Category: Christian Poetry

Poetry Sunday: Anger Is

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking,  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. I Peter 2:1-3

Anger, jealousy, bitterness are all signs of a much deeper issue of the heart.  Usually these are the manifestations of how broken and scarred our own hearts are.  Often, our reaction is a result of our own fears of inadequacy.  We protest most loudly when deep in our heart of hearts we fear they are right. “Maybe, I am unlovable.  Maybe, just maybe I am a failure.”   Other times, we lash out with anger at another’s injustice; yet, deep inside we only want to say, “Well at least I am better than that person.”  The truth being when I react to another’s anger with anger, I become the very one I am bitterly denouncing.  Look at what Peter said, “Lay aside all the anger, bitterness, hypocrisy, jealousy, and gossip.” How?  “By reading the word, drinking in the grace of Jesus.  Once you have truly tasted the blessed sweetness of grace; how, can you allow anger to grow.  When we trust God’s Sovereignty and remember all that He has forgiven in our lives; forgiveness and grace will fill our hearts.

anger is

Anger Is

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

Anger is that thought hidden deep inside

Rising up to defend our injured pride

Anger is the scar from a broken heart

Using words to hurt like some poisonous dart

 

Anger plants itself first a tiny seed

That grows into a thorny wretched weed

Choking out all hope of love, faith, or joy

Doing Satan’s work, oh so sly and coy

 

Anger is the sign of a heart of sin

Pushing, striving wanting always to win

“How dare you to hurt me, why don’t you see

It’s not about you, it’s all about me”

 

Anger pours forth like a cold winter rain

With shards of ice inflicting hurt and pain

While all the time it truly hurts the most

The angered one whose innocence does boast

 

My Lord, I need your gentle touch of Grace

I need to see your righteous, loving face

So, I might cast aside this selfish pride

That You might heal my broken heart inside

 

For when I truly cherish Grace you see

No trace of anger can abide in me

When the truth of Your Sovereignty does rise

Only then can I fully realize

 

Any anger my heart would entertain

Is against the plan Your Will did ordain

So as the fullness of truth comes into view

Anger is a sign of my doubting You

 

How could it be my wretched, sinful heart

Allowed an angry thought to even start

Only your grace can cleanse my heart of sin

Your love restore anew Your joy within

 

Let forgiveness and Grace be what I give

To everyone I meet each day I live

Singing forth your praise with great jubilee

As from anger’s curse I have been set free

 

It was your perfect grace that loved me so

So, please Let Grace be all my heart does know

And in faith as I trust Your plan for me

Let Your dear Grace be all the world does see

©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—Stand Still

Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God Job 37:14

There are seasons in this world that we may not fully understand why God allows the pain or the suffering.  The valley may seem so dark and the road so rough that we cannot find our way through; but, we can trust Him.  Often, God tells us to stand still and see His Salvation in the midst of our trials.  The plan He has is a plan to bring you ever closer to Him where fullness of joy may be yours.  Yet, a little while; and He will show you the way.  In the meantime, He is there to comfort you, love you and show you His mercy.  So, Stand Still and know that He is God.

stand still

Stand Still

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

When your world is falling apart

And you can’t seem to find your way

When your love has broken your heart

When there’s nothing else you can say

Stand still, stand still

 

When the Doctor says the “C” word

When you can’t even pay the rent

And you don’t know how to be heard

With your health and energy spent

Stand still, stand still

 

When you’ve given all you can give

And you feel you are all alone

When you want a reason to live

Know this, that I am on my throne

So Stand still, stand still

 

I AM the one who parted the sea

The one who calmed the raging storm

I created all that you see

I Am He who gave earth its form

So, stand still, stand still

 

I Am the one who died for you

To Pay the price to set you free

Let my glory come into view

Turn your eyes and focus on me

And Stand still, stand still

 

Stand still and know that I AM He

Who loves you with all of His might

In me you have the victory

I Will arm you for every fight

So Stand still, stand still

 

Stand still, and know that I AM God

Stand still, I walk each mile you trod

Stand still, let my love wrap you tight

Stand still, you are ever in sight

 

Stand still, I am the giver of life

Stand still I am remover of strife

Stand still, I Am joy and hope evermore

Stand still, I Am the wings- You can soar

 

I Am the one who gives you each breath

I AM the way you are reconciled

I AM the one who did conquer death

I AM the one who loves you, my child

So Stand Still, stand still

So, here is my question for you today.  Do you know Him as your heavenly Father?  Have you accepted His Gift of Salvation?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”  John 3:16-19

If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, would you today?

Original Photo used courtesy of unsplash.com/finleydesign         (Neil Thomas-photographer)  I added the inscription.

©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-Journey Through This Rugged Land

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Psalm 62:7

Journey Long

Journey Through This Rugged Land

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

As I gaze back over my years

The wretched scars, rivers of tears

This journey long through rocky land

That all of this, all as You planned

 

For in the midst of sorrows here

I heard Your voice as You drew near

The Joy I sought from all these things

This world could give, had taken wings

 

When all was gone and all seemed loss

I saw Your Son upon that cross

His Love reached forth to rescue me

My selfish Heart He did set free

 

‘Twas there I came to realize

That with all lost, to my surprise

My Joy was now a flowing stream

More wondrous than my greatest dream

 

Love now filled this heart of mine

My heart enwrapped with Love Divine

And now I knew this pain took place

That I might learn of Your Sweet Grace

 

My Sorrows, pain You did allow

That I vain joys would disavow

This joy I know; this love I feel

Your Love, Your Joy You did reveal

 

Amidst my bitter pain and tears

You held my hand through all the years

You never let me slip away

Steady beside me you did stay

 

Patient, gentle with heart so kind

You waited, watched for me to find

You are the treasure I did seek

Your gentle kiss upon my cheek

 

Reminds me that You will my best

And on this promise I can rest

My journey long through rugged land

Has been the one True Love had planned

Whatever treasure of this earth I thought I desired, it was nothing compared to the joy, love and hope I have found in Christ Alone.  He is the great treasure, the love, and the joy my heart had longed for. [bctt tweet=”Whatever sorrows I had to face to find Him, whatever scars I bare; it was worth it all to know Him”]. 

