Song in the Storm
Rain flows on the roof
Stilling my anxious thoughts from
Spinning through the pain
Thunder rolls above
Lightning flashes my soul from
Sleeping in the dark
Spirit wakens me
Revealing in the storm from
Thanksgiving my song.
–bg
At midnight I rise to give you thanks
for your righteous laws. Psalm 119:62 NIV
What is it about the gift of poetry that draws my heart to the deep places?
How is it, when just a few short words set in the cadence of a poem, can soften my hard shell of resistance?
When the softening flows, Thanksgiving springs up with a new voice.
Will you join with me in a prayer of Thanksgiving and Gratitude as we begin this month of November?
Dear Father,
Thank You for Your precious gift of words and music. Thank You Lord for understanding the resistance that lingers within our own hearts at times in this hard world. Would You forgive us for holding onto that hardness as if it were our defining? Only You define us, and only You know how to bring the sweet relief that dwells within Your softness. And thank You for the storms that jolt us out of our hard-hearted eyes-closed-way-of-living. YOUR call is music to our hearts. We rise now as Your heart stirs our hearts. Thank You for the gift of love in our darkest nights. We love Your dawn, in the midnight of our storm.
In the Name of Your son, Jesus,
Amen
If you are stirred by poetry, I have some exciting news for you. The beautiful online community, Chronic-Joy Ministries, is beginning a new poetry corner in January. Join me at their site today, for their introductory post sharing about A Harvest of Grains, where the prompt this month is #Gratitude. My Haiku Series today was birthed out of that prompt.
Click here to read more about this exciting invitation.
And I would love to hear your own thoughts about poetry, and the softening it brings. Leave me a comment below and share a favorite poet or even a poem!
I am linking this week with:
BettieGsRAseasons 
I love how God provides words for us to use to show His love to others. Whether through poetry, song or conversation, our words can make a huge difference. 🙂
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Oh, yes, what a blessing He brings through the words that He stirs up in our hearts. It really does make a difference when we share what He’s given to us. Thank you so much for your beautiful words of encouragement here! I am continuing to pray for the pain in your back to be relieved dear friend! Blessings to you.
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Bettie, your poem helped bring me back to thanks-giving today. Thank you. And your description of poetry! Oh how I love poems, their depth always higher than the number of their words, their draw away from the busy to the still, their intimate moments poured out in prose. May He bless your hands mightily as your world and your reach becomes wider, dear sister.
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Dear Julie,
Oh how well you have described the way that I am affected by poetry also! Your words are a poem in themselves! 🙂 And what a blessing that you would pray for my hands today, Dear Sister. My post was late going out, as I waited for movement to return & pain to lift so that I could type. God was surely in your prayers, as relief began to come this afternoon. I am so grateful that we can continue to pray for each other! Blessings, love & hugs to you!
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So beautifully hope-filled, Bettie. Your words, the song, the prayer. Words I need so much to remember each day – “Only You define us, and only You know how to bring the sweet relief that dwells within Your softness.” Also the truths in the song of how God holds us in the night and no battle that can tear us away and that there is still music in the pain and beauty in all God has made. Thank you so much for all this encouragement! Love and hugs to you!
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Dear Trudy,
Yes, He continues to speak those words to me again also. These battles do feel like they will tear us away. But you are so right that there “is still music in the pain and beauty in all God has made.” Thank you for your encouragement also Dear Friend. I am so very grateful for His presence with us in the storm. Blessings, love and hugs to you! xoxo
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Stilling my anxious thoughts from
Spinning through the pain
I love these words, brought vivid images to my mind………..very well done Bettie.
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Thank you so much Wendi! I am so thankful you were encouraged here today. Many blessings to you as you continue to write and share your heart too!
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Bettie, your poem is so beautiful! I feel like you about poetry. There is something that not only draws my heart to the deep places, but brings joy and praise, too. Poetry can say a lot in just a few words and I love that! And a big Amen to your prayer. Thank you for expressing hope and desire so beautifully. Much love with many blessings and hugs, dear poet/sister/friend! xoxo
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Dear Gayl,
I am so glad that God has opened the way for us to be able to share poetry together! There is so much hope and desire that can shine from the words of a poem. Thank you for all of the ways that you have encouraged me to go ahead and share my poetry. You have been such an inspiration to me. I pray that God will help us to keep sharing from HIS heart within us. Much love, blessings, and hugs to you also, dear poet/sister/friend! xoxo
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Dear Bettie, you are so gifted. You have such a way with words, whether prose or poetry. This poem is incredibly deep and penetrating to the soul, as you say, with only a few words. I pray God continues to use you as you join this new poetry group. What a wonderful opportunity! And how kind of you to share the information with us! I am already having trouble keeping up with everyone, so I am not able to join you right now, but that is something I would love, I must admit. Still, I am praying for you. May the Holy Spirit breathe through your thoughts and words as you write. Blessings!
