K A T E

L A B

p o e t & a r t i s t

Hi, I'm Kate.

I started writing poetry consistently about 6 years ago. I found myself encouraged by the poetry of others, even more so, lifted up by the poetry of Scripture in the laments and praises of David, Solomon, and Jeremiah. And I found that posting poetry helped me finish the process of writing and then hand the experience or emotion to God, all of which are life-giving to me.

I try through poetic prayer to capture the truth of our experiences in a sin-sick world and root them in the perspective of God's character and the hope of Jesus. It's a conversation with God over the things I'm learning in bible study or sermons, experiencing in a broken world and feeling in a broken body. It's often an application of Scripture or a recorded conversation with God. Sometimes it’s prayers and laments written for my friends and family.

I'm grateful for the many of you who have been refreshed and challenged by words I have written. I would love to publish a book of my poetry. If you are interested in a book, you can help me by subscribing to emails and following me on Instagram!

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Encouragement for changing seasons.

I wrote this last year as my son “graduated” from Pre-K. I was - and continue to be- overwhelmed with the feeling of time slipping through my fingers. But I know I’m not alone. It’s turning from spring to summer, and soon it’s time for graduations and weddings. You’ll move to new cities and start new jobs. Our parents will get older, and so we will we. Time is slipping through our fingers. Maybe you’re feeling this ache too in a particular way? What change is coming for you?

I’m so encouraged by the eternality of God when I feel this way. He has always been and will always be. Every page of our lives is written and planned and purposed for our good and His glory. And this fleeting life is only the introduction to the Greatest Story.

“Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle

Hebrews 13:8
James 1:17
Psalm 33:11
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Revelation 22:13

My God is so good
Even his “no”s are a kindness

He is powerful, and he
Sees through out time when
He withholds good things
From me, I’m no longer blinded
By mud cake apathy
before a feast
Laid out for me
in deep valleys.

My God is good
My God is kind.
The Shepherd King
I claim as mine!

And this promised Shepherd Presence
Is never more felt and real
Than when in my pain and grief
He makes me lay down in

Fields
Of green.
Even in the Valleys low.

The Lord is my Shepherd
And even when he says no,

He is good.

…
The Kindness of God

Daniel 3:17–18, Job 1:21, Romans 8:28, Psalm 84:11, Isaiah 46:9–10, 2 Peter 3:8, John 4:13–14, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 23:4-5, Psalm 100:5, John 10:11, Psalm 23:1, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 34:18, James 1:17, 2 Corinthians 12:8–9

“Christian, how did you enjoy comfort before? Was the creature anything to you but a conduit, a pipe, that conveyed God’s goodness to you? ‘The pipe is cut off,’ says God, ‘come to me, the fountain, and drink immediately.’ Though the beams are taken away, yet the sun remains the same in the firmament as ever it was.”
― Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

My soul and human flesh so limited.
I count two coins, five loaves, two fish.
I do the math and come up short -

O God, what can you do with this?

[ a n s w e r ]

He says,

“I AM not ruled by rules I made,
Or limits I created.
My world listens to me
And I choose to show my greatness
Through the people you would pick last.
Through the misfit and the outcast.
Fisherman to pharisee -
My sovereign hand will hold fast.

I prove my riches through the poor,
And my wonders through the lame,
Through the lepers, the sinners,
The “too old” and “too young”,
I will glorify my name.

I say your lack is not lack to me.
From nothing, I made everything.
I can multiply 2 and 5,
And make five thousand satisfied.

Give your fish and loaves to me.
Give me your widow’s coins
and see.
Out of glorious riches,
I supply all your needs.”

[ r e s p o n s e ]

“Lord, with one meal, you feed a multitude,
And you are the bread and living water too.
So to the Lamb, the great I AM.
I give you everything
I am and have.”

…
“Divine Math”
6.3.23 (rewrite)

Every time I don’t get enough sleep, or I’m overwhelmed but the day’s tasks, I am reminded of these truths from Scripture. I have all I need. There is no lack of resource or power. I have all that is good for me. I have all I need.

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:8-10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Today, I will remember:

One, the only thing that I deserve.
Two, that I am made
and created to serve.
Three, that though this earth
is cursed,
my God has ordained my work,
Four, every good thing I have
I have not
e a r n e d.

And five, God is the giver
of every good & perfect gift,
The work, the service, my kids,

All of this

Is from Him
and for Him.

