I Wasn't Gonna' Tell Nobody...But I Just Can't Keep it to Myself

By Carlyn D Adams-Afriyie

Sometimes all we need is a word that will free us from years of struggles and entanglements. I believe you, the reader, will find something within the pages of this book that will resonate in your heart and move you to say, “That’s me”, “I can relate to that” or “I know someone going through that.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carlyn D Adams-Afriyie
• Release date: Nov 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9780578613116

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I Wasn’t Gonna’ Tell Nobody...

But I Just Can’t Keep it to Myself

By

Carlyn D. Adams-Afriyie

I Wasn’t Gonna’Tell Nobody...

But I Just Can’t Keep it to Myself

By

Carlyn D. Adams-Afriyie

Inspirational Publications

Flint, Michigan

© Copyright 2019 - Carlyn D. Adams-Afriyie

ISBN: 978-0-578-61311-6

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means; graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without written permission of the author.

Contact author via email:

[e-mail]

Manuscript Written By: Carlyn D. Adams-Afriyie

Manuscript Design/Layout: Kimberly M. Broome, Consultant

Published by: Inspirational Publications

Front/Back Cover: iStock

Printed by: IngramSpark

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

To my mom, Geraldine, and my grandma, Lovie…

for all you went through and getting through it

the best you knew how.

Table Of Contents

FOREWORD

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

PROVISO

CHAPTER 1 WORSHIP AND PRAISE

DELIVERED

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

PRAISE JESUS ANYHOW

CHANGED

PRAISE

DREAMS

TAKE AIM

SAVED BECAUSE I WANT TO BE

SMILE ON MY FACE

CHAPTER 2 INTIMACY WITH GOD

PRAYER OF SURRENDER

WHEN I AM WEAK

FOUND MY WAY

WHENEVER I NEEDED YOU

STILL HERE

HEART PRAYERS

THERE’S A PERSON BEHIND THE NAME

WE’VE GOT IT LIKE THAT

I LOVE JESUS

TALK TO ME

TO YOU

HIS PRESENCE

A PLACE TO DWELL

CHAPTER 3 CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE

LIVE TO PLEASE GOD

MODESTY IN DRESS CONTROVERSY

QUICKLY FORGIVE

TO SERVE WITH LOVE

CUT IT OFF OR PLUCK IT OUT

BARE MINIMUM

IN STYLE

GOD OR GOVERNMENT: TAKING A RISK

DINNER AFTER CHURCH

CHAPTER 4 REFLECTIONS

KEEPING ME

THE BATTLE

JUDGE JESUS

SIN STINKS

AIN’T TRYING TO HEAR IT

OLE’ CHEVY TRUCK

MAKING IT PERSONAL

WHOM DO THEY SEE?

BEGGARS

SECRETS

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH

IN-SIN-SEER

LIFE-PINCH

TRANSITION

CHAPTER 5 BE ENCOURAGED, BE STRONG

A COVERING

DON’T TURN THE PAGE

A SMILE THAT HEALS

TODAY

STAY ON THE LORD’S SIDE

BRAND NEW ME

FOCUS

STAY IN THE RACE

STAY IN THE LIGHT

DETERMINATION AND DESPERATION

NO!

PRESS IN

BE FREE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISH

UNTIL YOU CAN

FIGHT!

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

CHAPTER 6 WHO CAN FIND A GOOD MAN?

BURY YOU

NO EVIDENCE

REALISTIC

KEYCODE

WAITING ON GOD

NON-MOVEMENT

MAN FROM FLINT

STAY

TAKE OUR TIME

CHAPTER 7 LOVE GONE WRONG

MAKES ME WANNA’ CRY

LOVE STROKE

I MEAN IT

LOVE FOUND DEAD

PROGNOSIS

DISTANCE

HEART’S CLOSED DOOR

HELD HOSTAGE

DON’T CALL ME BABY ANYMORE!

CHAPTER 8 A LOVE TO CELEBRATE

DESTINATION LOVE

OUR ANNIVERSARY

A LOVE THAT’S REAL

GLOW

LOVE, DON’T DIE

COME HOME

I CHOSE YOU AND YOU CHOSE ME

BABY

CHAPTER 9 A WORD FOR THE LADIES

GETTING MARRIED?

