Monday, January 26, 2015

Poem: Before Me

Before Me

By: Joi Maree Brown

Before me there lies a tomorrow
A tomorrow of uncertainty
Yet into I walk
A tomorrow unknown
Yet I am ready to say to it hello

Before me there lies hope
That all is well and will be well
For in me there is Faith
That keeps me assured of God's promises to me

Tomorrow has not arrived
But I am thankful for it today

And patiently I await
For the sun of that new day to rise upon me
To say
Good morning

Photo courtesy of http://upsidedownbethlehem.com/

Monday, November 17, 2014

Poem: Overflow

Overflow

By: Joi Maree Brown

Our cup runneth over
When our faith is increased
Once our patience of waiting
Has been calmed by peace

We are blessed
Abundantly
Once out of our way we move
And allow God to take in our lives His rightful place

We receive confirmation
Of the fairness of favor
Bestowed upon us by
His perfect grace

And rewarded
Of our obedience to Him
With an overflowing of our cup
Its contents unable to be contained

What a blessing it is to receive

Monday, September 22, 2014

Poem: Whisper

Whisper

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Waiting for the thunder to roar
Or the fire to ignite

An act of a miracle
Or a flash of lightning's strike

To be a sign
Of God's presence

In the midst
Of where we are at the moment we seek His instructions

But it is not in those moments
And not because of those happenings

That his nearness will be confirmed

But in the stillness of silence
When we least expect His presence

Like a cool breeze
On a Summer's night

That a soft voice
Will speak into our ears

In the tone of a whisper

And it will be

God
There

Shoulder to shoulder with us
Reminding us that

He was with us
And had always been

Closer than we thought

But we were too busy
Waiting on the loudness of His arrival

Not realizing all along

He was with us
By our side

Every step of our journey

Monday, September 8, 2014

Poem: A Blessing It Is

A Blessing It Is

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Such a blessing it is to be
Alive
And
Able

To be summoned again at dawns rising
To awake
And rise

Not held by sleep's drift
Into death's slumber

Such a blessing it is to be
Needed
And wanted

To complete an assignment by God
For his will
And purpose

As destiny would have it
Written before our knowing

Such a blessing it is to be
Seen
And received

As a blessing to someone in need
To aid
And help

As one neighbor
To another

Such a blessing it is to be
Chosen
And loved

By our Father above
To be given time
To continue in this life

To continue to live our purpose
Because it is not yet our time to die

Amen

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Poem: As I Am

As I Am

By: Joi Maree Flowers

I am stronger than my weaknesses
Higher than my lows
Content on my being
And held captive not by my woes

I am originated from the Creator's design
Chiseled by His perfect hand
To look not like those around me
And dare not be reconstructed by the hands of man

I am the seed planted into the earth's soil
Nurtured by the water of prayer
And the radiance of hope's light
Blooming into the beautiful flower welcomed by the kiss of Spring's cool air

I am she who will conquer
I am she who will stand
Even if the only voice that acknowledges me is silent
And no applause comes from so-called supportive hands

I am the blues in the midnight hour
The tears that fill the rising river
The loneliness of rejected lust
That finds a smile upon dawn's enter

I am the girl who was
The woman that became
Never to before be the same
For change is what brought me to this day

I am who I am
Flawed and stained
Strengthened by my faults
Beautified by my name

Friday, August 29, 2014

Poem: Hallelujah

Hallelujah

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Hallelujah
Hallelujah

I praise His name

The name spoken in prayer
Sung in song
Shouted out loud

Jesus

Such a precious name

The name I carry with me
The name I'm shielded by
The name that saved me

Jesus

Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Amen

Monday, August 4, 2014

Poem: My Testimony

My Testimony

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Folks don't know why the tears stream down my cheeks
When I pray or hear his Praises sung through song
Because they know not my testimony

They just don't know
How good God has been to me

How he's blessed me
Saved me
Rescued me
Steered me in the direction of forward
And not back

I've witnessed his works
Not only in me
But in those around me

I've been talked about and cursed through words by those who wished my down fall
But by God's favor I never saw their feet when at my lowest
Because he stood me tall to look over their heads

He received me as I am
Knowing I was a sinner
A work in progress

I've arrived at the place of present not by my own travels
But by the guided steps of my Lord and Savior
Who before my knowing already paved the way for the road to lead me here

He is the reason I know what love it
Because I got out of my own way so he could open the door
So love could find its way to me

He is the reason why I no longer suffer from loneliness
Because when in the physical company of myself
I know that He is there right next to me

He is the reason why I no longer seek the validation of others
Because He opened mine eyes
To see the beauty that is me

I can go on and on
But the hour won't allow the space for the time

But for the rest of my life
I will thank Him
Through prayer
And I will Praise Him
In song

Because My God
Had been so good to me

And without Him
I would not be