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My New Song by Carole Jeanne Bate

This year Others Press (the official publishing house of The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory) will publish a book of my poetry with an accompanying CD.

The CD will have 10 songs performed and written by the UNBOUND band.
In addition to the music there will be art included.
Victoria Ward Berry has done a fantastic job of illustrating some of the poetry.
The 12 illustrated pages will soon be available at The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory Trade Department as posters.

I am grateful to Commissioners Larry and Nancy Moretz for making this all happen.

May God use the words he has given me to speak to others. Thank you everyone for your encouragement and continued prayers.

- cjb

The Devil wants to date me!

(this poem was inspired from a conversation I had with a friend some months ago.)

The devil wants to date me
He’s always at my door
He desires to romance me
To lead me from my Lord

The devil is my stalker
He studies all my moves
His degree is in me
He’s obsessed with me
He must think I’m a fool

He’s got my number
He knows my name
He’s there at every turn
The devil wants to date me
But I know I’ll get burned.

The devil wants to date me
He knows just what to say
He’s always working at his goal:
To steal my heart away.

I cannot date you devil
My heart’s already taken
Move off my step, leave me alone
And get behind me satan!

-cjb

A Wild Field

A wild field of flowers
Overgrown and unkempt
Sweetness lingers in the air
After the spring rains went

There is life within the field
An assortment of insects abound
Air is buzzing with activity
And crawling across the ground

How long will the wild field prosper
and sweet smells of her flowers be found?
How long till the more distinguished
Come and overturn her with the plow?

Do the insects grieve the loss of her nectar?
Do the rodents suffer their homes?
Does the air remember her sweet scents?
Now thick with dung of the cow?

Who can argue the need to plow?
To use the land to its fullest,
To plant some seed in an ordered way
And reap a good rich harvest?

and yet, my soul grieves...
Whether right or wrong
The loss of the wild field.
To look and see what once was lush
Now ripped, overturned and gone

I know the promise of the seed
I know the scarred land is pregnant with a harvest
But it will come in rows too straight for this artist.

cjb


" Why should I be frightened and surprised by the plow of the Lord, which makes deep furrows in my soul? I know He is not some arbitrary or irrational farmer- His purpose is to yeild a harvest." Samuel Rutherford

"When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?" Isaiah 28:24

Poem based on 2Corinthians 5:2-9

It’s uncomfortable
being vulnerable
laid bare
an open book
for all to see
and read
Adam and Eve
hid behind a tree
in their vulnerability.

God had mercy
he covered them
hid their nakedness
with clothes of skin.
Now we,
who are found in Him,
wait and groan-
This body, this world
is not our home!

Our heavenly dwelling
is what we want.
no longer covered
or living in skin
but new bodies
that look
more like Him.

cjb

Pentecost Sunday

Catch the wind of the Spirit,
breathe it in, come alive in him.

Wait for the fire of God to desend,
ingnited souls, burn within.

Share the power with those around,
live for others, let his love abound!

We have a goal to cast our crowns...
come alive in him, burn within
this Pentecost Sunday

cjb

Made for the pleasure of the wind

Made for the pleasure of the wind
Open the window let the Spirit in
The Spirit blows and no one knows
Where it comes from or where it goes

Catch the current of His will
Let him lift you higher still
Tossed about but in his plan
Higher than the thoughts of man

Can we rest and trust in him
When the streams of air collide?
Can we see the breath of God
Lifting us on every side?

Made for the pleasure of the wind
Providential flights we resign to him
Carried not by fate nor a whim
Whirled in a Gilgal diadem.

cjb


" Thou didst not know, who tottered, wandering high, that fate had made thee for the pleasure of the wind, with those great careless wings, Nor yet did I." - Robert Frost

John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

We are the Temple of His Spirit

Look into my heart
See what you can see
Be careful not to judge harshly.
On first or last glance…
There may be more than meets the eye.
The outer shell hides too well
As the goatskin of the wilderness tabernacle
Covered and hid the Holy of Holies.
Plain, rough, average…
Common to the eye.
Yet, all along the temple of His Glory.

What about you?
Do you know Him too?
Does He reside in you and you in Him?
Let His Glory in!
We are the temple of His Spirit.


cjb

Drawing by Mary Ann Parks

Thus Far The Lord Has Brought Me

After every night comes the morning light
Winter will pass! Spring comes at last!
So don’t give up the fight.
Don’t give up the fight.

You’re closer than you’ve ever been
His word is true; he’ll follow thru on everything he’s said.
The Lord has brought you here.

