Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy.
You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback.
Planting
These seeds I sow,
I know not whether they'll grow
or remain dormant
without ever seeing the light of day.
Whether they'll wither and die
or if they'll take root and thrive
matters little; I am a planter -
I leave the harvesting to You.
I keep my heart open to the wind
on whose instructions I depend
to know which grounds You ordain
for the work of my hands.
These seeds I sow -
I know not whether they'll grow.
But the crop is Yours to use
whether large or small.
Justin Farley
Alphabet Soup
God's assigned each one of us
a letter of His being -
a unique quality that sets us apart
from each and every human to ever exist.
Though we are not God,
God is a part of us.
Our letter reveals something about Him.
It is why we are all connected.
It is why I am not greater than you.
And why you are not greater than me.
And neither are we greater than our enemy
who seems beyond the realm of redemption.
For we all make up letters in the words of God,
floating in the milk of existence like alphabet soup,
forming words
carrying revelation
digested by the human heart.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
Recently, I’ve seen major spiritual growth and recovery in multiple “problem areas” of my life that I’ve tried time and time again to change for years. I haven’t tried harder – in fact I’ve probably never tried less. I have simply changed the way I pray for aid and guidance.
My prayers would often begin, “Lord, help me”, “Grant me the strength to”, or “God may I start”. I would pray often and fervently. And yet, I would fail over and over again. My motivation was able to push me through a few failures, but eventually, it left me in one of two camps: either I was filled with shame, regret, and was convinced I was a terrible person, or I would direct my frustration at God for setting up a world in which the wrong choices are so easy and the right ones are so hard (and on top of that He didn’t seem to be hearing my prayers).
It became hard to continue and was pushing me farther away from God, unsure of Him and myself. My prayer life ceased to exist. What good is prayer if all it leaves you feeling is a. shameful, b. mad at God, or c. doubting His existence at all? And so I sat at the crossroads, unable to move towards atheism but beginning to grow weary following God and tired of trying.
It wasn’t until I took a good look at my requests for aid that things began to change. Who was the main doer is all of my prayers? Me. I. Myself. My conversations with God came from the assumption that I’m doing the work and getting close to success, but I just need a little extra push to get myself up the hill. That’s not a savior. That’s just a friend you’d ask, “Hey buddy, you mind giving me a hand over here real quick?”
My breakthrough happened when I realized I am not truly in control of my transformation. The only part of the transformation I have any control over is my submission to God’s will. It was really in looking at Step 2 of Alcoholics Anonymous that inspired me. It states, “[We] Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” And that’s what we are – insane in our sin. God can restore us to sanity but not by our own doing. It is God that does the doing within us.
Humility is the cornerstone of the Christian life and of the Cross itself. It is only in admitting that we don’t know the way that we find it. God doesn’t desire to be just someone who gives you a little push when you need it but a savior who rescues you from the pit of despair. Not because He needs to be the hero but because He wants to strip us of the delusion that we were making any progress up that hill to begin with. It is only by fully submitting to God that we become our true selves that He created us to be, wonderfully made in His image.
My prayers are now empty, void of my own desires. I attempt to only consent to the Spirit dwelling within me. Though empty, they are fuller than ever because I have come to believe that it is God alone who can restore me. I am not in control. It is not God who gets in the way of my healing, but I who gets in His way. My prayers are still far from perfect, but God is restoring me to sanity.
Work less and trust more. Fully submit to God and allow Him to push you all the way up the hill, resting in His love. It is amazing to see that the more helpless we realize we are, the more help we receive. I think as Christians we often equate “carrying your cross” with grunting through labor and bearing the burden. But the Cross had nothing to do with what Christ did but what he allowed to be done. He could have saved himself. Instead, he humbled himself and fully submitted to the will of the Father. Let us all submit to the Father’s will and let His will be done rather than our own.
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
No Matter
No matter how hard it is
to keep the fire burning,
no matter how many disappointments
have visited you without warning,
no matter how many different trials
you've sat through today,
though the verdict may be hard to swallow,
tomorrow, tomorrow's another day.
And it may seem impossible in this moment,
but in time you're going to be ok.
For when you wake tomorrow
a new sun will be on the rise,
and you'll find a mustard seed of hope
sprouting upon the ashes of yesterday's demise.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
Pure Art
Pure art is fragile,
stitched together and held
by our dreams, joys, and struggles.
It is not perfect
for life is not perfect
and the truest art
reflects life as it is -
imperfect, messy,
yet full of possibility.
