Wrath to Riches, Justice to Gems

Diana S. Rice

Description

Apocalyptic poetry of God's sovereignty through the eyes of a mental health counselor in 2020.

Wrath to Riches, Justice to Gems is an artistic and poetic journey of Isaiah, Ezekiel and Revelation inspired by the struggles of the 2020 CoVid19 pandemic.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Inspirational
• Themes
• Subjects
• Religious
• Isaías
• Ezequiel (profeta)
• Biblical poetry
• Isaiah
• Poetry
• Ezekiel
• Revelation

Informations

• Publié par: WestBow Press
• Date de parution: 31 août 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781664270442
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

WRATH TO RICHES, JUSTICE TO GEMS
 
An apocalyptic poetic journey inspired by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation amid the CoVid19 pandemic
 

 
DIANA S. RICE
 
Copyright © 2022 Diana S. Rice.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
WestBow Press
A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.westbowpress.com
844-714-3454
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
[e-mail]
 
Illustrations by Diana S. Rice @nftthoughtprovoker
 
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated into any other language.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7043-5 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6642-7044-2 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911575
 
WestBow Press rev. date: 8/31/2022
 
 

CONTENTS
Dedication
Preface
Utterly Estranged
Coal
Selfie
Ashamed
Wail, O Ships of Tarshish
Vindicate
The Year of Recompense
I Will, My Lord!
New Age Wanderer
Suffering Servant
Love in Christ
Light
Broken World
Omniscient Artist
Money
Harlotry
Your Eye
Shekinah Glory
Unfruitful Vine
Forgetting the Gardener
Stop the Music
Our Covenant God
A Day of Clouds
Beautiful Cedar
Valley of the Dry Bones
Revelation
Which Church is Your Story?
After These Things
Tribulation Saint
Waging War
Stay Awake
Going Mad
Hallelujah
Justice to Gems
He is Making Everything New!
The End
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to all those who feel alone and misunders tood
To those who wish that they could or sh ould
To those who put too much trust in other people’s h ands
To those who have struggled upon these l ands
To those who don’t believe in God
To those who never felt l oved
To my family and fri ends
To all the ones who unders tand…
PREFACE
On November 18th, 2019 (my 48th birthday), my soul broke into a million pieces as I cried out to the Lord on my back porch in Deerfield Beach, Florida. I felt so alone and overwhelmed by the depression and anxiety that filled me, I fell to my knees once more and begged God to take this anguish from me. I realized in that moment that I had lost my way. I have been a Christian since September of 2000, but at this point I had ended up in a New Age belief system, mixing cherry-picked Bible verses and so-called truths. I created my own religion and Jesus, and I was paying the price.
I always sought spirituality on a deeper level, but I was still searching. I could feel that something was missing. I was raised Catholic with a dose of Santeria from my grandmother. Ever since then I have been finding my way. Before my revelation I found justifications for everything I wanted, acknowledging only those comfortable elements of scripture that didn’t challenge me. I thought I could live with one foot in the world of easy answers, pride, and ego, and one in the true Christian lifestyle. I was searching for the healing but not the Healer.
As I continued searching for the truth, a close friend of mine asked me, “Have you ever actually studied an entire book of the Bible?” I thought deeply on this simple question, and I began to see the truth falling into place for me. I have attended so-called “Bible studies” at church. I have even led some of these “Bible studies” myself. I realized then that despite this, I had never actually studied the Bible. So, I finally did what I should have done all this time. I sat down and I prayed.
The first book I was led to was Zephaniah. I didn’t even know that book existed when I was first guided there. This filled me with a sense of conviction. I went on to read the book of Romans and then Isaiah. As I began to find my healing through studying the Word, I was inspired to write poetry again.
Then, as things were beginning to look up and I was finding my way, the year 2020 arrived. A mental health crisis had struck deeply within my community, then a global pandemic, lockdowns, apocalyptic weather patterns, a summer of impassioned riots following the murder of George Floyd and divisive elections. I leaned into my newfound conviction and found inspiration not only for poetry but for digital art pieces inspired by what I was studying. An artistic influence of mine has always been Frida Kahlo, who used her own image in her art to express her emotion.
I used my poetry and art as a form of therapy for myself. I struggle with complex PTSD as well as high-functioning depression and anxiety. I work as a trauma-informed licensed mental health counselor and I believe in using holistic modalities, especially faith and the arts, to work through the mental torment that my client may be going through. As for myself, creating digital art pieces helped me stay focused and grow closer to Jesus. If it was not for this focus on the Living Word of God, I may have ended up hospitalized or worse, ending my own life.
I tell you all this to share the hope in a risen Savior and to let you know that you are not alone when walking through your valley. Our stories may differ, but we each have a purpose and a story to tell. So, tell yours! Learn from it and help others with it!
As you read this book, I encourage you to pray, read your Bible in context, and seek Jesus. Find a clinical holistic therapist who understands the connection between mind, body, and spirit. Utilize this book of poetry to read each chapter of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation, journal your thoughts, and see what God is saying to you.
For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)
If you are suffering from any mental, physical, or spiritual affliction, I pray that you seek the Healer and not just the healing. In this life, we will have troubles! But take heart, for Jesus has overcome this world
 
In Service, Faith, Hope, and Love,
Diana
 
PS Twenty five percent of the proceeds of this book will support mental health care for at-risk teens in my community.

UTTERLY ESTRANGED
Inspired by Isaiah Chapter 1
Ah, sinful nation,
a people laden with iniquity,
offspring of evildoers,
children who deal corruptly! (Isaiah 1:4)
Forsaking the Lord
Despising the Holy One
Utterly estranged
Taking God’s name in vain
Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts
Behaving like Sodom
Acting like Gomorrah
Utterly estranged
Taking God’s name in vain
New moon and Sabbath
Compensating in our rebellion
Sacrificing burnt offerings
Bright lights
Music tickling ears
Seeker friendly
Solemn assembly
Utterly estranged
Taking God’s name in vain
Gathering together publicly as a church
In the courts, He invented
False worship and praise
Lifting hands
Apostles and prophets
Giving hollow words
Falling to the ground
Enjoying mystical sounds
But how do we behave once we leave?
Do we open the word ourselves?
Hide it in our hearts? Or put it on a shelf?
Listen to manmade versions
Created out of perversion
Utilizing the Word given
In order to make a living
How is it we build cathedrals
and mega-churches and
still have orphans and widows in affliction?
Marginalized
Ostracized
Criticized
By those who should be fear-stricken
Do you hear the clock ticking?
The strong will be like tinder
and his work a spark,
and both of them shall burn together,
with none to quench them
tearing us apart
God knows what’s in our hearts.
God knows what’s in my heart.
Give ear to the teaching of our God
Hear what the Spirit is saying
Submit to His will
Remove the evil of your deeds
Seek justice
Correct oppression
Plead the widow’s cause
Stop checking boxes off!
Corporate church, how do we behave
once we leave the walls laced with gold?
Do we say, “hallow be the name”?
Utterly estranged
Taking God’s name in vain
Scarlett and crimson will be wiped out
Once we look within and
without a doubt
We
Repent
Isaiah 1: 4 ESV