Take my heart

Like soil

Break it down

And make me fresh

So seeds of life may be planted

In a place

Once dead

This poem was written in an incredibly emotional time of my life where I had to surrender my dreams to God and learn that growth can be a painful process.

My roots have been pulled at and tugged

as I attempt to go deeper into the soil prepared for me.

My flesh fights the aches and the pains

that make me question the place that I’ve planted my dreams.

Growing a seed takes great patience and faith

– endurance produces the fruit.

It ain’t fun feeling trapped in the ground,

wondering when and where is the daylight.

“Let me out” my heart cries.

But only when the seed is planted and buried does it ever see life.

May your blood come fill the cracks of my broken way and mend the path of my mistakes.

Without you I am nothing.

Through you I am all things.

My soul remains an empty space

Without your infilling.

From you, and through you,

And to you are all things

I am created from your image,

Through your power,

To your glory.

I am wholly yours.

November 13, 2019

Like a bird,

I wish to fly through the gates of your palace,

lie down in a nest near your altar,

and praise you with unceasing song.

Solitude

Still room.

Bent knees.

Slanted brows.

I sought the Lord revealed to me.

I heard no voice but an inner impulse say,

“I am your peace, your joy, your love.

I am constantly revealed to you”.

In your joy, I am present.

In your love, I am near,

When you have peace

You have me.

Prayer of Rest 

Quiet me to the point

That I hear nothing but your voice

May I be close enough to

Feel your heartbeat

Still enough to know your beside me,

And in rest

Watch as you renew me.

This poem was inspired by Psalm 27 which says, “to gaze on the beauty of the Lord”. I was struck by the word gaze as in our day and age many seem to offer a mere glance because they do not take the time to be still and “contemplate the wonders of the Lord”.

Stillness

Still, be still my soul.

When the rush of life increases

I need stillness all the more.

To sit, to meditate, breathe deep

And contemplate

The wonders of the Lord.

How easily my mind wanders from

Thought to thought

Of earthly things

that need not be sought.

If I can’t learn to focus

my attention in the stillness,

how much easier will it be

to be swept up in the business.

Lord, give me the grace to

Take the time to focus

On what’s most important,

To gaze, no glance upon

Your beauty in all it’s

Glorious holiness.

This poem was written during a retreat I did by myself.  

From the waves of this age that brainwash my mind,

I slip away

From a thousand voices

That dictate my life

I take a break

From the noise of this world

That blurs my ways

I step away

There in the silence

I can hear your whisper

My soul knows where to stay

SOLITUDE

This was written during a time in South Africa where, even though I was surrounded by people, I felt lonely and lost in emotion.

When the rain keeps pouring, when my eyes can’t hold back the flood of emotions that seem to control me, my soul, a chasm, aching for love from a person around me, my mind a muddle of misunderstanding, my thoughts eating away at any life still in me. “It’s okay” I say, “it’s just for a moment” but then it happens again and I cripple in a state of self-pity. I will not be controlled by the emptiness that my flesh flaunts at me. I will rest in the fullness found in Jesus. In Him I lack no good thing. In Him, I have everything I need.

One day as I walked through your courtyard,

I saw you were making a crown,

It wasn’t of gold or pure jewels,

But of sweet-smelling flowers run wild.

When I asked whom it may be for, you replied with a smile,

“You dear.”

“Your tears of great hardship have watered the garden,

Now to you belongs heaven’s beauty.”

You hold my hand wher’er I go

I never need to fear the storm

You know my failures and my foes

And overcome the deadly worm

Yea the briars prick and prod

Upon the garden of my heart

Your protecting staff and rod

Guard my temple set apart

When I see no way ahead

And only feel the rain

I ponder every word you said

Which serves to cease the pain.

I find myself feet off the ground,
Feel like I’m falling but somehow

Floating

I’m distant from the world
Yet more connected
To its Maker.

I feel alive
Nothing holds me back
I’m surrendered to the wind.

I was made for the heights.

This poem/quote was written at the start of 2020 when there were so many uncertainties that I had to surrender to God.

When When so much is in the air
Don’t waste energy in
Trying to put everything back into place,
Enjoy the wait
And learn to fly above the chaos.
.

This poem was written in 2019, in a time where I felt that I was caught up in the cares of the world and wanted to surrender myself afresh to God.

Ascending

Take me up I want to see from your perspective
I go up but my head is still in the clouds
Even higher I go up out of the atmosphere
I am as light as a feather
Away from distractions
I ascend to heavenly places