God Gave Me What to Say: Poems from the Heart

By W. David Sumlin II

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 26, 2008
• ISBN: 9781469100227

W. David Sumlin II

I was born in Detroit Michigan to William and Mattie Sumlin. The third of three children and a big surprise to mom and dad. You see they had decided to quit having children after two girls, but God had different plans in store for them, and here I am. I started writing poetry at about the age of twelve. It was during this time that one of my favorite uncles passed away. But while I was crying, I told the Lord I didn’t just want to remember that he died, I wanted to remember that he lived. It was at that time that I started writing, and God gave me my first poem, I called it “Remembrance of a Man.” Since that time, I have written many poems, for saints that have gone to glory. However, I didn’t just write about them, most of the time I wrote from them. I wondered what these people would say if they had the opportunity to give there last words to their friends and family. Because of this, God allowed me to write words of encouragement from those who did not have the chance to speak for themselves. There were also times, while growing up and going through life’s changes, I didn’t feel that my parents understood me. Although there was a freedom of speech in the country, in my parent’s house, free speech had its penalty. Not willing to pay this price, I found a way to write down my feelings in a poem and discreetly hand it to my mother. It was amazing; I could get my feelings across, and they would take it with a smile. Throughout the years, I have struggled with the thought of putting together a book because I did not want to take the gift the God had given me and use it for profit. Nevertheless, my loved ones have convinced me that what God has given me was not only to be shared with a select few people but it should be shared with the world. I don’t know why God gave me this gift, just like I don’t know why He loves me—oh, but I’m glad, so glad he did!

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Copyright © 2008 by W. David Sumlin II.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

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Contents

Acknowledgments

We Will Miss You

Another Soldier Gone Home

If I Had Yesterday

A Glimpse of Glory

God Called My Name

I Can Still Hear Your Voice

I Thank God for Love

I Didn’t Forget

If I Could Say a Word

The Going Home

Julie

The Preacher

God’s Man

A Pastor’s Heart

Thank You for Being There

God Sees Your Labor of Love

A Broken Heart

Don’t Let the Devil Fool You

It Hurts Too Much to Cry!

Growing Pains

To Be a Man

One and One Equals Two

A True Father

My Father’s Hands

A Definition of a Father

From the Inside Out

A Tribute to Fathers

Special People

I Have Always Admired You

Look Where He Brought Us From

Out Front, On Top, and In Charge

The Humanitarian

You’ve Only Just Begun

A.S.N.F.

Good Friends

Quite a Man

We Would Not Have Changed It

for the World

The Recipe of Love

Did I Tell You Lately that I Love You

Encouraging Words

We Did It All Together

You Were Always There

Johnson’s Ladder

My Inspiration

All about Love

Can’t You Hear the Hammer Ringing

I Just Can’t Help It

The Perfect Dream

Acknowledgments

I would like to say thank you to all of those people who encouraged me to put this book together. All of my cousins and closest friends that always told me that this day should come. To my mother (Mattie Sumlin) and sisters (Sonja Ison and Davena Johnson). To my pastor and first lady (Elder and Mother James M. Johnson), also my two children (Britney and Jamar). But most of all to my wife (Derica Sumlin); next to God, she is my greatest inspiration, I love you and thank you for loving me.

I would like to dedicate this book to the memory of my dad (William David Sumlin Sr.), the greatest man I ever knew. I love you and miss you so much.

We Will Miss You

We%20Will%20Miss%20You.jpg

Another Soldier Gone Home

When I signed up for this army,

I was told I’d have to fight.

Not for fame or for fortune,

but to do the things that’s right.

I told God I was ready,

I would fight unto the end.

And I heard God say I love you,

then I heard him call me friend.

He said, "You will suffer hardships,

some nights you will have to cry.

Some days will be spent wondering,

and you will want to ask me why?

Sometimes you won’t have money,

that’s when your friends are hard to find.

But you just keep on fighting,

Keep within a made-up mind.

If you just trust in me, I will be there,

I am faithful with my rewards.

For your victory is guaranteed

when you’re in the army of the Lord."

I fought in many battles,

I’ve been wounded a time or two.

But when I put my trust in Christ,

He always brought me through.

Sometimes I won by praying,

but when prayer was not enough,

I turned my plate down and started fasting,

whenever times got tough.

God showed me how to make it,

He told me what weapons I should use.

He said, "Just keep on praising Me,

and you will never ever lose."

That is why I always praised Him,

I didn’t always feel the best.

But I always trusted in Jesus,

I knew He’d take me through the test.

I fought for my family,

I fought for my friends.

I asked God to deliver them

and save them from their sins.

I fought for my pastor,

I fought for his wife.

I asked God just to help them

and remove all pain and strife.

I fought for the strangers,

the