Following His Lead: Poems That Lift Your Spirit

By Avar H. James

This book contains Christian poems inspired from daily devotionals, dreams, observations, and memories. My life experiences are the basis for many poems. Writing these poems has been a labor of love. It is my desire that the readers will be enriched, lifted, encouraged, and reminded of Gods love as they read them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512794922

Avar H. James

Avar Hurd James was born in 1945 in Memphis, Tennessee. She earned her B.A. from LeMoyne Owen College, M.A. from the University of Memphis, and Ed.S. from Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. She has taught in Memphis City Schools and is retired from Alcoa City Schools in Alcoa, Tennessee. She also served as an Educational Consultant with the Tennessee Department of Education. She has been actively involved with Bible Study Fellowship and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is presently a deaconess at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Avar and her husband reside in Maryville, Tennessee and are the parents of Will, Chris and Ashley, and the grandparents of Ashton, Gabi, Camille, and Brooklyn. This is her first publication.

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THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible: International Standard Version®. Copyright © 1996-forever by The ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission.

[Scripture quotations are] from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9491-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9493-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9492-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017910400

WestBow Press rev. date: 7/6/2017

Contents

Discipline

Call Ahead

Cross-Training

Enjoy the Ride

Fix My Mess

Grow in Grace

Know-How and Know-When

The Musts

Waiting on God

What Now, Lord?

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Let It Go

White-Out

God

All Things

Be Blessed

The Comforter

God’s Plan

God’s Power

The Good News

He Knows Me

The Indwelling

Inseparable

The Light

A Mother’s Love

His Presence and Power

The Resurrection

The Riches of God

The True Rectifier

The Sanctuary

His Time

God’s Word

The Bible

Newness

Power of the Word

Life’s Trials

A Blessed No

As Is

Be Encouraged

Choices

Hope

Hurry up and Wait

I Phone a Friend

Recall

We Need the Light

Obedience

Different Soils

Following His Lead

Good Works

Integrity

Power, Love, and Self-Discipline

Serving

Sow a Seed

Sow and Reap

Step up to the Plate

Teach the Children

Peace

Peace

Peace Only Comes

Sweet Peace

People in the Bible

Apostle Paul

Fearless Zephaniah

Joseph and His Brothers

Joseph and Mary Flee to Egypt

King David

King Solomon

Mrs. Job

Peter’s Focus

The Prodigal Son

The Rich Young Ruler

The Servant Who Lacked

The Woman With Healing Faith

Praise

Christmas 1981

Gift of Faith

God’s Got My Back

I Saw Daddy

P is for Praise

Treasured

What More Can I Do?

Prayer

Bow the Knee

Meeting Him

My Alone Time

Pray

Pray to God

Watch and Pray

Purpose

Before and After

Get It

Spiritual Maturity

Yet to Come

Temptations

The Devil

Lay Them Aside

On Guard

Seasons of Attack

Seeking Snails

Side Step of Deception

Sin

Weeds

In memory of my father, Leon Hurd, Sr., and my grandmother, Avar Pipkin, and in honor of my mother, Doris Hurd, all of whom are my role models.

To my sister, Mildred, who is my most avid cheerleader.

To my husband, Bill, who is my support.

To my sons, Will and Chris, and my daughter, Ashley, who are my