Christian Poetry

Poetry Sunday-Journey Through This Rugged Land

March 27, 2016 Effie Barba

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

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.

Christian Blog

What More Could He Do to Prove His Love?

March 25, 2016 Effie Barba

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53: 3-6

Before I begin the new chapter of my life story; I really want to pause to consider once more what faith really is. That is what were going to be the major lessons that I would have to learn over the next 2 decades of my life? What does faith really look like? What is it? What better day to look at that than today, “Good Friday!” The most horrendous act of mob injustice ever and we call it “good.” The day when all the sins of the world, the horrors of the concentration camps, the terrorist bombings, the death of innocent children, and every evil gossiping word that ever came from my own lips were bore by perfect righteousness. He was beaten for my sins. He was mocked, humiliated, and hung on a cross to pay the price of my sin. As He hung there with all the sins of mankind upon His shoulders, the most horrid of all things was when His Father’s joy, love and spirit turned away. The entire earth shook!! Darkness covered the world as the only true light of the world gave up His life to plunge into death alone, naked and covered with my shame, my guilt. We celebrate that as “Good” Friday.

artwork by permission of Ronald Barba

The Centurion Soldier which was in charge of Christ’s execution watched as all the events unfolded. He had heard Jesus say “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). This Soldier had witnessed the conversation among those upon the cross. He had watched Jesus tell John to care for Mary. Whatever agony was His own,

Continue reading What More Could He Do to Prove His Love? →

Christian Blog

What Happens When The Potter Decides To Remold The Vessel?

March 23, 2016 Effie Barba 2 Comments

Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. Jeremiah 18:2-6

Life settled in ok. In some ways it seemed this long distance marriage had the benefit of not having to deal with how different we were. Before I married Terry, I had placed one rule. “You do not know the history of all my children have had to face. You will not interfere in how I choose to discipline, raise, or guide my children. If you disagree with what I have done; then, you will tell me in private. I will take your thoughts into consideration.” He swore to abide by this rule and did. Actually, he never even took the time to speak with or get to know my sons. All seemed well. Comfortable at least.

When the Master Potter choses to remake you, what then?

I began to wonder about getting my Master’s Degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. Maybe then, I could better support my family. When I applied to Vanderbilt, Terry told me, “You won’t get accepted there. I’ve known too many nurses who tried and that school is too hard to get in to.” But I was accepted right away, and was asked to start in September 1997. I thought about delaying, except Alberto and Ronald both told me to “do it.” They assured me that they could be responsible enough to manage the house and attend high school each day. I trusted them to do just that and told them so. They were

Continue reading What Happens When The Potter Decides To Remold The Vessel? →

Christian Blog

Why Do I Keep Failing? I Just Want To Be Loved!

March 21, 2016 Effie Barba

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. ⁹The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:7-9

So, it was that I settled back into my home town. There was a comfort of being back home. Mom had even bought me a house; despite, my having asked her to wait and let me buy one. I loved being a nurse, a mother, and a follower of Christ. You could say I was contented. It was a time to just let my roots dig a little deeper. There were scars that needed to heal; and, I needed to help my sons through their teen years.

One of the other nurses looked at me one day and asked, “Why don’t you date? All you do is work.” “I have my children to raise;” came my quick reply. “But don’t you owe it to them to go on with your life as well? They will be grown soon. At least come with us this Thursday, there is someone I want you to meet!” So, it was I met Terry. He made me laugh and to feel a bit more alive. Very much the country boy. Looking back, I realize a part of me wanted to find that feeling of safety I had felt with my Daddy. Terry and I had very different dreams, goals, hopes and even worlds in which we lived. Both of us came to the table with a lot of expectations and needs. His home and all that he loved was an hour away from my home and all that I loved. Our beliefs, goals and spirits were even farther apart. Had we either one realized that or had we truly understood that we both came in need not love; we wouldn’t have married. But we did get married and tried to make work a long distance marriage. I stayed in Dexter and he stayed in his cabin in the woods.

Continue reading Why Do I Keep Failing? I Just Want To Be Loved! →

Christian Poetry

Death Cannot Hold My Heart in Pain

March 20, 2016 Effie Barba

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.