleeting
Long awaited brilliant, burnt, tawny fleeting
Extravagant Encore dance Nature's splendor
Dancing in the wind Feels like Freedom unabated
November's finest Harvest hues seasonal shift
burnt, buff, earthy, ushering in sienna hues, autumn's display
long-awaited hues brilliant, buff, earthy wind song
seasonal shift burnt, buff, earthy, ushering in sienna hues,
aureate honeyed, tawny, burnt Autumn's play
anatomy of a tree bare for all to see, bone deep artistry
Silent church bells Once a beacon of light God's Word still rings
shopping cart battle obstacles along the aisles thanksgiving gaming
Rustling leaves, trees shiver, yawing deeply- anticipation.
Fall's first scent hovers in between the blurred lines of a seasonal shift.
Leaf whistles, needles oscillate in a psithuric wind song.
Crimson hues slip through the mizzling mist of Autumn's play.
Seasonal timing grounding roots, true friends are the rings inside.
Oneiric trails ice feathers scrape the sky
oneiric impression dancing while tomorrow sleeps
oneiric interludes beneath your pillow, lies wonderment
o·nei·ric- dream-like quality Learning to use a new word in a haiku.
black silhouette dark blues and grays rippling thoughts
haiku for lake picture @KarynCurtis21 Early morning on the lake ❄️
Imaginative trails laced with ice feathers, Puck's in the wind searching for sky treasures. Oneiric trails ice feathers scrape the sky
burnishing crepuscular glow Earth's kiss in terrestrial embrace Cold Moon rises
short form
burnishing glow the Cold Moon kneels terrestrial kiss
Morning stillness Rhythmic movement Zephyr and leaf
Haiku Crush @HaikuCrush · Oct 30, 2025 #Haiku's alive in '25!
The judges @HaikuCrush are happy to announce... a haiku by Rhonda Brown @RhondaLBrown2 of #Arkansas USA won publication in The Best Haiku 2025 international anthology.
As autumn falls silent under evening's snow, sheltered seeds don winter's coat below. Sleeping silently beneath winter's breath, trees fold into a counterfeit death.
A magical moment when the sun stands still, winter begins with a brisk, cold chill.
Wintry winds whistle ceaseless threnodies, glistens frosty precip melodies. Amidst frigid fields, icicles drip. Cardinals swoop midstream for a sip.
Mice tucked warmly under subnivean snow, moonbeams prance across a snowlit plateau. Betwixt two astral stars, the moon hangs bright, eerie wolf howls echo through the night.
Playful trickery, a spring bud pops its head. Winter snaps, not yet, and tucks them back to bed.
Thank you for submitting your work to The Orchards Poetry Journal. It is our great pleasure to inform you that we have selected your poem, Threnodies, for publication in our Winter 2025 issue.
November 2025 Thresholds traces the transition from autumn’s waning light through the deep stillness and renewal of winter, exploring nature’s rhythms, endurance, and transformation.
I. Thresholds
Trees shimmer deeply yawning - anticipation stirs.
Autumn equinox, the balance of light and dark, time juncture converts.
Facing eastward. Fall moon on the horizon blazing golden hues.
Extravagant colors! A migratory bird's last song. Light wanes for evening.
Granting Fall's wish for an encore flower dance. Winter procrastinates.
II. Winter Solstice
motionless sun the darkest moment light breaks through
climactic pause night tide meets at Winter's gate light connects
the sun stands still, a brief magical moment winter begins
III. Winter’s Deep Sleep
moonbeams prance atop the subnivean zone, a gentle nightlight
winter's shield snow blanket or hoarfrost, what holds, what rimes
silence broken predatory footfalls winter creaks
unyielding onslaught of graupel, freeze and thaw, precarious,
safely tucked in the between, nestled deep, all sleep
IV. Winter’s Lace
Vibrant winter blooms cast against a snowy canvas, beneath brooding skies.
Amaryllis’ view from the window, periwinkle winks in reply, whisper-warm
A little ray of sunshine, melancholy banishment Winter jasmine.
Deep into winter Primrose’s delightful colors, stark against the snow
Varied highs and lows, February vacillates, Snowdrops appear.
Narcissus’ beauty shines for all to see, defying winter’s hold
Colorful and sweet Pansies’ cousin, Viola, a winter survivor.
Glory-of-the-Snow, star-shaped and whimsical, greets winter’s end.
V. Pale Season of Titivated Lace (rewrite of Winter’s Lace)
Vibrant blooms ignite against a blank canvas under brooding, iron-gray skies.
Amaryllis gazes out from the window; a periwinkle winks back, whisper-warm.
Across a stark alabaster landscape, autumn falls silent while pansies thrive.
Bleak, bitter, yet, in defiance, Narcissus lifts its radiant face for all to see.
A little ray of sunshine, burnishing a crepuscular glow, Wendy’s Gold rises.
Lucille's Squill whimsical scent swirls with the turning season.
VI. Threnodies
As autumn falls silent under evening's snow, sheltered seeds don winter's coat below. Sleeping silently beneath winter's breath, trees fold into a counterfeit death.
A magical moment when the sun stands still, winter begins with a brisk, cold chill.
Wintry winds whistle ceaseless threnodies, glistens frosty precip melodies. Amidst frigid fields, icicles drip. Cardinals swoop midstream for a sip.
Mice tucked warmly under subnivean snow, moonbeams prance across a snowlit plateau. Betwixt two astral stars, the moon hangs bright, eerie wolf howls echo through the night.
Playful trickery, a spring bud pops its head. Winter snaps, not yet— and tucks them back to bed.
Synopsis: When Annaleigh steps into the Cedarville Library, she never expects to see a bespectacled elephant holding a book. But when Eleanor, the library’s magical Storykeeper, disappears, Annaleigh and her friend Riley set off on an adventure through swirling aisles and skies filled with story gems. Guided by Eleanor, the girls discover that the greatest treasures are in the stories themselves.
Why am I the one to tell this story? Annaleigh and the Library of Hidden Treasures is a whimsical adventure that celebrates imagination, friendship, and the magic found in libraries. I wrote this especially for Literary Night as the elementary school counselor. For each class, I read this story, discussed how to select a library book, and encouraged students to imagine their reactions to seeing a magical elephant.
How it begins:
End Pages:[Illustration: Characters peek from book lined shelves]
PAGES 3-4 TITLE SPREAD Annaleigh and the Library of Hidden Treasures By: Rhonda Brown
PAGE 5 The Cedarville Library smelled of stories, turning pages, and ink-whispered adventures. Tiny gems twinkled in the sunlight between the shelves. Annaleigh took two small steps inside. The air inside tingled with magic. Annaleigh gasped.
PAGE 6-7 Shimmering in the sunlight stood an elephant, wearing glasses and holding a book! She winked, then, Poof! The elephant disappeared. Annaleigh peered down every aisle. Ahh, there…
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