Poem: Overflow

Overflow

By: Joi Maree Brown

Our cup runneth over

When our faith is increased

Once our patience of waiting

Has been calmed by peace

We are blessed

Abundantly

Once out of our way we move

And allow God to take in our lives His rightful place

We receive confirmation

Of the fairness of favor

Bestowed upon us by

His perfect grace

And rewarded

Of our obedience to Him

With an overflowing of our cup

Its contents unable to be contained

What a blessing it is to receive

Poem: Whisper

Whisper

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Waiting for the thunder to roar

Or the fire to ignite

An act of a miracle

Or a flash of lightning's strike

To be a sign

Of God's presence

In the midst

Of where we are at the moment we seek His instructions

But it is not in those moments

And not because of those happenings

That his nearness will be confirmed

But in the stillness of silence

When we least expect His presence

Like a cool breeze

On a Summer's night

That a soft voice

Will speak into our ears

In the tone of a whisper

And it will be

God

There

Shoulder to shoulder with us

Reminding us that

He was with us

And had always been

Closer than we thought

But we were too busy

Waiting on the loudness of His arrival

Not realizing all along

He was with us

By our side

Every step of our journey

Photo courtesy of www.relevantchildrensministry.com

Poem: A Blessing It Is

A Blessing It Is

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Such a blessing it is to be

Alive

And

Able

To be summoned again at dawns rising

To awake

And rise

Not held by sleep's drift

Into death's slumber

Such a blessing it is to be

Needed

And wanted

To complete an assignment by God

For his will

And purpose

As destiny would have it

Written before our knowing

Such a blessing it is to be

Seen

And received

As a blessing to someone in need

To aid

And help

As one neighbor

To another

Such a blessing it is to be

Chosen

And loved

By our Father above

To be given time

To continue in this life

To continue to live our purpose

Because it is not yet our time to die

Amen

Poem: As I Am

As I Am

By: Joi Maree Flowers

I am stronger than my weaknesses

Higher than my lows

Content on my being

And held captive not by my woes

I am originated from the Creator's design

Chiseled by His perfect hand

To look not like those around me

And dare not be reconstructed by the hands of man

I am the seed planted into the earth's soil

Nurtured by the water of prayer

And the radiance of hope's light

Blooming into the beautiful flower welcomed by the kiss of Spring's cool air

I am she who will conquer

I am she who will stand

Even if the only voice that acknowledges me is silent

And no applause comes from so-called supportive hands

I am the blues in the midnight hour

The tears that fill the rising river

The loneliness of rejected lust

That finds a smile upon dawn's enter

I am the girl who was

The woman that became

Never to before be the same

For change is what brought me to this day

I am who I am

Flawed and stained

Strengthened by my faults

Beautified by my name

Poem: Hallelujah

Hallelujah

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

I praise His name

The name spoken in prayer

Sung in song

Shouted out loud

Jesus

Such a precious name

The name I carry with me

The name I'm shielded by

The name that saved me

Jesus

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Amen

Poem: My Testimony

My Testimony

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Folks don't know why the tears stream down my cheeks

When I pray or hear his Praises sung through song

Because they know not my testimony

They just don't know

How good God has been to me

How he's blessed me

Saved me

Rescued me

Steered me in the direction of forward

And not back

I've witnessed his works

Not only in me

But in those around me

I've been talked about and cursed through words by those who wished my down fall

But by God's favor I never saw their feet when at my lowest

Because he stood me tall to look over their heads

He received me as I am

Knowing I was a sinner

A work in progress

I've arrived at the place of present not by my own travels

But by the guided steps of my Lord and Savior

Who before my knowing already paved the way for the road to lead me here

He is the reason I know what love it

Because I got out of my own way so he could open the door

So love could find its way to me

He is the reason why I no longer suffer from loneliness

Because when in the physical company of myself

I know that He is there right next to me

He is the reason why I no longer seek the validation of others

Because He opened mine eyes

To see the beauty that is me

I can go on and on

But the hour won't allow the space for the time

But for the rest of my life

I will thank Him

Through prayer

And I will Praise Him

In song

Because My God

Had been so good to me

And without Him

I would not be

Poem: Magic (July 4, 2014)

Magic (July 4, 2014)

By: Joi Maree Flowers

And just like that it happened

Magic

And just like that

We became one

It was known that one day it would happen

But the day of when was unknown

And on this day

As night awoke from its sleep

Once the sun laid down to rest

The stars shine were brightened

By colorful explosions shot into the sky

Accompanied by admirations of

"Oohs" and "ahhs"

And by surprise

While surrounded by those

Whom we love

Love

Looked into my eyes

And proclaimed his love to me

And asked it I would become

His Queen

Yes

Is what I replied

And I felt it

Instantly

The magic

Of love

Of what forever felt like

And it felt beautiful

Simply beautiful

Poem: To The Altar

To The Altar
By: Joi Maree Flowers

She went to the altar to lay her burdens down
On her knees at the altar to lay her burdens down

Admitting to her wrongs
Praying for forgiveness

To wash her sins from her soul
And receive the grace of God

She went to the altar to lay her burdens down
On her knees at the altar to lay her burdens down

So her darkness can be cast aside
And give way for her light to shine

Poem: Freely Us

Freely Us
By: Joi Maree Flowers

Walking through the crowd hand in hand
Like staring eyes don't bother
Like 'taint nobody's business but ours
Walking pass the questioning crowd hand in hand

Loving freely
Living lovely
Laughing heavily
Enjoying the moment

Of this love that defines us
In this world that wonders if it should accept us
Worrying not about if folks will welcome us
For we are US

An Us that no man can separate
An Us protected by fate
An Us spoken through
The lips of forever

Even if We are not seen as we see ourselves
Through the eyes of onlookers
Even if We are cursed by judgmental howlers
We will continue

Walking through the crowd hand in hand
Like staring eyes don't bother
Like 'taint nobody's business but ours
Walking pass the questioning crowd hand in hand

Poem: Tropic Destination

Tropic Destination
By: Joi Maree Flowers

Antigua
Bahamas
Jamaica
Barbados

An island of desire
To escape from the loudness of the every day rush
Alone or accompanied
For seclusion from the interrupted peace of the soul

Spring time
Summer months

April

May

June

July

The brightness of the sun
Smiling upon the blue sea

Closing my eyes
And becoming lost in a day dream
Until I open them again

Just to breathe in the surrounding peace

That I have been longing to say
Hello

To

Poem: Perfect Shade Of Brown

Perfect Shade Of Brown

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Like the color of Pecan
The perfect shade of brown
Glazed by the sun's glow
As it caresses the essence of his outer handsomeness

I become infatuated with his walk
I become consumed by speech
Hypnotized by his eyes
That entraps me as I fall victim to his Alpha

He is no dream
But a clear reality
Of a want
That I need

That I plead
To embrace me
That I plead
To not forsake me

He is

Like Cocoa
Sweet and addictive to my taste
Perfection in my eyes
He whom I want only as mine

Poem: As Destined

As Destined
By: Joi Maree Flowers

I see me writing down my dreams on paper
Word for word

I see me walking on the road of destiny
Step by step

I see me becoming God's Will
Just as He'd written it

I see the time passing
By and by

Being used wisely
And properly

As I Become

My destiny