Taste of Wonder: Poems of Hope for Dark Times

By Lukas Irizarry

Jesus tells us in his famous sermon on the mountain that the poor in spirit shall see God. During a three-year-long battle with depression, the author sought the Holy Spirit as a comfort and repose. Many daily prayers are remembered here as conversations and visions in poetry. They serve as breadcrumbs leading others to the same peace, hope, and connection with Jesus that the author felt during his time of spiritual warfare.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512798579

Lukas Irizarry

Lukas Irizarry is from a small New England town. He enjoys coffee, cinnamon rolls, and the cold winter air. He does not seek much except to know God’s plans and to relay the comfort and peace he has found in Jesus Christ.

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Copyright © 2017 Lukas Irizarry.

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Author photo Cara Sandford

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-9858-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9856-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9857-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017912644

WestBow Press rev. date: 09/18/2017

Contents

Introduction

Relationships

I Apologize

Heaven’s Tears

Intro to Compassion

Evangelisto

Walking in the World

A Prayer for a City

Pain

Days of Noah

November 7, 2016

Joy

Shorts

The Insubstantiality of Success

On the Strength of Love

Faith v. Fun

Personal Folly

On Patience and Persistence

Written During a Sunset on the Beach

On Nightmares

Graduation as a Movie

Where to Put Your Problems

Sin and Vice

Wake-Up Call

Riches

A Bad Idea

Why Do I Do When I Do Not Want? (or Romans 7)

Elect?

Spiritual Walk

Head Games

Straight and Narrow

What If?

Ascent

The Mysteries

Battle Cry

All the Different Churches

Christ

You

An Easter Poem

One Small Child

The Giver

Across the Eastern Sky

To my family, who has always held me up

and fanned the flames of my wonder.

To Mom, Dad, Nathan, Marlena, and Arlen.

You have always held me up and fanned the flames of my wonder.

To Jake, Jess, Katrina, Jim, Deb, Heidi, Pete, and Annabelle. You were with me in the darkest times.

To Tom, Brandon, and Mike, my eternal friends.

I love you all. Thank you for everything.

Introduction

G od’s call isn’t always a pleasant one. The following poems are memories of prayers where God kept me going through depression. They echo the eternal grace and love that inspired them. I hope that they will help you through your difficult times as well.

To paraphrase Ravi Zacharias: If you receive any good from this book, then thank God. If you find any mistakes, then thank me.

Relationships

I Apologize

D uring a transition between career paths, I served as a youth pastor. I certainly felt called to it and filled a necessary gap in that particular church’s staff, temporarily. However, I was keenly convicted regarding facets of my personality that needed improvement. I longed to be a more perfect version of myself before I was touted as a leader.

As I grew up in church, I became more and more struck by the duplicity of some members of my home church. This experience coupled with