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Matthew 13:43-44

 

©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.

Death Cannot Hold My Heart in Pain

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven….A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

I cannot tell you how long my heart ached because of Pete’s death.  Perhaps there is  part that still does mourn him, as tears can still fill my eyes when I talk of him.   After all he did teach me everything good and bad about human love; but, mostly God had used Pete to teach me about how to love someone.  I will never try to tell you what day it was one early spring that I felt a breeze across my face and knew that I was going to be ok.  It was as though with that soft breeze I had felt Pete gently kiss me goodbye and I was released from the grip of pain.  Once more I could breathe again.  It was an act of God’s Grace to give me the hope and strength to live in the power of Jesus Christ as my hope, joy, love and treasure.  I had more to learn along this journey toward finding the truth of love; but, that chapter was closed.

 

kiss of spring

 

Death Cannot Hold My Heart in Pain

By Effie Darlene Barba

 

I felt the breeze across my face

Like gentle kiss of grace

I heard the warbling birds that sing

Now calling forth the spring

 

Winter cut deep into my bone

Screaming you are alone

You left me one mid summer’s day

To ne’er return my way

 

Oh death, how could you take my love?

To be with God above

While leaving me upon this earth

Amidst it’s wanton dearth

 

Ah, but now this gentle breeze of spring

A hope on which to cling

It’s was God’s Grace that loved me so

To now bid me to know

 

That I might laugh and dance once more

As I had done before

To know that love is mine within

Christ did the victory win

 

Death cannot hold my heart in pain

When God doth joy sustain

This ache, this sorrow will be gone

And bring a brand new dawn

 

My Love, I must bid thee adieu

Until we meet anew

For now I must live on my dear

A life not built on fear

 

To find the joy of Christ in me

Abundant life to see

That I am loved beyond measure

For God is my treasure

[bctt tweet=”No matter how cold the winter winds blow God will renew your heart to joy & love one spring day”]

Photo courtesy of: https://unsplash.com/biegunwschodni The inscription I added

©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—I Did But Pray

Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When loved ones, friends, or even those we meet along this journey are surrounded by darkness; all too often we want to rush in and talk, talk, talk.  As though our words might bring comfort.  Then, we wish to rush away when that doesn’t work; proclaiming defeat.  It is hard to stay; lovingly sitting quietly, forgiving the wrongs, holding tight to hope when everything seems to keep crashing downward.  Perhaps, it would be impossible to stay and quietly persevere.  Yet, there are those times when that is what we are bid to do.  Our only hope to do that is found in the strength, love, and grace of Christ indwelling us.  When we remember God’s grace and mercy toward us; then, we can be love, grace and mercy to others around us.  Had I drowned Pete with words, he might never have seen God’s Grace.  Instead, He saw God’s Grace ultimately through God’s Grace and Love within me providing me the strength to stand, take Pete’s hand, and quietly pray.  At the same moment, God was showing me the depth of His love for me as well.  If I had never known sorrow; could I have ever known God’s comfort?  Could I ever display God’s comforting Grace to another person in their darkness; had I not known the power of God’s Grace reaching to me?

God's ComfortI Did But Pray

In your darkness filled with fear

I walked beside and drew you near

There were no words that I could say

So Quietly I did but pray

 

What more could I have said or done

Than point you to God’s own dear son

By showing you the grace of God

As on this road we both did trod

 

My words would mean so little now

Unless I were to live somehow

Displaying Grace by what I do

Forgetting self to think of you

 

No distance then would be too far

Willing to go where e’er you are

To walk beside to take your hand

To bring you hope, to firmly stand

 

That when the world a dark abyss

Upon your brow my gentle kiss

Awakening to see God’s light

A hope within could rise and fight

 

Against the tides that pull you down

The anguish that would bid you drown

Please take my hand and come with me

Oh how I wish your heart could see

 

The love of God, His Grace to you

That as His face comes into view

Amidst the sorrows in your heart

God’s comfort bidding them depart

 

His love can wrap you in His arms

Protecting you from evil’s harms

Oh, how I wish that you could see

My strength, my love is Christ in me

 

So,

In your darkness filled with fear

I walked beside and drew you near

There were no words that I could say

So Quietly I did but pray

Is there someone you know who is drowning in despair?  The weight of life’s trials are wearing them down?  Or are you weighted down with sorrow and pain?  Oh, my dear friends, remember this.  God in His Sovereignty allows those sorrows that come into our life. [bctt tweet=”Into a broken world God reaches in with a steady hand of Grace bringing purpose out of our pain”]  1.  Either He is drawing you closer to Himself in the midst of the trial  2.  Or He is preparing you to share in His Glory by allowing you to be the testimony that leads another to Christ.  Usually, He is doing both.

Photo courtesy of https://unsplash.com/joshuaearle  The poetry is mine.

©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.