Winter by Tania Bento

Winter

The trees lay bare, 

I try not to stare

But their nakedness tells a story.

They once gave shade, 

but now they're ashamed

Their leaves were their glory.

Unveiled and cold,

missing the days of old

when birds would hide their young in the trees

Loneliness was just a fear and not reality.

Dark clouds come, 

nowhere to run

This is when you're strong,

though wind and ice may hurt you

Stand tall, this is where you belong.

Prayer for Those Walking Through Their Winter

Heavenly Father, 

Creator of all seasons, let us remember that it is You who sustains the cycle of life. 

Comfort us that there is a time and a purpose for everything under the sun. 

Help us to remember that strength is built through enduring trials. 

Help us to turn to You as our Healer and understand 

That sometimes our healing comes through the trial and not in the absence of it.

In Yahshua's Name, 

Amen.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Moreover, He has set eternity in their heart—yet without the possibility that humankind can ever discover the work that God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy themselves in their lifetime. Also when anyone eats and drinks, and finds satisfaction in all of his labor, it is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 3:11 TLV

Resource

"Grief Share is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. You don’t have to go through the grieving process alone."

https://www.griefshare.org/

Hearts of Glitter by Tania Bento

Hearts of Glitter

Three little shining stars of glitter

lighting up my world

Showing me who I really am,

what I'm not and where I'm going

My heart isn't as clean as I thought

but I'm stronger than I've ever been

Something about the refining light

shining through their eyes

That makes me want to be better for them

Teaching me to die

Teaching me to live again

Holding me accountable for where my heart has been

Three little shining stars of glitter that came to change my world

Once upon a morning after I held her in my arms

The first baby, Ellie, brought me into another world

A place where my heart had never been

So full and mesmerized wanting to soak this all in

I thought I could not love anymore my heart would burst

Just then came Elkanah to show me my love could stretch

And two is better than one

I was complete now

our family was whole

Until I met a

whole 'nother girl

I stared in disbelief that Aliza meant just as much to me

Oh the joy that she would bring

Even in the middle of storms she comforted me

I never would have known that to be perfectly complete I needed perfection times three

These little shining stars of glitter lighting up my world

Teach me to die again

Teach me to live better

Stars, in my eyes you glitter

And paint a more lovely world

Prayer for Those Who Have Mothered or Fathered Those That Shine

Heavenly Father

Teach us to appreciate the little ones in our lives. 

To respect their role in our personal growth and love them for it.

Father

Help us to love unconditionally and without restraint. 

Use us to show this generation what it means to love,

 You with all their heart, soul, and might and their neighbor as themselves.

 Let us realize the amazing grace 

You've shown us in giving us children to love. 

Lover of our souls.

Show us how to love them in such a way that they encounter You and feel their worth,

Enabling them to receive the calling 

You've placed on their lives.

In Your Beloved Son's Name,

 Amen.

"But Yeshua said, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Resource:

Help the Children of Haiti through

https://loveachild.com/

Contributors

Writers

Brian-Asriel Newman

Nastassja Bento

Editor

Rauna Marie Pennington

Cover Concept

 Kathy Anne Pierides

"He has filled them with skill to do every sort of workdone by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer." Exodus 35:35

Audio Poetry Front Cover

Audio Poetry Back Cover

Audio Poetry Back Cover

Audio Poetry is a collection of lyrics being published by a collection of friends to give hope to all of the weary hearts that  are walking through their own Dark Night of the Soul.  Each lyric is paired with a prayer for the hearts that need the words, to provide spiritual depth for the reader and to reestablish the shared nature of this human journey that connects that all those who have hoped and dreamed and even despaired throughout the centuries share. 

The Creator collects their tears in a bottle as well as our own. 

"You have recorded my wanderings. You put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your Book?" Psalm 56:9

*Author proceeds from "Audio Poetry" go to support the children of "New Reality Orphanage" in Haiti, so your purchase of this book of poetry benefits more weary hearts than just  your own.

http://www.newrealityinternational.org 

Summary Page

Fasting and Tzedakah

ISAIAH 58 

(Tree of Life Version TLV)

“Cry aloud, do not hold back!

Raise your voice like a shofar.

Tell My people their transgression,

and the house of Jacob their sins.

Yet they seek Me day to day

and delight to know My ways,

as if they were a nation that did right,

and had not forsaken their God’s decree.

They ask Me for righteous judgments;

they delight in the nearness of God.”

“Why have we fasted.

yet You do not see?

Why have we afflicted our souls,

yet You take no notice?”

“Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,

and exploit all your laborers.

 Behold, you fast for strife and contention

and to strike with a wicked fist.

You should not fast as you do today

to make your voice heard on high.

Is this the fast I have chosen?

    A day for one to afflict his soul?

Is it to bow down his head like a reed,

and spreading out sackcloth and ashes?

Will you call this a fast

    and a day acceptable to Adonai?

“Is not this the fast I choose:

to release the bonds of wickedness,

to untie the cords of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to tear off every yoke?

 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

to bring the homeless poor into your house?

When you see the naked, to cover him,

and not hide yourself from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will spring up speedily.

Your righteousness will go before you,

the glory of Adonai as your rear guard.”

Then you will call, and Adonai will answer.

You will cry and He will say, “Here I am.”

If you get rid of the yoke among you—

finger-pointing and badmouthing—

If you give yourself to the hungry,

and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

then your light will rise in darkness,

and your gloom will be like midday.

 Then Adonai will guide you continually,

    satisfy your soul in drought

    and strengthen your bones.

You will be like a watered garden,

    like a spring of water whose waters never fail.

Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins,

will raise up the age-old foundations,

will be called Repairer of the Breach,

    Restorer of Streets for Dwelling.

If you turn back your foot from Shabbat,

from doing your pleasure on My holy day,

and call Shabbat a delight,

    the holy day of Adonai honorable,

If you honor it, not going your own ways,

    not seeking your own pleasure,

    nor speaking your usual speech,

 then You will delight yourself in Adonai,

and I will let you ride over the heights of the earth,

I will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.”

For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.

Proceeds Page

Author Proceeds Page

This is the First-Fruits of my writing so all Author proceeds from this work will be donated to support the work of New Reality International Orphanage in Haiti.

“Honor Adonai with your wealth and with the first of your entire harvest. Then your barns will be filled with plenty, your vats will overflow with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9 New Reality is not only an orphanage, it is a place to heal and to learn to live life again both during and after childhood. Please visit their website to learn how you can change a life.

https://www.newrealityinternational.org/