Category: Christian Poetry

Casting Aside the Heart of Stone

And I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love. And I will put my Spirit within you so that you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. Ezekiel 36: 26-27 (TLB)

Casting Aside the Heart of Stone

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

Let me not grow weary in my life for You

Let me show love and grace in all that I do

Let me not grow tired in this journey of life

Nor build walls of steel when I am facing strife

Lord, please, open my eyes Your truth to see

Let me never be focused on only me

 

I need You My Lord, my righteous King

To guide and lead my heart to sing

You are my strength, my hope, and joy

To rise above and then destroy

The darkest sorrows of my heart

And bid the weariness depart

So help me Lord to only see

The depths of love You have for me

 

It was Your Grace alone that called out to me

Into my darkness shone light that I might see

A glimpse of Your glory that bid me draw near

Casting aside my worry, my shame, my fear

I bring You my sin, my wretched heart of stone

Do whatever You must to make me Your own

 

I need You My Lord my righteous King

To guide and lead my heart to sing

You are my strength, my hope, and joy

To rise above and then destroy

The darkest sorrows of my heart

And bid the weariness depart

So help me Lord to only see

The depths of love You have for me

Living Bible (TLB)The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

photo used by permission https://unsplash.com/@whiteboytravels

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Whispers of Love

 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.   And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.  I John 4:7-19

To each and every broken-heart or lonely person that comes to this page, I want to tell you a brief story before I share the poem I have for you today. Continue reading “Whispers of Love”

Little Soldier, Are You Ready?

Little Soldier, Are You Ready?

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

Little Soldier, are you ready?

The battle’s drawing near

Have you put on all your armor?

To stand, don’t run in fear!

 

Did you put on your helmet?

Remembering all God’s done

He provided your Salvation

When He gave His Only Son

 

Did you strap on your breastplate?

Is your passion now on Him?

To follow in His footsteps

And shun all willful sin!

 

Did you tightly wrap your waistband?

With all that God has said!

So that never compromising

By His Truth you can be lead!

 

Are you holding high before you?

Your shield of faith in God!

Our Sovereign, Omniscient, Shepherd

Who protects us with His Rod!

 

So, where now are you going?

To spread Salvation’s song

Feet now shod with love and peace

March Boldly toward the throng

 

Say a prayer and off you go

To near or distant land

Spreading His Gospel to a world

That is God’s one command!

 

And rest assured, my little one

God ‘s always at your side

The victory sure, the battle won

In Christ you can abide

 

The Holy Spirit goes with you

To guide you on your way

Protecting you with every step

Reminding you to pray

 

For prayer, you see, my little one

Along with truth your sword

Are all the weapons you will need!

With Jesus as your Lord!

[tweetthis]Every doubt, fear or trial we face is Satan trying to steal our joy! [/tweetthis]

Our Joy is in Christ!

[bctt tweet=”Our battle is not against people ” username=”effiedarlene”]

Our Battle is against the spirits of pride, anger, selfishness, & despair!

[tweetthis]We Win This Spiritual Battle on our Knees![/tweetthis]

So we must fight that battle within the spiritual realms, beginning with our own heart.  By standing firm in God’s truth (His Word), through prayer and boldly proclaiming the Gospel; the victory is already ours. [bctt tweet=”The only way I can spread the truth of the gospel is by remembering and naming the true enemy-Sin” username=”effiedarlene”]Only then can I see those who hurt me as souls in need of a Savior, rather than seeing them as my enemy. Then, I can respond with words of truth and love.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

The Love Of A Child

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:2-4

God has so richly blessed my love with the wonderful children and grandchildren He has given me.  Their love is abounding and free, full of grace and mercy.  Their laughter and love of life is abounding.  It is no wonder Jesus said we must become like these little children to be saved.  We must open our hearts toward Him with that same awe, wonder, trust and love that children have.