You may not see what lies ahead
But don’t give in to doom and dread, the fog will lift real soon
The Lord has brought you here.

Sing a new song as the morning dawns
Trust that he is with you, he’ll see you thru, rejoice in him
The Lord has brought you here.

On this day- mark the way
Guard your Ebenezer!
Thus far the Lord has brought me,
I testify to this…..
Winter has past, spring comes at last
This is where my Lord has brought me.

-cjb

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."
1 Samuel 7:12

Grace for me

There is enough water for the smallest fish.
Does he know? Does he worry the seas may run dry?
as he swims, as he drinks in the ocean wide.

There is enough grain in Joseph’s barns for the tiniest of mice.
Does she know? Does she worry he’ll run out?
as she consumes, as she has her fill of his provision.

There is enough air for the newest life to breathe
Does the infant worry? Is there oxygen for me?

As he rest in his mother’s arms, takes each breathe, safe and warm.

Is there enough grace for me, grace for me?
Tell me again of its great expanse; let me swim its depth
Fill me with its all consuming provision – Grace for me!
Let me breathe it in and know- Your grace never will run dry.
Till my final breath and even then- It’s on your grace that I rely

Grace for me- grace for me.

cjb

This concept is adapted from the devotional book STREAMS IN THE DESERT by L.B.Cowman- Feb. 26th entry “My grace is sufficient for you.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

It's just like God

It’s just like God to choose
A caged bird to sing a song of freedom
So others may be set free.
To choose the humble and
Strategically place them
In authority for all to see.

It’s just like God to choose
One who gets easily lost
To show others the way.
and to choose
a sinner, saved by His grace
to reach out to the human race.

It’s just like God to choose
The broken to heal
The weak to show His strength
The foolish to confound the wise

To choose..
Humanity to reveal His Deity
A clay jar to hold His surpassing Glory
The darkness to let a light shine
Suffering to birth compassion in others
The dust of this earth to wear His holiness.

It’s just like God.
It’s just like God
To choose..
To choose you and me.

cjb

King of Light

Just as the wise men brought gifts
Giving them to the baby Jesus
Laying their treasures in the darkness

At the feet of Light

So I come to you
Giving you my heart
Break through my night

Just as the shepherds came to kneel
Bowing before the baby Jesus
Adoring, worshiping the shepherd

Born to be their King

So I kneel before you
Worshiping my King
Come shepherd me

Just as Mary pondered these things
Full of wonder with baby Jesus
Cuddling God’s promise in her arms
Vulnerability

I am full of wonder
Holding to you tight
Reborn in thee


King of Light
Come shepherd me
Hold me tight in my vulnerability
I worship and adore you-
I’m reborn in thee

cjb

Jesus calms the storm

Rembrandt- "Jesus cams the storm"


When the waves are crashing
When the sea is angry
When my boat is tossed about

I call on Jesus -My prince of peace
I call on Jesus -Who was and is
I call on Jesus

He stills the waves they crash no more
He calms the seas brings me to shore
My boat is safe - I fear no more

I called on Jesus- Prince of peace
I called on Jesus- who was and is
I called on Jesus

But in his eyes- I see a look..
That questions why I yelled and shook
“Why is your faith so small?”

The storm without and around
That beats against your boat
Can never steal the peace within
Why did you scream and doubt?

How did he sleep, right through the storm?
Why was he not afraid?
He rested in the Father’s will
He knew the peace he gave

Be still- I’m here
Be still –I’m near
Be still and know
I’m God

I’ll get you to the other side
No need to still the waves
Just rest my child, find peace in me
I’ll get you through each day.

Call on Jesus- your Prince of peace
Call on Jesus- who was and is
Call on Jesus – he’ll calm your storm within.


cjb

That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let's cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus along in a boat just as he was. Other boats were with him. A violent windstorm came up. The waves were breaking into the boat so that it was quickly filling up. But he was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don't you care that we're going to die?” Then he got up, ordered the wind to stop, and said to the sea, “Be still, absolutely still!” The wind stopped blowing, and the sea became very calm. He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don't you have any faith yet?” They were overcome with fear and asked each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41 (GW)

You Lord

You Lord
You are my citadel
My stronghold
My fortress
My sanctuary
My refuge

In You Lord
In You, I hide
My shelter
My protection
My cover
My shield

You Lord
You are my love
My adoration
My affection
My devotion
My heart

In You Lord
In You, I live
My life
My purpose
My reason
My breath

You Lord,
You are in me.
I’m in you
Apart from you
I can do no good thing.
I can do nothing.
Nothing without you.

cjb

Prayer of an intercessor

Sometimes when we pray for others our hearts become anxious or burdened for them. Our motives in praying for them can sometimes hinder the Lord's perfect will. But if we know what His prayer is for the individual then we can pray in agreement with the one who interceeds for us. I often wonder what His prayer would be, I would love to listen in and then agree.

