Walk with Me Through the Voice of Poetry

By Lydia Carolyn Willoughby

This book can become your book because it gives meaning to your life stories. It gives you a way to escape from the hard knocks of life while giving you hope.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781512719437

Lydia Carolyn Willoughby

I do believe that God gives us gifts and talents. It is always a blessing when we can use them for the building of His Kingdom. I have the innate ability to communicate effectively when I put my deepest thoughts and feelings into words. My passion is writing poetry. My personal experience came about in inspiring others when I received raving reviews from listeners after I read three of my poems as a guest on the New Life radio program, Voice of Barbados while visiting with family. The host of that program is Rev. Esther Willoughby, my sister. I had two of my poems published in magazines and one on the CEO’s blog at my job. I was also given the honor to read some of them at various functions. Along my life’s journey and walk of faith, I’ve experienced the mighty hand of God which inspired me to write. My love for Him is an expression in poetry. I am a native of Bridgetown, Barbados, and after living in New York and New Jersey for some years, I currently reside in Florida. I am a care giver for many years. My love for the Lord is also serving others. My hobbies are singing, playing the piano and guitar, and writing.

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Copyright © 2015 Lydia Carolyn Willoughby.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-1944-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-1943-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015918865

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/24/2015

CONTENTS

Our Reflection to Others

Santa and Y2K

Poor Santa

What Christ’s Birth Means to Me

Christmas Reflection

A Christmas Poem: Sharing Gifts

Give the Gift of Love

Keeping Christ in Christmas

The Blizzard of ’93

Before I Met You

America’s Darkest Day

My Mermaid Friend Lucy

Man and the Rattle Snake

The Snowy Owl

My Beautiful Cat, Snow White

Please Do Not Forget

The Frightened Owl

The Door in the Wall

My Painful Divorce

Cinderella

The Power in a Smile

Yesterday’s Last Night

A Slave’s Prayer

A Prayer

A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

A Prayer

A Prayer: Strength for a New Day

A Prayer: The Eagle’s Prayer

House Warming Prayer

A Prayer: A New Day’s Prayer

A Prayer: Help Me, Lord

A Prayer for God’s Protection Father, with Thy Hand

A Prayer: Bad Habits

My Prayer Closet

A Prayer to Get out of Debt

The Lord’s Prayer

A Prayer

The Promise Fulfilled

God’s Art Work

Fall

Death with Hope

My True Valentine

Bumps on the Road

Courage

Rosa Parks’ Courage

God’s Anointed

The Loss of a True Mother

From the Pit to the Palace

We Are Not Alone in the Fire

My Humble Home

My Reality Book

God’s Answer Is the Best

Birth, Life, Death, Gateway to Eternity

Purpose

Chapters in Our Book

The Passing of a Loved One

A Servant Girl Like Me

God’s Appointment

A Retirement Poem: More Tea Time with Jesus

For the Passing of My Parents

Hope Now in God

Life’s Journey

My Sister

My Angel

When I Awake

No More Time

Remembering Mom’s Smile

The Keeper of the Lighthouse

From This Day On

Satan’s Trick or Treat

Cherish Memories

God the Judge

The Day Jesus Knocked at My Door

My Angel: A Spider

Mr. Loneliness

Overcoming the Flesh

Jesus, Our Place of Rest

The Saving Blood of Jesus

The True Church Without Walls

Christian Traffic Lights and Signs

For Our Seniors

A New Babe in Christ

A Direct Dial to Jesus

Beware of Satan’s Look-alikes

God Can Turn It Around

I’ll Fly

Heartbreak City

Don’t Wait to Say, I’m Sorry.

If the Train Were the Rapture

Little Is Much

God Sees

Have You Invited Jesus Today?

God’s Divine Power

Our Wise God

True Love

Some Ordinary People on God’s Wall of Fame

Sorry, Worry, and Faith

The Divine Matchmaker

Serving the Lord

The Key to Your Heart

Valued Time

The Caged Eagle

Laboring for the Master

My Life Preaches

Death’s Visit

Measuring Success

I Lost My Love to Alzheimer’s

Enjoy Life

Dial 1-800-FORGIVE

No! Too Busy, God

My Purpose as a Weed

Jesus the Light

This poem was written for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary

A Prayer

A Prayer

A Prayer

Positive Performance

A Woman with Issue of Blood

A Little Muscular Organ

Acknowledgements and Dedications

About the Author

OUR REFLECTION TO OTHERS

The outcome of each challenge

Shows how well we take control.

Our actions are like a picture

And a reflection of our soul.

Negative actions based on emotions

Are never the better way.

They can result in hurting others,

Especially the words we say.

Acknowledging God’s Holy Presence,

Letting His light through us show,

Allowing that light to be a testimony

Everywhere we go.

Our lives preach a sermon,

One that never lies.

We want to be a reflection of Jesus

Right before the world’s eyes.

Being kind always to others

Should be our constant prayer,

That we may shine for Jesus

A reflection of Him everywhere.

Written by

Lydia Carolyn Willoughby

© 2012

Matthew 5:16

"Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works,

And glorify your father which is in heaven."

SANTA AND Y2K

Santa was preoccupied

Sitting at his computer every day.

He was not getting ready for Christmas;

He was worried about Y2K.

His computer was not up to date.

He was wondering what to do.

He didn’t know how to fix it.

Poor Santa didn’t have a clue.

Some children faxed him letters

For toys they needed Christmas Day,

But his fax machine was not working.

He said to fix it, there was no way.

In the middle of November

He was still fooling with computer keys.

He wasn’t feeling the greatest;

He spoke of arthritis in his knees.

He should have been getting his sled ready

And his reindeer fit and in swing,

Packing his sack for Christmas

But instead he hadn’t done a thing.

I feel so sorry for Santa,

Our hero for Christmas Day;

He worried so much about the year 2000

And about Y2K.

This is now the year two thousand and fourteen.

Back then he was so tense

I sent letters and tried to reach him by phone,

But I haven’t heard a word from him since.

Written by

Lydia Carolyn Willoughby

(11/16/99; 2014)

POOR SANTA

I wrote a letter to Santa;

I waited day after day.

After weeks of waiting

This is what he wrote to say.

Dear Lydia,

I received your letter. I checked each item and price, if you’ve been naughty, good, terrific or