Category: Christian Poetry

Joy Pours Over Me

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.  Zephaniah 3:17

Out of the darkest valleys or sorrows that life can bring, God remains Sovereign and His Plan is always to bring us good.  It all goes back to Faith is 1. Knowing that God is and 2. Believing that God richly blesses those who seek Him.  My journey to discover the truth of love and joy took me down a lot of winding roads.  Some of those roads seemed at the time very treacherous indeed; but, God had a plan for my good.  That plan never depended on my figuring it out or my getting it “right.”  It depended 100% on God’s Grace, Love and Sovereignty to complete the work He began in me.    My life is filled with peace, joy, hope and love.  Oh, don’t get me wrong; there are trials as well.  The difference in my response is how I view the trials.   I have learned to embrace each trial as a precious gift that once unwrapped will reveal to me some precious aspect of God’s Glory that I had not seen before.  As I concluded the series, In Search of True Love; my prayer is that I have helped you to see the magnitude of God’s Grace and Love toward you.  Tomorrow, we will begin a new series through Hebrews (at least that is my plan for now, unless God chooses otherwise).  I wrote this poem today and hope it touches your heart with joy, peace and hope.

Joy Pours Over Me

JOY POURS OVER ME

by Effie Darlene Barba

Every Step of my journey here

Through the darkest nights

That were filled with fear

Or the mountaintops

Clothed with laughter’s cheer

Your voice called to me

Your heart drew me near

 

Through pain and tears You taught me how

To seek your face Be-

Fore your throne to bow

Where You my heart would

Grace and Love endow

Your wondrous Strength to

Soar above the now

 

The scars from all the years gone by

Were healed because Your

Tears You chose to cry

As on a Cross You

Sent your son to die

And pay the price for

Someone such as I

 

And then I saw the value, worth

Of all the sorrows

Pains upon this earth

Travailing pains

That brought new birth

To life eternal

Filled with Joyous mirth

 

For purest gold to truly shine

It must endure the fire’s

Flames which do refine

Or pressed beneath the

Darkness in a mine

A diamond forms so

Precious, rare and fine

 

Your truth revealed this mystery

Pain is a gift that

Helps my heart to see

Glimpses of You

Spectrum of Glory

Dimensions of Love

Until

Joy pours over me

[tweetthis]Each trial is a gift; once unwrapped reveals a new aspect of God’s Glory [/tweetthis]

Please feel free to post a comment, share a story or just say Hi.  Hope you can join us tomorrow as we start a new series.

©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.

Poetry Sunday: When Grammy Must Go

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Never is that more true than it is in the love of a mother and also of a grandmother.  As a mother, my heart aches whenever one of my children face life’s trials.  I know that God knows better than I what is the best plan for them.  If it were the trials that lead me to know Him better, then, I must trust Him to do the same for each of my children and also for my grandchildren.  Still, there is no agony greater than when I watch one of my children hurting.  The same is true as a grandmother.

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And so it was that when God asked me to leave Orlando; my greatest sorrow was to leave behind Ron and his family.  The plan was that they would follow soon; however, that was not God’s plan as I would discover much later.  Again, with a heart that broke.  Yet, why should my heart be heavy, if I know God’s plan is best always.  Writing poetry for me has always been two fold.  Sometimes it is just a expression of praise. More often when I sit down to write a poem, it begins with a conflict or emotional turmoil that I am searching for God’s response to.  As I write, I often find the answer to the question that my heart was searching for.  So, it was with this poem as I wrote it right before my departure from Florida.

WHEN GRAMMY MUST GO

Grammy, Grammy you are here!

I heard his little voice

And saw his grin from ear to ear

To love had been his choice

 

As I looked into that face

That filled my life with joy

My grandson stood there in this place

This little precious boy

 

(Bridge 1)

So why must I go Lord

And leave this precious child

With Broken heart

I must depart

At your command I go

Lord, I know your plan is best

The years have taught me this

Upon your love, my soul doth rest

Although his smile I’ll miss

 

Now dear Lord, then show me how

To say that I must leave

In such a way, my love doth show

And he’s not left to grieve

 

(Bridge 2)

Let your love pour down, Lord

Surround his heart with you

Fill him with joy

This dear little boy

Full of hope, and joy, and love

And now I must go

Lay aside all this woe

For you my precious King

Will take care of everything

the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children Psalm 103:17

So all you mothers and grandmothers out there:  Happy Mother’s Day.  God’s mercy reaches forth to your children and your grandchildren!!  That is His promise to all who trust Him.  Isn’t that an amazing promise? [bctt tweet=” I don’t need to know my children’s future; I only need to trust their future to God who loves them.” 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.

Whatever Life Brings

When God asked me to leave Springfield; there was a part of me that once more felt crushed.  Yet, I would trust Him to have a better plan.  Clearly, I could not trust my own heart.  Today’s poem takes us back to that long, lonely drive to Florida.  Driving a huge overloaded truck and pulling a trailer.  So many long trips alone had I driven over my lifetime.  So many battles with illness, I had felt alone.  I, who thought of myself as a fragile female who desired more than anything to have some one love and protect me from all of life’s trials; was always the one left to overcome so many obstacles alone in this world.  How often, as I walked this journey of life; did I stop to cry and wonder why!!

Ah, but you see: every step of the way; God has been there beside me. There is much more of my story to tell.  That was only a moment in time.

