I have always loved poetry. The first stories we heard were likely poems — nursery rhymes. For me poetry is not only therapeutic, but it also helps me see that God can make incredibly beautiful things out of our pain. Here are some poems that speak to the weary and the waiting times.
Rain
It’s coming on,
Like clouds that gather and darken before a storm,
And I cannot stop it.
I can feel it building,
Covering every part of me,
From the inside out,
In this empty solitude,
I feel so alone.
Even if I were to scream,
No one would hear me crying,
Or see that I am drowning in my tears.
Yet, just when I think
The darkness has overtaken me,
That the flood has swallowed me up,
The Sun breaks through the clouds,
Drying up my sorrow,
And covering me in warm light
Once again.
Safe
When the boat rocked
And the storm raged
And the strong winds began to blow,
I placed my trust in the Savior who made me
To never let me go.
The boat still rocks
The storm still rages
The strong winds still blow and blow
But in the palm of His hand,
My Father still holds me,
And He will never let me go.
Awakening
In the waiting
Buried deep
Where God planted her
Hidden and unknown
First deeper,
Her roots spread wide,
Nourishing on the dead and dying
things of her past.
Then rising,
She stretches forth,
Breaking and budding,
Ready for her beauty
To be revealed
There is a Part of Me
LORD, help me to understand
That seeing is not believing
That my feelings are not facts
Because there is a part of me that is
Flooded with hopelessness in impossible situations
There is a part of me that is
Fearful that loneliness is a permanent state
There is a part of me that is
Worried that there is not enough
There is a part of me that is
Confused about what to do next
There is a part of me that is
Overwhelmed by what I think I cannot do
There is a part of me that is
Overcome by the grief of losses
There is a part of me that is
Unsettled by all of the chaos in the world
LORD, let there be a greater part of me
Whose faith is not sight
But knows the God who is “I Am”
In hopelessness, You say, “I Am Faithful”
In loneliness, You say, “I Am Present”
In scarcity, You say, “I Am your Provider”
In confusion, You say “I Am the Way”
In inadequacy, You say, “I Am your Help”
In grief, You say, “I Am your Comforter”
In chaos, You say, “I Am Sustainer”
LORD, I know that You hold the whole world in Your hands
Help me to know that even I am held securely by You
Because there is a part of me that needs reminding
There is a part of me that needs to hear you speak
In a still small voice, letting me know that I am never alone
Rescue
A hole
So deep, it seems unfillable.
The dark,
The only witness to her tears and confessions of her longings
for connection.
She feels destined
To be alone
Unloved,
Undesired,
Unable to feel the freedom of being
Known,
Understood.
Who would love her?
A girl so lost inside of herself?
Untrusting,
She built walls for protection;
Yet,
It seems that her fortified heart is also her
Prison.
Is there someone who can rescue her from herself,
From the tower built with her own hands,
Locked from the inside?
Who can she trust with the key to unlock this door
When she cannot even trust herself?
Maybe,
Maybe if someone were able to get close enough to
Pry the key clutched tightly in her hands,
They could set her free.
But the door is heavily guarded from the outside
By dragons carrying the memories of
Abandonment and neglect,
Of sinister hags and fallen princes.
These dragons, too, both protect and imprison her.
Maybe,
Maybe I am not worthy of such a fight?
She thinks as she witnesses time and again,
Knights fall or flee in an attempt to reach her.
This is her fate.
She must accept it.
Yet
It is she who holds the key.
Maybe,
Maybe she should stop waiting to be rescued
Maybe she could be brave and free herself.
The key
The key she holds in her hand was forged in
The promises of her Father.
“You, my child, are a daughter of the King.
Not meant to be a princess cowering in a tower,
But a warrior
Wielding a powerful sword
To slay the dragons that hold you prisoner.
are wonderfully made,
Of immeasurable value,
And I am always with you.
Be brave, my daughter.
Do not be afraid.I love you.
I created you because
I chose you.
I have a purpose for you.
I know you better than you know yourself.
I Am
All that you need.
You are never alone.”
Filled
As she remembers her Father’s words,
She turns the key,
Opens the door.
And with one brave step,
She is free.
Connect with Sharla:
Instagram: @sharla_fanous
Her Poetry: @prose_and_purpose
Website: sharlafanous.com
Bio:
Sharla lives in Ottawa, ON with her three children. She loves home decor and experimenting in the kitchen and hopes to one day become a published author.
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