Posts Tagged With: voice

Locked In and Locked Out

door green closed lock

Photo by Life Of Pix on Pexels.com

(This poem is dedicated to those imprisoned in concentration camps and their families in Northwest China.)

 

What else can I do

But continue to speak up and out

For the ones locked in

And the ones locked out

They are separated from family

From community and their beloved land

From health and safety

Their hearts are tormented

And their bodies are broken

They are in anguish and pain

Can you hear them and lend your voice?

 

What else can I do

But pray and cry out

For the ones locked in

And the ones locked out

For the ones I know and do not know

To ask the One whom death could not hold

Who razor wire and prison gates

Cannot keep out

To walk among these people

Locked in and locked out

To call them by name

To comfort

To give courage

To give hope

To heal

To restore

To lift up

To set free

To rise like the sun

And bring a new day

 

© 2019 Julie Clark

Categories: borderlands, Faith, God, grief and death, Hope, lament, Poetry, Prayer, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Learning to Listening

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How well am I listening to the voice of my Shepherd?

Have I been searching his Word for his words to me?

Have I been watching his every move to move with him when he moves?

Am I slowing down when he does,

to stop and play with a child or

listen to another who needs my ears and comfort?

Have I stretched out my hand in healing as he does?

Am I studying his ways to match my ways with his?

Forgiving as he forgave me?

Forsaking condemnation and judgement,

while learning the art of love and compassion?

How well do I know his voice?

Enough that I do not follow the thousand voices

leading me down other paths far away from his?

How well am I listening to the voice of my Beloved?

Categories: Faith, God, Lent, Life, Love, Paths, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

On the need for ears

DSCN1750The voice sometimes takes over,

all good intentions of course,

but it forgets

the ears have a job to do as well.

As the lips move, passion builds

as a case is made,

losing connection with the heart of the other,

forgetting the words of the Holy Book:

“Be quick to listen,

slow to speak

slow to become angry.”

 

How much better to first give the ears

their chance,

rein in the tongue of fire,

and opinions for awhile

Be prepared to learn from another’s

point of view.

Wisdom’s treasures

are often found

in hidden places,

for the quick to listen

to hear them.

 

© 2015 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Faith, God, Hospitality, Life, Peace and Reconciliation, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Don’t Forget the Mystery

This life is more than it seems,

we know.

More than these mortal bodies.

More than the eye can see,

the ear can hear,

we’ve been told.

 

Follow the path

ahead of you.

When all seems blocked

or obscured –

wait.

 

Revelation will come,

light will shine,

a voice will speak,

or cloud will surround

and open the way

for you to go.

 

Transformation

or Transfiguration

will expand

your heart and life

to carry more

love and glory.

 

© 2014 Julie Clark

Categories: borderlands, Faith, God, Life, Love, Paths, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

For All My Girls

Cause a raucous

Cause a stir

Stand up and let your voice be heard

No more low maintenance girls here!

 

Cause some drama

Shake us up

You have every right to be heard

No more low maintenance girls here!

 

Your thoughts are important

Your feelings count

Stand up tall and straight

Your gifts are needed

The world cannot wait

You too bear the image of God

Not just your brother or your mate

 

Brothers hear this cry:

“When you squish me

You are less

Than you are meant to be!”

 

© 2013 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Faith, God, Life, Parenting, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Voice from Heaven

The voice

For us

Evidence of God

For all to hear

Some think it thundered

Others say an angel spoke

Am I missing it

Dismissing it

Because it’s not what I want

Am I confused

Disoriented

Distracted

Because I haven’t been listening

Caught up in my life

My ideas

Of who and what

I want

My Messiah

Savior

To be

© 2013 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Faith, God, Lent, Life | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

The ache in our hearts

The ache in our hearts

Is the call

To come deeper

Come closer

To the One

Who sees us

Knows us

Loves us

And satisfies us

Beyond all measurement.

 

We don’t always

Recognize

The voice

In our pain

We run

To another

Temporary comfort

That leaves us

Hollow and unsatisfied

Self-hating and

Aching for

The true source

Of all that we need.

 

It is a learning

To be turning

Towards that faint sound

Of the rushing river

To be seeking

In desperation

For that Living Water

Like a deer

Panting

A matter of life or death

To find and

To know that

We have been found

And we are known

And brought safely

Home.

 

© 2012 Julie Clark

 

Categories: Faith, God, Life, Love, Poetry | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Censored

I am just now able to get on my blog.  WordPress is blocked here in this Asian Country.  A friend of mine told me how to get around the block.  At first I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working.  Was there something wrong with my Internet, or a glitch at WordPress?  Then my host told me:

“You can’t get on WordPress.  The government has blocked it.”

I was shocked. “Really? Why?” I asked.

“Because someone from the opposition party is using it.”

 

The government has blocked all of our WordPress blogs because someone from the opposition party uses it.  Crazy.  My little blog searching for beauty and messages in everyday life got swept up in this censorship.  My voice is silenced with countless others.  I know it is just a little thing, and I finally have found the way around it, but I had a little taste of what it is like to be silenced.  It didn’t feel good.  It made me mad.  Then it made me think of how many voices have been silenced. Images of heavy boots crushing wild flowers beneath them come to mind.  As the army passes, most of the flowers slowly spring back to life. Not all, some are too delicate and their stems are broken. The sound of traffic drowns out and silences the bird song. Yet, in the early morning before people start moving we are awakened to the chorus.

 

What is beautiful, what is good, what is lovely and sweet will endure.  It will lift up it’s head again and be seen and heard.  The voices that cannot yet be heard need others to step in for them, until they can find the strength to sing again. There are many who need this kind of advocacy. Who will be their voice?

Categories: beauty, borderlands, Life, Travel | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

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