LONELINESS

THE SNATCHER

POWER OF ATTRACTION

AWARE

CHAPTER 10 A WORD FOR THE MEN

DREAM SLAYERS

MISS LOVE JONES

WON’T BE MAD

CHAPTER 11 GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

FOR A FRIEND WHO’S GONE

FOREVER YOU’LL BE

FINALLY FINAL: A TRIBUTE TO MY BROTHER PAUL

CHAPTER 12 HEARTSONGS

I WIN, I WIN

I GIVE MYSELF AWAY

MAKING A WAY

NOWHERE

On His Mind

JUST WANNA SAY YOUR NAME

Foreword

The place of our greatest pain can become the core of our purpose. There are times in life when we go through situations that can take our breath away. Many of us have had to take on the attitude of the woman who was hemorrhaging. We have become so desperate for deliverance, healing, and help that we do whatever we can to press our way to Jesus and have an intimate encounter with Him (Mark 5:25-34).

The key is that after our encounter, after our healing, after our deliverance, we must share it. Many times, we don’t want to share our thoughts, our struggles, or our pains due to embarrassment or shame. Many times, we say we aren’t gonna tell nobody, but when we understand the goodness of God, we know that we can’t keep it to ourselves. I’m grateful for this book and the fact that Carlyn has decided that she can’t keep the goodness of the Lord to herself. Revelation 12:11 reminds us that we overcome the enemy …by the word of our testimony. Therefore, I’m excited that Carlyn has decided to tell EVERYBODY. I’m glad that she did not allow the enemy to abort her purpose. I’m glad that she has chosen to give birth to the gift of poetry that the Lord has blessed her with.

Be sure to read this book. Allow the words of each poem to penetrate your mind and spirit. Do not keep this book to yourself. Encourage others to purchase this book and get ready to tell everybody!

Dr. Joyvina Evans

Author|Speaker|College Professor

Preface

All these poems were written over the years as I struggled with faith during hardship, tribulation, temptation, numerous failures, and yet many more triumphs and celebrations. I wrote them from a place of honesty and transparency. Some from my own experiences, some from the experiences of others as they were told to me, and some from sheer inspiration. They are all, nonetheless, spoken from the heart—from mine to yours.

My personal sensibilities are all-telling. They reveal the truth about me as a woman, mother, friend, and ex-something. All of us need to be able to relax around someone who won’t trample over our feelings and improperly judge us for having experienced what we’ve experienced. We’re all still a work-in-progress. That’s why each of us has to look to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. Only He can fulfill His finished work in us when we continuously exchange our will for His.

Although this book has a feminine flavor, I want to encourage you, my sisters and you my brothers, to hold on. With every breath, exhale the Word of God, for it’s that Light that will guide you through every dark moment and every dark situation of your life.

After reading this book, I hope you can offer yourself to someone you know who is comfortable enough to share their truths without judgment, but instead, be received with love, understanding, compassion, and confidentiality. While doing so, my sentiment is that you would also celebrate their growing faith as it bursts with exuberant praises to God, resultant of a genuine hope in Christ that will never fail. In keeping it real, beloved, I had to tell somebody because I just couldn’t keep it to myself any longer. I hope you enjoy reading this entire book as much as I enjoyed writing each line of thought. God bless and keep you all.

And now…

I pray that You, Lord, will help us not to quickly and unwittingly judge someone who feels comfortable enough to express who they are to us or where they’ve been. Father, I pray that you would give us wisdom on how to minister your grace, mercy, and love to all people so that they can recognize when there is a need for change. We have no right to take it upon ourselves to fix anyone or change anyone. You are the Potter. You are our Creator. You know what, how, when and where change needs to take place. Father, help us to remember this principle as part of our love walk. Help us to be patient with one another in the same way You have been patient and merciful towards us. Make us more like you, Lord…in Jesus’s mighty name. Amen.

Carlyn D. Adams-Afriyie

Author

Acknowledgments

I’ve grown to know and understand my friends and loved ones even more during the writing of this book. I’m so appreciative of these relationships. I want to thank all my friends and family who so patiently listened as I continued to read the newest installment of poetry and writings for over a decade. I’d also like to thank my co-workers at Hurley Medical Center. I feel very blessed to know you. I’ve often stopped by your desk or office to share something I’d written that night just before coming into work. Thank you for your attentiveness and enthusiastic reception of my work.

Thanks to my best friend, Anetta Upshaw-Byrd, for being my strong arm, laughing with me and not at me during the formation of a challenging poem, helping me decide on titles for a few of my poems, and especially, sowing into this endeavor.