Prayer of an intercessor

Lord,
Tell me how to pray
Tell me what to say,
Settle my heart today.

You say..
Bring all your anxieties.
I give them all to you
On this day, this is what I do.

Right or wrong
My thoughts are yours
Good or bad
My heart lays bare

I cannot hide from you
I do not want to.
I cannot calm myself
My peace is found in you.

Give me the prayer to say
Lord!
You, who intercedes for me,
Give me the right words,
Lay them on my heart
Help me to intercede.

cjb

Wounded for healing- Healing our wounds

I’ve been thinking that “by His wounds we are healed”
so, if we become like him…then can it be said …by our wounds we can heal others?

Wounded for healing
Healing our wounds


Wounded for healing
I have so much pain
How can my hurt,
Be someone’s gain?

Wounded for healing
This was our Lord’s way
He laid his life down
And gave it away.

Healing our wounds
Can be rather slow
Hurting us more
As physicians know

Healing our wounds
Was worth the cost-
When He suffered most
And died on the cross.

God’s Glory, to gain.
Take all the pain
Wounded for healing
Heal Lord, our wounds!



CJB

The Battle Cry

Victoria Ward designed this graphic for my poem The Battle Cry. I love it!! I am looking into getting it poster size to hang in my new office!

Thank you Vic.

"The Lord gives instructions. The women who announce the good news are a large army."

Psalm 68:11 (GW)

Ebb and Flow

I share this poem which was birthed in me through various discussions about the ups and downs in our walk with God.
Once, a person explained to me that the highs and lows in our faith walk are like a heartbeat. Those of us who may have highs and lows, he said, are the ones with a “normal heartbeat” of faith. He went on to say….anything else is “flat lining”.
However, I’ve see people who seem steady both in personality, disposition and their faith. I guess I believe it can be done- is this deception?? They don’t seem like they are flat lining.
Recently, someone else mentioned how our growth in God and in our faith is like the ebb and flow of the ocean. I haven’t figured out yet why I like this picture more. I just know it resonated with me. Maybe it’s the consistency of the tide.
Another friend told me that all the people of the Bible had highs and lows…faithfulness she said, is that we continue to call on God from the mountain top or from the pit. Be consistent in calling on Him at all times, that, she said is the faithful that God wants to see in us.
These thoughts, my experience with this personally and the Bible Study at our corps, “God on Mute- engaging the silences of God” by Pete Greig inspired this poem.
I’m pretty sure I am not the only one who has ever felt this way. I hope it ministers to someone out there.

Blessings!

Ebb and Flow

Ebb and flow
High and low
This is my walk with God

I’ve seen the steady
Walk with God
Faithful they are called
I’ve often strived to be like them
Though i stumble and I fall

Ebb and flow
High and low
This is my walk with God

I call on him- when I’m up
I call on him- when I’m not
I call to Jesus faithfully…
That’s all the faithful- that I’ve got.

Ebb and flow
It’s how it goes
In my walk with God

cjb

Heavenly Alchemy

With you Lord we can receive
Sweetness after the attack;
When time has past,
When we walk this way again
God gives
Honey from the carcass of the lion

With you Lord we can receive
Refreshment in the hard places;
He gives this now,
When we come to him and bow
God causes
Water to gush forth from the rock

Your hand of mercy and your providence
The sweetness of my life
Your words of comfort and your grace
Refreshment in the fight.

I’m trusting you for sweetness
looking for the signs.
I’m drinking up the waters
That quench this thirst of mine.



cjb

Harvest Rains

The rain falls softening the earth
Preparing it for new birth

Our tears fall softening the harden heart
Preparing it for a new start

We want the blessing of your rains
We want to gather up your grain

See Lord our tears
See Lord our tender hearts
Hear Lord our prayers
Let your revival start
Bring forth your harvest
Lord today!
This is what we pray..

Fall down oh blessings from on high
Lord, open up your skies
Shower us with your mercies fair
Hear oh Lord and answer prayer


cjb


“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”
Psalm 126:5-6 (NIV)