When I offer and order it
before Him,

It is b e a u t i f u l .

…
“Thoughts on the gift of motherhood”

So grateful for the gift and work of motherhood. Hard and good and beautiful. Sharing some of my favorite poems on motherhood in stories.

I hope today is filled with joy for you, even as it is mixed with the grief and loss that is often magnified on this day.

A prayer for vision correction when the work feels small or unimportant.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” —Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

…

Today, Lord,
Give me eyes to see
Your good works laid out for me.
For my good and your glory.

Lord, please call to my mind
That this spill was laid out before time,
That the work of this day was by
Design.

Remind me, Lord,
That each delay
Is not outside your will or way,
But is, in fact, your good Plan A.

Turn my whining into praise.

Help me see, walk in, and do
the good works
That You
have called me to.

Amen.

My heart aches this morning
For what God has deemed
I don’t need.
A good desire in its in place.
But out of place
Idolatry.

And when He keeps it from me.
I look from gift to Giver
and see.

This is but one page
In an adventure.
And the last page I have read.
I will give up creature comforts
to delight in Creator instead.
My senses magnified by pain
No longer dulled in heart and head

I taste and see a God who gave
His son as payment in my stead.
I see your words of truth in scripture
And consume as daily bread.
When on this page good gifts withheld,
My heart hungers for
Who holds the pen.

This is His story.
My Mighty Fortress and Rock of Ages.
This pain is for His glory
So I learn to kiss the waves
That come
As long as I remain,
This anthem my refrain.
Whether by
My death or life,
To live is Christ
To die is gain.

“Morning Mercies and Daily Bread”
Kate Lab
6.7.2020

Music by Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic
Instrumental “Control Line” listen to her song on Spotify and Apple Music. It fits very well with this poem.

…

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” - Charles Spurgeon

* Revelation 21:4
* Hebrews 12:2
* Psalm 34:8
* John 3:16
* Matthew 4:4
* Matthew 6:11
* Philippians 1:21
* Psalm 18:2
* Psalm 62:7

“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Martin Luther
“Rock of Ages” by Augustus Toplady

I fall into the trap -
I think I have control.
Like the gifts that you have
given me
Are mine to to hold
On to

Lest they slip

And fall from my hand,
Like any epic mess of mine
Could thwart your sovereign plan.

Like you can’t use human failure,
Like you haven’t throughout time.
Like you aren’t the Author of a good story
Filled with sin and faults like mine.

So I’ll breathe deep
And let go of my white knuckled hold
Of your gifts.

Because I know

This.

You are
The Giver.

…

Proverbs 19:21, James 4:13–15, James 1:17, 1 Corinthians 4:7, Romans 8:28, Job 42:2, Genesis 50:20, Hebrews 12:2, Philippians 4:6–7, Matthew 6:25–34, Acts 17:25, Revelation 1:8

Music Credits:
Background Track: “The Racer” by Tristan Barton – Licensed via Canva Audio
Ending Song: “The Giver” by Sarah Sparks – Used with permission @sarahsparksmusic

Psalm 16

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;     I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,     in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;     their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out     or take their names on my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;     you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;     indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;     in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me;     because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;     my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,     or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;     in your presence there is fullness of joy;     at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

God, you make a way.
I have read and I have seen
In your word
And in my life
The way you part the sea
And I walk through
On dry ground.
But other times
I’m found
And I am saved

By being swallowed

By a whale.

God, the ways you make
Don’t take the form
I think that they
Should take.
Sometimes through agonizing wait,
Sometimes your way is the thorn
That stays
In my side.

God, you make a way
By your grace in discipline.
By giving me real-world
Consequence of my sin,
Like my brother, David.
I need to hear the words,

“You are the man.”

God, you make a way.
Not just by bending prison bars
Or cure-alls
But by changing my heart
To bear the pain,
And the way you make
Is daily power and strength

and grace.

God, you make a way.
Through a boat and through a flood
From the first bite of the fruit
You have a way through blood. I
God, you make a way.
Often times a violent grace.
Many times, the way you save
Us is through pain.

And the greatest violence done
Is to your son.
Who called himself,
‘The Way.”

God, you made a way
Like you parted the sea of red,
And our dead hearts
Now beat again
Because your son
Defeated death.
The cross, the door
to life
And rest.

You made a way.

…
“In The Belly”

“If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17-18

For the Days when Death still stings.

