Tell Me Your Story of Revival...
Stories that Point to Tomorrow's Garden
Recently, I had the great blessing of meeting an online friend in real life! Mary Folkerts, a fellow Albertan and kindred spirit, was such a joy to spend time with! I first “met” Mary on
The Second Cup podcast (Episode 11: Backstage Pass to Poetry Jam & Slam). Not long after, her beautiful poetry was blooming in other bright and familiar places. It will forever amaze me how God knits the lives of strangers together. There are many beautiful flowers in my garden of friendship, and I treasure my writer/creative friends immensely!
I’ve put off writing this post for some time now; unsure of how to encapsulate all that I’m experiencing at the moment. If you’ve been following along with my writing on The Way Back to Ourselves, you know that I’ve been anticipating change. In the Fall Journal, I share about a prophetic word received from a stranger, forecasting change.
Read: Wonder of a Word This stranger, now a friend, worshiped beside our family yesterday in church, and asked how he could help “launch” us into our next chapter.
In this tender season of saying goodbye,
my tears are full of gratitude for God’s faithfulness,
and sadness over the things I cannot change, and the beauty left behind.
God gave me writing and a community of faithful creatives at just the right time. He showed me that my story matters. You and I each have a unique and God given voice!
There are people who may be offended by your boldness with words. They might feel threatened by the truth in print. They will hurl accusations and lies about why you write, in an effort to make you feel small. They will say that your writing is a means to escape motherhood—insinuating that chasing dreams outside of the home makes you a malcontent. Full disclosure: motherhood is hard, but I love this calling. Opposition from others is mere fuel for writing.
Allow me to take you back to the Peace of Wild Things — Fall Journal. Wild Angels, inspired by the obvious migration of Canadian Geese, is foreshadowing for what my family is about to do. It is an Ode to my dad. He saw my people pleasing tendencies, and encouraged me to live my life. I don’t take these words lightly. In moments of indecision and doubt, I receive them as a blessing.
“Flight feathers are only ever clipped in our minds.” With a little dose of courage, and a fair amount of prayer, we can fly strong into headwinds with confidence.
The poem speaks to the the “wildness” of trusting God fully. As my family prepares to relocate overseas, from Alberta, Canada to New Zealand, we are leaning into Him fully, while embracing change and many unknowns. In the chaos of purging and packing, I have never felt more peace in following His footsteps.
Lionheart also speaks to the freedom and healing found in “letting go.” I am leaving behind a relationship that has tormented me for years, and I know deep in my bones that my dad would be proud of me.
My poetry has naturally taken on the tender theme of healing from narcissistic abuse. Part of the healing process is naming the things that we go through, and then bringing them into the light. I know that I am not alone.
If you haven’t had a chance to read through the recent The Way Back to Ourselves Spring Literary Journal — In His Garden, I’d encourage you to do so!
So many friends are found in its pages:
Alexis Ragan and more must reads!Read: To Touch the Hem To Harrow and to Heave speaks to the emotions behind living on family land dating back to my paternal grandparents. I was taught to value the land, and my family has treasured our 13 years in Central Alberta. But it is time to move on. Change begets change, fostering growth—and no, I am not the same person I was all those years ago, nor should I be! All glory be to God!
To Touch the Hem was inspired by the bleeding heart beneath my daughter’s bedroom window. It is an honest depiction of the questions I have asked in lament, and the healing that has taken place slowly over the years. The woman who touched the hem of Jesus represents a powerful story of faith, and I admire her audacity. It’s not an exaggeration to say that I have hemorrhaged many tears over this long season. Like the tender stem of the bleeding heart, I lean into God with doubts and questions, knowing that by his wounds, I am healed. Estrangement is a death without a casket, and it is a painful part of my story.
I’m thrilled to say that To Touch the Hem will be part of a Print Anthology made possible by the amazing team of Editors at The Way Back to Ourselves:
Sarah Steele and Ashley Whittemore. Stay tuned for details!
If I am lucky, I will see the bleeding heart bloom before our June 29 departure.
But God. He redeems! Recently, another ode of mine was published; this time, an Ode to my dear Aunt Sonja. Truly Co Magazine shares a piece of my heart in their recipe section, and I couldn’t be happier! Order Here! It is a gorgeous magazine, featuring dear friend
and more. The theme is NATURE, and I highlight God’s gift of refreshing the weary soul. Edits done by the wonderful“For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul,
I will replenish.” Jeremiah 31:25 ESV
I had the great gift of presenting Aunt Sonja with her own copy over Easter weekend. Tears flowed as she read it, while we reflected on the nuance of our family story. There are no words to explain my deep love and admiration for this woman.
Thank you for reading up until this point! And finally, one last writing win that I’ll share for now. After a few submission attempts to Humana Obscura (don’t give up, people!), I was ecstatic to have a wee treasure of a poem in their recent Spring Issue, Pincushion, available in Digital (find me on page 34) and print!
I snuck this picture while in Banff National Park recently. I was able to attend a conference with my husband at the Banff Springs Hotel! While I was there, I attended the last Spring Poetry Cohort for The Way Back to Ourselves. So many wonderful souls
Lisa Miceli Johnson Amanda Nowlin Jessie Flowers Gail Davidson Mary Folkerts, and more…During the Open Mic, I shared a poem I’d written, The Vast Expanse. Impact Magazine (Toronto, Canada) will be working on edits with me for their issue Taking Shape. And yes, it has to do with life’s journey—the people and places who have shaped me over the years.
Blessings, dear hearts! I appreciate each and every one of you! Keep writing! In the words of Stephen Roach, the world needs your art.
You are a treasure, dear friend, and I'm so glad seeing your words reach into the world, as you prepare to travel across the world! Sending love!
Oh Kristine! You are a gift! Your words are a gift. I will treasure meeting you in person and our wonderful brunch together. 💗 it was as though we were old friends!
Sometimes moving on is right and good- follow where God leads!