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Whatever Life Brings

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

I felt the tears falling like rain

I did not fully understand

All this sorrow, all of this pain

My broken heart by Your command

 

Lord I wanted to trust Your heart

When You commanded me to go

It was hard for me to depart

When all within me still said no

 

And yet, Dear God, I know Your love

That gave Your Precious Son for me

So, help me seek Your will above

All else, though I can’t clearly see

 

Oh, Lord; please come, give me your peace

And fill me with a faith, Your own

That all this moaning spirit cease

My joy I find in you alone

 

And crucify my own desire

When not conformed unto Your will

When in the midst of raging fire

Please make my heart be ever still

 

Help me to see Your loving Grace

That only knows what’s best for me

Help me to seek Your lovely face

And make my selfish thoughts to flee

 

I need You now to shine your light

So deep within this heart of mine

I cannot change by my own might

Transform my thoughts to Your design

 

And so whatever you command

I bow before Your throne today

I trust Your Grace to help me stand

Tomorrow’s Grace to show the way

 

I only want what You want God

So rip from me these lesser things

Alone, this road I’ll gladly trod

And follow You, whatever life brings

 

Photo Courtesy of  Sergey Zvyagin

©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.

Poetry Sunday—AN Intimate Prayer with My Heavenly Father

As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me  Psalm 55:16-18

The book of Psalms is a song book of prayers mostly written by David.  They take us deep into the heart of David as he prayed.  Often, when I write poetry it is just that:  it is a prayer song coming from the deepest parts of my heart.  This poem I wrote Father’s Day 2015.  It takes you deep into an intimate conversation that I had with my heavenly Father that morning.  In it I bare my heart and soul; while, revealing the magnificent Gracious loving response of God to me.   In this poem, I take you into my prayer room for a moment and hope it brings you comfort and joy as you read this prayer. You see, often when I look at me; I see the mess.  God sees me as His Child, covered with His own righteousness.  It is when I am alone with Him, listening to His voice that I begin to understand the magnificent mystery of His Grace and the magnitude of His love for me.  It is in those moments in His presence that I am a given a glimpse of His Glory.

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An Intimate Prayer with My Heavenly Father

by Effie Darlene Barba

Oh, Father I came to you first in my youth

Ready to run and tell of Your truth

I studied and worked to make you so proud

You’d see all I’d done- I’m not like the crowd

 

Polished and shined Your Glory I’d show

From mountaintops shout to the valleys below

I knew I could do it-then you would see

All of my beauty-then you’d love me

 

Then came the years when all seemed so wrong

I fell to the ground-crushed by the throng

Though I struggled so hard with all of my might

Nothing seemed good, nothing seemed right

 

Oh Father, my Father; I don’t understand

Weary and worn by the years in this land

I’ve failed you so often, I’ve made Your heart sad

When all that I wanted was to make your heart glad

 

All of the struggles, the trials of life

The sickness, the pain, the sorrow and strife

I’m covered with scars, the battles I’ve lost

While chasing vain dreams at such a high cost

 

“Dear Child don’t you see it is all as I planned

So, please, my dear child, come take my hand

Your beauty doth shine more bright than the stars

Aglow with a radiance shone forth from the scars

 

Your eyes are so tender, washed by a tear

My Grace to reflect to all who draw near

Your heart that was broken-stripped of your will

A vessel now emptied- my spirit could fill

 

Oh, how I love you, my child don’t you see

I’ve heard every whisper, I’ve heard every plea

It was I who held you in the dark of the night

I sang you a love song until the dawn light

 

I’ve watched how you’ve grown, the love in your heart

That sparkle of joy you to strangers impart

You could not become the person you are

Were it not for the tears or occasional scar

 

I’m so proud of you child, all you’ve become

I’ll shout from the heavens, my child “Well Done”

You’ve been faithful and true through all of your life

Through the trials, the heart breaks, and even the strife

 

Covered with righteousness bought by my son

Redeemed you have been, your victory won

You never were meant to win by your might

The battle was mine, mine only to fight”

 

Oh, Father, I love you with all of my heart

My greatest treasure you’ve been from the start

The Joy I know now, came from all those years

A precious, rare gift you gave me through tears

©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.

Why Is Prayer So Important in My Life?

 

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

Some seasons of our life seem to go on and on. So it was with the ulcerative colitis. Mine awoke me every morning at 4 am without fail. There was a cycle with my worst pain and incessant trips to the bathroom occurring every morning from 4 am to 8 am. Then it would calm down enough I could get to work. That was when I drug my big recliner into my large walk in closet—my prayer room was created. For 4 hours every morning, it was God and I alone preparing to face the day.

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Over the course of the disease, I developed all the severe side effects from the high doses of steroids. I lost all the muscle tone in my legs making stairs a near impossibility. I grew a mustache and beard. The large “buffalo-hump” between my shoulders ached. My eyes and mouth became lost within the moon shaped face. Fatigue plagued me as there was little hope for sleep those days except the one in three that I allowed myself a sleeping pill. Despite the massive routines of suppositories, cortisone enemas, and pills; nothing controlled this monstrous disease. It was the hours alone with God that gave me the strength to keep going. In those early mornings, I would read scripture and we would just talk. When I looked in the mirror at the stranger staring back at me, I now saw a warrior. I was God’s warrior.

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