Joy // March
Spring has sprung here in Nashville! The trees are budding, and the ground is stirring. New life is here. It’s almost my favorite season of the year, which is early spring gardening. I feel mostly like a boat out on still waters. The storms have raged on, things have been rough—and yet, God is still in the midst of it all, calming the seas. I’m still here too. I haven’t sunk yet. The phrase “to hope against hope” really has surfaced for me from Romans 4.
“In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness.’”
Abraham was fully convinced that God could do what He had promised. With no unbelief, despite his circumstances. Where does such a faith come from?
Perhaps from joy.
About the Poem
When I started writing this poem, I initially titled it “to hope against hope.” I was disappointed, and it felt fitting to my flesh. But I just couldn’t place that with the vision God had given me for March. I didn’t want to speak hopelessness into my next month. And in every low place, the Lord brings me back to joy.
Joy. Something that has felt so elusive to me for so long. Something the world has cheapened. Something so intangible, yet contagious.
In the writing of this poem, I felt like a cut flower turning back the clock. Lifeless drooping over a vase, to standing tall, to being reattached back to its source, thriving. It’s always been a wonder to me that we cut flowers right at the pinnacle of their beauty to start decaying instantly, just so we can look at them in our houses for a few days. The ephemeralness of wildflowers fascinates me.
So that’s at the heart of this poem.
The “But God” moment from Ephesians 2. The turning point…things were bad, But God. He always comes through. He’s always on time. He’s always speaking.
About the Art
As I’ve been working through my “Made for Joy” series, I’ve developed a keen love for oil pastels. So creamy. I recently bought over 200+ French pastels, surrounding myself in a chorus of color. I’m so excited to really dig into them!
Overall I want the whole Made for Joy collection to be vibrant and soft at the same time. I like to include fingerprint blobs throughout, just leaving a touch from heaven, here and there. With this one, I feel like it’s a pretty good representation of life. Even the darkest moments can be surrounded by joy.
And as always, it wouldn’t be a poem of the month without a playlist of the month. I’ve been jamming really hard to “Love Me Back to Life.” It’s really fitting for this season. Enjoy!
Prepare for the Abundance!
At the end of last year, the Lord called out “Prepare for the abundance!” So that’s what I will speak over you in the coming days. Clear your closets, dust out your hearts, and make space for the King of Kings. He’s coming. His promises have arrived. Are you ready?
e.
