As part of a series on creativity in our church. I was asked to speak on using creative writing in worship. I opened with this spoken word. The rest of the talk is here
My obsession with words Came alive with a door I remember as a child No older than four That door Connecting me to our kitchen Adorned with postcards Connecting me to my father’s heart Telling me he was never far Teaching me to trust in a father I couldn’t always see Knowing his love and generosity, patiently Planned over me And though words on a card Don’t have a voice I heard him speak every time
School beckoned me with colours and stories, poems and songs read and written The bug had bitten My heart smitten my brain lit up as creativity spilled from lead onto page though increasing age led childhood awe to teenage rage
and as my emotions flooded through ink I saw my childlike confidence sink my heart encaged as pain and confusion struck to the page and I couldn’t get up I couldn’t arise as shame took its pen and wrote on me lies that these are words no one should know hide them away, become silent smile only my journal saw the truth only my journal and You
and though the words continued to glare You, God showed me how writing could turn into prayer Then You stirred my heart by a more noble theme An arrow drawn back to Your eye I could see the lie And as I saw from a different view Words were renewed A battle cry advanced on enemy ground and I found Words together carefully bound Resound truth, I arose let the arrow go
a cause released in me
For we all know the power of a negative word How it pulls us down Makes us feel like… Well, just not nice And it doesn’t reflect the King I know So, I implore you to join me Take your arrow, you bow Or your seeds and sow Words of grace, love, joy and peace Because words can be used to destroy or release And words and be used to make or break So, choose to, adorn hearts Choose to quench shame’s fiery darts Choose to call souls to awake Choose to love and choose to create Life
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