The world is full of beauty. The beauty found in nature can fill our senses, fill us with wonder, and help us feel a connection with our Creator, for “all things denote there is a God; yea, even all the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it.” (Alma 30:44)

Words can do the same. They are powerful things. When they go from the page and into our hearts and minds, they have the ability to move us, change us, and to mold us into who we may become.

Although in and of themselves words are woefully inadequate to bring us to that spiritual place where we feel a connection with our God, they can act as pointers and help guide us to that place where He resides within us, that place of inner peace.

Words, I believe, are sacred, living things. Like stars which appear in a darkened sky, words can bring light to our minds as they reflect the source of light which is in Christ and point us to Him. Words, such as “light”, “love”, “joy”, “peace”, “beauty”, and “goodness”, are all filled with light. They point us to Christ, not because they provide a description of Him, but because they are Him. These words make up His very being. Christ is “Light”, “Love”, “Joy”, “Peace”, “Beauty”, and “Goodness”. You might remember that John, the apostle, referred to Christ as the “Word”, saying, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1-3).

Whereas words of light can point us to Christ, there are also words of darkness which can lead us away from Him. Because we live in a fallen world, within this sphere of existence we must experience opposition in all things. In this great spiritual battle for our souls, words are powerful tools in the hands of the adversary as well. They are used as weapons of war to deceive us, discourage us, and to bring us down. Even the very use of words of darkness can lead us to a place of gloom and despair, pointing our souls into the very depth of hell if we allow them to.

To prove the power of words and the effect they can have on us, I would ask you to humor me for a moment and try this little experiment. As you sit quietly, clear your mind. Now, close your eyes and think of the word “light”. As you do so, allowing this word to emanate throughout your being, take note of how it makes you feel.

Now, clear your mind once again. Close your eyes, and think of the word, “disturbance”, again observing how this makes you feel.

Since words are living things and carry with them a spirit which can affect the way we feel, it is so very important for our spiritual well-being that we act as diligent gatekeepers to our minds and hearts and fill them with words that lift us up, strengthen us, bring us peace, and help us to feel a connection to God and to one another.  

There is great wisdom in Paul’s admonition to think upon words and ideas which are filled with light. In his letter to the Philippians, he wrote: 

. . . “Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

One of the lovely things of which Paul spoke of could be the expression of inward thoughts in the form of poetry. Like sacred music, poetry can lift our souls, even if for a moment, and usher us into a higher, more peaceful state of being.

I love poetry simply for the fact that poetry causes us to leave the superficial things of life behind and explore the inner workings of what it is to be human. Poems reveal the sacred things of the heart, and they are rarely found on the surface.  To summon up a poem, the writer must draw deep from hidden wells found within his inner being.

As far back as I remember, I have had a fondness for poetry. As a young girl, I loved to read the rhythmic verses of nursery rhymes and other classic children’s poems, and it inspired me to experiment with writing poetry of my own. One of the first poems I remember writing was one that was written for my younger sister to express the deep love I had for her. It went something like this:

I love you, I love you,

I love you so well,

If I had a peanut,

I’d give you the shell.

Since then, in every phase of life, I have used poetry as a means of giving expression to the tender feelings of my heart, as a way of processing life’s more difficult challenges, and as an expression of gratitude and worship.

Many of the poems and musings you will find in this blog are my own, but not all. Over the years I have collected poems written by other poets which I have loved and kept. These beloved poems have been held safe in a shoebox for decades and stored high in the attic. Now that I have gotten them down and dusted them off, I will be sharing many of those as well.  

If you read a poem and feel so inclined to share it with others, feel free to do so, but please remember to give credit to the author of the poem when it is shared. 

Because I want this to be a shared experience, I would like to invite you to share your original, inspirational poetry and/or prose with me and others. If you have written something that you would like to have shared on this blog, please send a copy to my email address, [email protected], and your submissions will be considered for posting. Although not all submissions can be included in the blog, all will be read and appreciated.  

To access the poems that have been submitted and shared by others, go to the Poesy and Ponderings home page and click on the 3 stacked lines found on the top, right-hand corner of the page. This will bring up the menu. All shared poems can be found on the page entitled, “Guest Poetry”.

Also in the menu, you will see a page entitled, “Book”. This will take you to my one and only published book, God Doesn’t Write with a Pen. This book tells the inspirational true story of the Fangamou family,  political refugees from Guinea Bissau, West Africa. Theirs is a story of love, survival, and faith. If you would like to purchase this book, it is available on Amazon. A link at the bottom of this page will take you there. All proceeds from the book are donated to the Fangamou family.  

Poesy and Ponderings has been created as a place of light, where words strung together to make a poem, or to express a mindful thought, may lift your souls, give you strength, bring you peace, and bring a little bit of light into your day. I hope you will want to return again and again, and that you will consider sharing it with your poem-loving friends.

Love,

Christi Pauline