It is the imperfection that speaks
to our imperfect hearts,
assuring us that we too are beautiful
despite our flaws.
The artist knows that
the harder perfection is sought after
the farther out of reach it becomes.
For the artist is human
and so should their work -
not messy. not sloppy.
But real, raw, and pure.
Usually, the harder we try to perfect our art
the more harsh, cold, and lifeless it becomes.
Because pure art
invites us to embrace and love
ourselves and others
as the imperfect characters we are.
And that's why we love them.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
No Quarter
If I look, I'll find 1000 complaints,
but I've resolved to give no quarter to protest
when I've been so blessed
with gifts raining down from Heaven like manna.
If I find my vision
dull, dark, and gray
it's because I've chosen to stay
blind to how lucky I truly am.
Of course there's darkness.
But there's also an abundance of light
available when we keep our sight
fixed on our graces and gratitude.
Dark cloud, keep on moving.
I'll no longer grant you quarter.
My attitude is back in order -
my storehouse is far too full to harbor complaint.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
Vessels of Love
We are all vessels of love -
jars filled with tealights,
made to cradle your flame
and bring it to the darkness.
Our failure is not in missing the mark
but in failing to believe
we play a part
in the chapters of your story.
You've imparted more power to us
than we often see;
to your own you've given
the keys to the kingdom.
And while sovereign,
you've set us free
and called us to a life
beyond bending the knee.
We've been commissioned
to raise the banner
and march to war
to the ends of the Earth
armed not with swords of shame,
nor arrows dipped in guilt,
nor tongues like battering rams
designed to beat down doors that are locked,
rather dazzled with something foreign,
alien, a splendor only heaven could impart;
You've given us the shield of the Spirit
and placed in our hands the lance of love,
ready to engage both friend and foe
for both are worthy of you
because the battle for that right
was waged and won long ago.
We are all vessels of love
to bring hope and hang a light,
to give the lost something to follow
on their cold, dark night.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
The Cloud of Unknowning
To be free from the desires of the mind
step out into the night,
outside of space and time.
Wear the darkness, clothed like a dress.
In your unknowning,
you're truly blessed.
What you seek lies farther than eyes can see -
step after step
faith must lead.
Like a flower, like a seed,
in the darkness
is where roots feed.
We need not act but only be open to receive
gifts that are imparted
but which the mind is unable to perceive.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
The Wonder of Creation
I'm not ashamed to admit
that I'm in love with creation -
not for its own sake
but for what it tells me about you.
The mountains may move me,
my spirit may rest in the river's bed,
and the birds of the air may fill me with wonder
but all because their beauty
points beyond themselves
and leaves me gazing at the Master's hand,
awed by his artistry,
lulled by his love.
Nature is a sweet song,
a familiar melody on the tip of your tongue
whose origins you can't quite recall
until you join in the chorus
and with a bittersweet longing remember,
feeling the Spirit gather around you.
Your soul recognizes the mother
who birthed its existence...
the source of all love...
the source of all beauty...
We are all drawn to the wonder of creation
because it offers us a glimpse,
a taste of what's to come.
You feel eternal power in the forest.
You find something supernatural
looking in the clear, cool stream.
So I'm not ashamed to admit
I'm in love with creation
because it's your work,
close to your heart,
and you love it
like any artist loves their work.
But most of all I love it
because I find you there,
because my heart hears you the loudest
among the pines and oaks of the forest,
swimming with the minnows of the creeks,
dancing with the fireflies in the summer skies,
and scurrying with the squirrels
up trees and jumping from limb to limb.
Justin Farley
Hello, everyone! I have recently published my first chapbook of Christian poems titled “A Voice in the Wilderness – A Chapbook of Poems about God”. This has been developed and polished over the past six months or so. I am happy with the final product and hope you find encouragement in the poems but also a validation that the spiritual life is not all sunshine and rainbows. We all struggle. We all have periods of questions and/or doubt. But it is the yearning that keeps us coming back for more and allows us to experience joy. You can purchase either on Amazon or on my own bookstore (it is cheaper and has free shipping on my store) and is available on the Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: KindlePaperback Inkspiration Books (my bookstore): Paperback Thank you for your support!
Wandering
To stop wandering
is an act of the will.
For the heart of man
hates being tied and tethered.
But children wince
and hate the taste of medicine too.
It's often that which we most resist
that holds the most healing power.
Without a well for our talents
they spill out,
soaked up by the dust,
and are never tasted by anyone
but the grave.
Justin Farley
