It’s become tradition for me to feel a sudden rush of poetic inspiration in the early days of spring and then churn out something bursting with hope, enthusiasm, and seasonal nature imagery.
This is what happened when I succumbed to the poetry bug this spring.
the hope that froze over in my heart this winter –
stagnant, stubborn, tenacious –
has thrilled to the breath of spring
and gurgles wild,
dripping from my fingertips, transforming me
to a Midas of sorts,
for all that I touch becomes
gilded in gold even as it lies dead…
for I know the Man whose voice reversed decay,
whose very breath filled the lungs Death claimed,
whose heart will never cease now to beat
for the ones whose fingertips have grazed
His hem and now lie panting,
a s t o n i s h e d
in the wake of His mercy.
staggering wonder of wonders…
He has not passed me by.
the power that pours out of Him
has not staunched this years-long flow of grief,
but it has sweetened the cup I must drink
to the dregs, for –
because of Him – His Father’s cup of wrath
shall never touch my lips.
(oh, glory!)
it is joy with Him now
to share in His sufferings:
to weep with Him for His church,
to ache with Him for His kingdom,
to pray with Him for His Father’s will
to outpace the snowmelt to the ends of the earth.
He is good,
He is good,
He is good…
He has not passed us by.
Oh, what a gift it is to feel the world coming alive again and to be reminded that we have come alive again in Christ…and will come alive again in Him. What a gift it is to walk with Him.
Stay the course!
❤ Laurel
P.S. I thought it would be worth noting that if you love poetry with both spring-flavored nature imagery and a Lent+Easter bent, you can find that in Beauty Even Here.✨
I’ve been wanting to do a giveaway for a while now, and thought that late February would be a good time to do so for two reasons:
1.) After Valentine’s Day, there just aren’t that many fun things to be celebrating! The weather is nasty, spirits tend to be low…of course a good book or two would help.;)
2.) The books I’d like to share with you would make good late winter/early spring reads, as they’re written for those who are struggling to find joy, hope, and beauty in their current life circumstances.
I’d like to send a book (and maybe even a handwritten poetry card??) to two of you!
One person will receive a copy of Ruth Chou Simon’s Now and Not Yet. Goodness, I loved this book. I think you will, too.
Another person will receive a copy of yours truly’s book of poetry: Beauty Even Here. I’ve gabbed about this one a lot already, but looking through it the other day I remembered that there are a few poems in here that make it perfect for Lent and Holy Week! So there you go.
To enter:
Simply leave a comment on this post! Bonus (not actually, but I’ll be proud of you!) points if you share one thing that you like to do to make the drearier days of the year more lovely, or share a book, song, or Scripture that helps point you to hope and beauty.
If you do want a REAL bonus point, just make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter and let me know that you are in the comments!
I’ll pick two winners on March 13th and reach out to you in the comments.
Stay the course, friends! The days are getting longer, and the day is drawing nearer when Christ will return for His Bride. There is always something beautiful up ahead. ❤
I wrote a poem earlier this month that I thought I’d share here. It’s a reminder I need often! What a gift it is to walk with a sovereign God through “ordinary” days.
I haven’t shared a poem on the blog in…a very long time. Let’s change that today, shall we?I’ve come to find that I love referencing seasons and months in my poetry, and this poem reflects that. I hope it can be an encouragement to you.🫶🏼
Beauty Even Here records a weariness familiar to many: one of aching restlessness on a stretch of unwanted road. But often it is that road, running through the depths of our grief and near despair, that can lead us to catch clearer glimpses of God’s goodness in our waiting, His steadfast love in the midst of our suffering, and the glimmers of hope He tucks in the cracks of our shattered dreams and expectations.
Laced with nature imagery and alternating between cadenced pieces and freestyle poetry, this cathartic collection is for the weary Christian, and seeks to offer a fresh yet deeply honest way of seeing our seasons of prolonged pain for what they are: an opportunity to long deeper still for another world, and to see more clearly the heart and love of Christ.
✨Coming August 26th, 2025✨
I can’t wait to share this collection with you!! Preorders will be opening soon, so stay tuned.🫶🏼
Release day for my upcoming poetry collection is less than two and a half months away,and I’m looking for a group of people who…
love finding beauty in the tiniest corners of life
want to see my poetry make its way a little farther in the world
can commit to helping me spread the word online about my upcoming poetry release
could go for a good bookish freebie or two (but hey, isn’t that all of us??)
If that describes you, you may be interested in joining my street team! I’ve linked the application below, and there you can find some more details about what being a street team member would entail.
That’s it for today, friends! Regardless of whether or not you’re able to commit to joining the street team, I am so grateful for your readership and your support. Thank you for being here!🫶🏼
This June was sunshine and thunderstorms and wildflowers and good books.✨
And mosquitoes. Lots of mosquitoes.
When he bares his teeth, Winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, We shall have spring again.
C.S. Lewis
Things worth remembering
the start of the local farmers market
flower shopping with a brother
kayaking with the same brother in the rain
wandering through a newly-discovered cemetery
savoring slow mornings on vacation
reading on the dock
sand volleyball and Crossnet
Facetiming a dear friend
hayrides with cousins
wild costumes and Uno in the rain
late night cousin chats
scrounging wildflowers from the ditches
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…”
“What don’t you love?” he asked, looking at her intently.
She gazed back at him. “Oh, soggy mittens, chocolate without nuts, a man who can’t find it in himself to hold your hand when it’s sticking right out there in plain view.”
He took her hand that was resting on the table. “What else?” he said.
I finished this one on our family vacation, and it was a delight. I’m so glad there are so many more books set in Mitford!
Her life was pretty normal, but normal through rose-colored glasses. Normal with abstract colors thrown in. Normal in an intentionally romanticized way.
This book is a masterpiece. Both the pacing and narration are absolutely brilliant, and Rain is one of those characters who deserves to go down in literary history with the likes of Anne Shirley and Jo March.
When you’re brave enough to show your scars to others, you declare that both your celebrations and your sufferings belong to the Lord. In doing so, you steward them both well.
Yes, I’m STILL reading this book! XD It’s still good.
(I’ve also been beta reading a short story that will be published in this anthology!)
LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
psalm 131:1-2
From the journal
It is His strength within me. His love. His heart. His mind.
It was glorious this evening, and beauty is pulsing stronger on the horizon. God, You are so good to carry Your weak ones and give them hope’s whispers in unexpected places.
Let me not long for the cup You have not given.
What stood out to you from this June?
Oh! Just a note…I’ll be sending out a newsletter with some writing updates in a week or so here that you might not want to miss. You can click here to join my mailing list if you haven’t yet.
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)
Laurel Luehmann 