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Dear Melissa, thank you for your sweet encouragement! I appreciate your prayers so much as I seek to listen to the Lord and obey what He asks me to share. He is so precious in the ways that He leads us. I will pray that He continues to lead you also, in all of the ways that He would have you share too. Blessings to you!
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I love your poetry! I have written a few poems and love the process. I like what you say about it bringing a softening, that is so true!
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Thank you for visiting here, and your kind comments. Yes, I agree with you that the process of writing poetry can be just as moving as the reading of poetry! I am so thankful for the softening that He brings to us there. Blessings to you!
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Thank you Bettie, You inspire me with your faith and your strength. God carrys us through so many tough times and shows us his love through them all.
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Dear Delores,
I am so thankful that God brought inspiration here to you–He has brought it to me so often through you! What a blessing when we can share those prayers together, and lean on Him through every tough time. Blessings and Love to you!
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“And thank You for the storms that jolt us out of our hard-hearted eyes-closed-way-of-living. YOUR call is music to our hearts.” So beautiful! God’s gifted you with words to bring out music in hearts. Thank you! I’m going to share the poetry link with me writers group too.
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Dear Lynn,
Oh I am so thankful that the Lord gave you music as you visited here. He is so good to open our hearts in the midst of the hardness, isn’t He? Your photos feel like music to me also, and stir such beauty in my heart. I am glad you can share the link with your writers’ group! What a joy to be able to share more poetry. Blessings and hugs to you Dear Friend!
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Oh Bettie, all of this is stunningly beautiful and moving in its holy truth! I echo the query here: “What is it about the gift of poetry that draws my heart to the deep places?” as I also marvel at the way reading and writing poetry takes me to the depths and draws out hidden treasure I didn’t know was there! I’m always awed by the way God uses Holy Spirit-given and inspired words to bless and encourage us in the writing and sharing of them too. Your
earnest prayer is particularly full of meaning and depth.
These words speak to me so much: “Thank You for the gift of love in our darkest nights. We love Your dawn, in the midnight of our storm.” Amen! Thank YOU, dear friend, for the way you listen, learn and pray and pen delightful poetry. Beautiful fruit is emerging in the works from your surrendered, pain filled hands. May God grant you sweet relief and healing, and longer spells when writing becomes easier for you to do. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers as you get accustomed to the new meds. Blessings and love. xoxo
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Dear Joy,
Oh I am so grateful for the many, many ways that you have brought inspiration and encouragement to me through your own writing, and through nudging me to come join you in the process also. When I have seen you sharing from your own Midnight storms, God has encouraged me to keep sharing from the place of my storms too. When I have felt your prayers for me in those fiery places, I am so encouraged to keep sharing and praying for others who also must walk thru fires. What a blessing that the Lord has let our paths cross, Dear Sister. I am so very grateful that the Lord has called us to pray for each other across the miles. And I do pray that I will let Jesus have full use of my hands, painful or not, for His glory and purposes. Thank you for allowing Him to speak through you. Blessings, love, and hugs! xoxo
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I love stormy weather. I find it comforting some how.
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Yes, those storms seem to echo deep within our hearts, don’t they? Thank you for visiting here today! Blessings to you!
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Thanks for sharing your inspiring post on the #LMMLInkup this past week. We are so in tune with each other this month. 🙂
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Dear Mary,
Oh, yes, it is so good to know that we are not alone in the storms we walk through! God is so good to send us comfort as we journey together. Blessings and prayers for you Dear Sister!
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Dear Bettie, I am blessed again by your words; The Lord has given me poety during special times in my life. They are special because I do not call myself a poet. They are rare and on rare themes, but all God-given, even as yours.
These speak in different ways than simply writing. I hope to make these a collection some day ~ maybe. 🙂 For some reason your like button does not work for me. Just know that I am here even if I don’t comment. Much love and blessings.
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Dear Frances, What a sweet gift when God brings HIs poetry and music to us. I agree it is a rare blessing, even for someone who may be a poet. The wonder of it all remains, as they do speak in such different ways. That would be a special collection to gather all of your songs and poems in one place! Thank you for your sweet comments–I am sorry the like button didn’t work for you. I look forward to your visits, and to your words at your own site too. Blessings and love to you!
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