Shine: Motivating poetry designed to instill: Salvation, Hope, Inspiration, Nourishment, and Encouragement

By Michael Beal

"You are so much more, my child.

You are much more than you see."

--"You Are So Much More"

As an educator for twenty-five years with high school-aged kids, I can't tell you how many times I've had to sit down in a counseling session and somehow get that message across to a seemingly hopeless youth who didn't see his or her value.

God used me to communicate many life-giving messages.

The poems in this collection called Shine are God-given messages of Salvation, Hope, Inspiration, Nourishment, and Encourage (S-H-I-N-E). They are born out of a love for God and people I can't generate on my own. Romans 5:5 tells us that the Holy Spirit pours out God's love in our hearts. I encourage you to pray before reading each poem for the Holy Spirit to reveal its significance to you.

While many of my encounters with teens were as an advisor in relatively calm conditions, there were times these kids needed a more desperate message:

Hey there! Snap out of it!

Choose life over death in your mind!

Hey there! Snap out of it!

Don't let thinking drive you blind!

--"Snap Out of Hopelessness"

Fortunately, I didn't have to knowingly talk anyone off the ledge, threatening suicide. However, there were times when desperate words had to be said to encourage kids not to overthink their current life situations, letting them know there was hope.

Finally, there are personal poems designed to express this pent-up love I have toward my Father, God, hoping to inspire others to pursue this same intimate relationship with the Lover of our soul:

I desire passionately to pursue,

Clinging to You, never letting go.

My love for you consumes me,

Sending longings into my soul.

---"When I Consider"

My prayer is you will allow this poetry to saturate your heart and soul with love's possibilities!

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885404990

Book preview

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Shine

Motivating poetry designed to instill: Salvation, Hope, Inspiration, Nourishment, and Encouragement

Michael Beal

ISBN 979-8-88540-498-3 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88540-499-0 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Michael Beal

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Confused Love, Set Right

If Words Live Forever

Love in God's Wildest Dreams!

Pain Births Liberty

Take Heart in the Struggle!

Unbroken Fellowship

Are These Days the Last?

Let's Get Launch Pad Ready!

Messed-Up Plea

God's Answer to Messed-Up Plea

You Are So Much More!

Divine Proposal

Come Alive

God's GPS

Holy, Flawless, Restored

I Am with You!

Keep Steady, My Child, Keep Steady

Light Wins over Darkness!

Love Ventilator

Sacrifices Not Forgotten

Storm Tossed yet Saved

What If?

When I Consider

Your Vital Life!

Destiny over Arguments

Every Day Is a Love Gift, My Child

Hopelessness Conquered

Living in You!

Living Inspired by Christ

Looking for God's Love

Love over Lies

Melting Cold Love

Open-Book Test

Poetic Testimony

Snap Out of Hopelessness

Trust in God

Tunnel Vision of Love

Shine

I Long for You!

God's Presence Acknowledged

About the Author

Confused Love, Set Right

(Category: Nourish)

I grew up confused about love,

Something I could not easily grasp,

A fair-weather notion,

As far away as the ocean,

I grew up confused about love.

If it meant talking nice, never yelling,

Or having a peaceful dwelling,

Then call me out; it's not for me,

That's not the experience I see.

I grew up confused about love.

One moment all seemed right with the world,

The next, all hell breaking loose.

No warning or transition,

I just assumed the position.

I grew up confused about love.

Then I began taking notice,

Visiting families for a night or two,

Waiting for struggles only to find snuggles,

Into caring arms of order I flew!

I grew up confused about love.

Then once I found Jesus, it changed.

A loving figure in my life at last.

Taking my punishment without being asked!

No more guilt for me, that was past.

I grew up less confused about love.

Then one day while studying scriptures,

I found a passage that brought great hope.

You see, despite being saved, I still struggled,

Love was still, for me, a steep slope.

Romans 5:5 really did it!

Through a big open door I did squeeze.

I found it wasn't my job to generate love;

It was Holy Spirit's love I could seize!

It was love unconditional in nature,

I allowed to flood my heart.

Now I'm tapped into a well never-ending,

Just needed a Spirit-filled start!

If you're there, where I was,