The Love of a Child

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

There is nothing quite like

The love of a child

The sparkle of wonder

The laughter so wild

 

With perfect delight

They understand grace

And never are bothered

By age, weight or race

 

So quick to reach out

Their arms open wide

To share of their joy

To sit by your side

 

No wonder the Lord

Bid us to be

More like a child

With hearts full of glee

 

Gracious with love

Eyes open to see

His gift from above

To set our hearts free

 

Blessed and beloved

Way above measure

That I be His child

And He be my treasure

[bctt tweet=”There is no love more freely given, rich with grace; than the love of a child.” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]There is no laughter or joy more beautiful than that of a child.[/tweetthis]

[bctt tweet=”If each of us could embrace God’s love with that same wonder, faith and awe of a child.” username=”effiedarlene”]

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

The Cry of Rejection

My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

Of all the emotions that we feel, perhaps those feelings of loneliness, rejection, or just somehow not being “good” enough to really be loved are among the most devastating of all.  Those feelings can leave us reeling with pain that tears at our heart, spirit and soul.  Add to that the factor that we live as a broken vessel amidst a broken world, life can send our heart quickly spiraling downward in an instant.  One unkind word, the rejection by a friend, divorce, failure, a loss job, and the list goes on as to those things that cut deep the wounds that were already present.  For me, I cannot tell you when I first recognized this frailty within myself; because, it has been there since I can first remember.  Perhaps my thorn in the flesh.  It in some ways has always been the driving force that never let me be fully satisfied with today’s accomplishments.  Being my lifelong companion, one would think I would always have it mastered.  Instead, I have come to find it as God’s refining tool for me. Whenever those feelings make their attack upon my heart,  I have learned to draw even tighter into God’s arms and lean upon His chest. I spend the day reflecting, growing, listening to an audio book and just waiting for God’s answer.  Over the years, I have learned that God’s steadfast joy may be dampened in those moments into a smoldering ember; but, will quickly reignite into flames as I spend the day talking to Him.  Friday, was such a day of feeling as though I would drown within my own feelings of inadequacy; but, Saturday.  He renewed me through prayer and listening to “Uninvited” by Lysa TerKeurst.  God reminded me of how truly loved I am by Him.  He reminded me how blessed I am in Him. And He gave me this poem for you; whomever you are that needs to hear these words today.  God loves you.  God is always Good. God wants to hold you cradled in His Arms while He sings love songs over you.   Whatever your frailty, He will be your strength in it.  I know He is mine.

The Cry of Rejection

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

The sound of their words

What they had said

Repeatedly playing sad tunes in my head

The Scars from my past

The sorrows, regret

Like sirens whose blaring I could not forget

 

In darkness, alone

My heart’s cry does long

To desperately feel somewhere I belong

To know I am loved

To make my appeal

Rejection the thought that seemed all too real

 

It wasn’t their fault

How could they have known?

The scars I hid deep and never had shown

The secrets of heart

That longed to be found

That they might be healed by love to abound

 

The counterfeit lies

Were just a mistake

Like shattering glass my heart then to break

Oh, where is the truth

In a Dark, broken world

Where sorrows and pain are relentlessly hurled

 

The sin of man’s pride

Has taken its toll

Wreaking havoc on each and every dear soul

Yet, if truth then be told

Beneath all our will

Is a void that only God’s love can refill!

 

His Love reached beyond

The abyss we had crossed

He never considered it too great a cost

To accept the rejection

Of man toward His Son

Who in His despair our victory was won!

 

Unworthy though I

He loved me the same

And called me as His by my very name

To be loved as His child

He is all that I need

In Him to be known and truly be freed

 

Freed from desires

Of counterfeit things

From trinkets and toys or frivolous flings

Grounded, secured

In God’s loving arms

Freed from the lure of all this world’s charms

 

As He draws me near

To sit for a while

Enwrapped with His joy, I truly can smile

My worries all fade

As in Him I belong

My heart can now sing a joyous love song

[bctt tweet=”Don’t let your feelings of rejection become your identity.  In Christ you are Beautifully Beloved.” username=”effiedarlene”]

[tweetthis]Wrapped in Christ’s love todays pain becomes tomorrows greatest blessings[/tweetthis]

Picture used by permission: https://unsplash.com/@sebamolinafotos  Inscription was added by me.

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post.  I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.