A few years ago, our family started the tradition of walking through our church cemetery after the Easter service. Every year we sing the old Easter Hymns and proclaim, “O Death, where is your sting?” But that first year, as I walked past the gravestone marking the infant son of dear friends, I found myself asking my husband, Joe —who is also my pastor—

“Why does it feel like death still stings?”

When I asked Joe, he reminded me of the difference between the first death (physical—something we experience both first and second-hand) and the second death (spiritual—something we never will, because of Jesus). He pointed me to a sermon by Rico Tice, “Do Our Bodies Have a Future?”, rooted in the hope of 1 Corinthians 15.

Several fresh graves mar the cemetery grass this spring—one of them another infant child of dear friends. Our family felt the sting in a new way after miscarrying a baby in February. And I’ve heard and seen from many of you that you are carrying terrible grief into a season that we are called to rejoice. We’ve lost parents. Friends. Spouses. Children. We’ve felt the sting in infertility, in broken relationships, and chronic illness.

This poem is my prayer and response for all the moments, days, and years when the effects of sin and death still sting. When faith feels more like a question than an answer. And when the victory still feels far off.

But the tomb is empty. And that ultimate hope means that we can hold joy and grief together. Because of Jesus, death does not get the final word.

I pray these words are a comfort to those walking through very real grief.

“When He wipes away every tear, our faces glisten more brilliantly than if we never would have cried.” (@davidcmathis)

Music by @sarahsparksmusic
Poetry & Video @kategoescreating

1 Corinthians 15:35–38, 42 (ESV)

He is risen! What a wondrous truth and hope.

Have a joy-filled Easter, and make sure to listen to Sarah’s “Risen, PT. 2” EP today on Spotify or Apple Music!

…

Music by @sarahsparksmusic
Poetry & Video @kategoescreating

…

Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Hebrews 7:26–27 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

Hebrews 9:11–14 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

…

Isaiah 9:6–7, John 2:19–21, John 12:24, Matthew 5:17, Matthew 28:6, Luke 24:6–7, Luke 24:27, Romans 1:4, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:4, Romans 6:9–10, Romans 8:3–4, 1 Corinthians 15:21–22, 1 Corinthians 15:55–57, Ephesians 1:7, Philippians 2:6–8, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 7:26–27, Hebrews 9:11–14, Acts 2:24, Revelation 1:18, Revelation 3:21.

…

He is risen!

A Poem for Saturday

Luke 17:20–21 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

Romans 8:23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Matthew 13:31–32 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Hebrews 2:8–9 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

1 Corinthians 15:25–26 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

He was taken, he was tortured, crucified, and nailed to wood.
But the story doesn’t end here, and that’s why it is good.

…

So much of my writing and poetry is about perspective. You will see consistent themes using the language of story—that though we are on dark pages in the middle of our stories, the Author is very good, and the ending of the story is incredible. But it’s hard to have this perspective on dark pages of pain, because darkness seems to drive away light, and pain has a way of freezing time.

I think Good Friday is a great tool and practice of pausing in the middle of a familiar story—on the darkest day in history. It forces us to feel the terrible pain and injustice of the cross and prepares us for the joy of the resurrection. Good Friday feels the tension of terrible pain while holding on to promised hope. Even though this day remembers the terrible agony and death of our Savior, we declare it “good.”

Because it is not the end of the story.

Many of us come to Easter this year in the middle of dark, dark pages—well acquainted with the effects of sin and death in this broken world. We have buried children. We have received the fatal diagnosis. We have felt the pain of broken relationships. We have suffered in mental illness.

And yet. We hold on to hope (Hebrews 10:23.)

“He is the king
Who set aside his glory
He is the author
who entered the story.”
-Incarnate

We still weep for the pain of this broken world - like Jesus did. We are encouraged to lament! In fact, each of our tears is caught in a bottle (Psalm 56:8.) But we do not grieve as those who do not have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.)

Good Friday reminds us that even here, there is a hope and promise that changes everything. Even our suffering. It reminds us that Jesus stepped into the middle of the story to redeem it.

If death on the cross isn’t the end of His story—then this dark page isn’t the end of yours or mine.

Hold on. Sunday is coming.

Hold on. Heaven is coming.

…

Make sure to listen to Sarah’s Risen, Part. 2 EP on Spotify and Apple Music today. @sarahsparksmusic

You are the manna from Heaven.
The daily bread of life.
You are the meal I eat.
Through you, my God provides.

You are both the hyssop branch
And the spotless lamb.
The Priest and the Offering
And the great I AM.

You said,
“This is my body
Broken for you
This is my blood
Poured out for you.”

And in a new way, I am full.
Your body broken makes mine whole.
In the valley of the shadow of death,
My cup overflows.
For I have tasted the sweetness of your sacrifice.
My dry bones have awakened to this food and drink of life.

-

This poem is featured in a FREE download for all email subscribers! DM with your preferred email address to receive the link. Includes a FREE Kid’s companion study!

This year’s Risen Artwork is available on the Etsy store. Link in the bio.

Jesus, The Word made flesh,
You said, “Let there be light.”
And there was.
Your words create and change reality.
Your words make dead men walk.

“The Word”
-

Poem and Video - Kate Lab, @kategoescreating
Music by - Sam Rae, @samrae2001

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This poem is featured in a FREE download for all email subscribers! DM with your preferred email address to receive the link. Includes a FREE Kid’s companion study!

This year’s Risen Artwork is available on the Etsy store. Link in the bio.

-

John 1:1 | John 1:14 | Genesis 1:3 | Hebrews 11:3 | Isaiah 55:11 | John 11:43-44 | Luke 7:14-15 | Matthew 28:18 | Job 42:2 | Mark 1:27 | Luke 4:36 | Matthew 8:8 | Mark 1:41-42 | Mark 1:25-26 | Mark 4:39 | Matthew 4:19 | John 1:43 | Matthew 9:9 | John 21:19 | Numbers 23:19 | John 17:17 | Romans 1:20 | Philippians 2:10-11 | John 14:6 | John 10:9 | John 8:12 | 2 Corinthians 1:20 | Hebrews 10:23 | Matthew 16:24 | John 12:26 | John 21:22

Cement my heart to know
[ Even with my dying breath ]
Though every day I’m dying,
This does not lead to death.

…

Isaiah 25:8
“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”

John 10:9
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”

John 11:4
“But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’”

John 11:1–6, 17–44

Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 Corinthians 15:26
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

1 Corinthians 15:54–55
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

2 Corinthians 4:16
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

Philippians 1:21
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Revelation 21:4
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

…

Music by @sarahsparksmusic
Poetry & Video @kategoescreating

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This poem is featured in a FREE download for all email subscribers. DM with your preferred email address to receive the link. Includes a FREE Kid’s companion study!

This year’s Risen Artwork is available on the Etsy store. Link in the bio.

- PALM SUNDAY -

“Look at the King! He is our King!
He will save Israel, Blessed is He.”
”This is our promised deliverer!” I think.
I know not what I ask for nor what I need.

But my belly is full and I like what I see.

It strikes me he rides on so humble a steed -
Palm branches tread by a donkey’s feet.
But I’m here for his power, his miraculous ways.
When I’m full and healthy, he gets all my praise.

While he’s riding high I will too ride the waves.

I call “Hosanna!” and yet I’m afraid
Of what these hands will call for in just a few days.
This triumphal entry has a note that sounds wrong,
What if this battle cry is a funeral song?

Is this a battle cry or a funeral song?

-

Music by @sarahsparksmusic
Poetry & Video @kategoescreating

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This poem is featured in a FREE download for all email subscribers! DM with your preferred email address to receive the link. Includes a FREE Kid’s companion study!

This year’s Risen Artwork is available on the Etsy store. Link in the bio. & make sure to listen to Sarah’s “Risen, PT. 2” EP this week on Spotify or Apple Music!

#palmsunday #holyweek #hosanna #easter

“The Shape of the Mountains” - Kate Lab, @kategoescreating
Original Music by Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic

I cannot experience anything beautiful, especially in nature, without seeing God’s incredible creativity and talking loudly about it. My joy in it is doubled when I can share it out loud. And when I can attempt to capture an experience with poetic words, it helps me to “see and savor” them anew (referencing “Seeing Beauty and Saying Beautifully by @johnstephenpiper .)

This poem is published in The Way to Ourselves Spring 2024 Literary Journal, “Renaissance.” Fun fact: This poem contains one of my favorite lines I’ve ever written, “You contain and limit the elements in elegance.” @thewayback2ourselves

…

Merriam-Webster Dictionary
“glory in” - phrasal verb
: to feel or show great joy or pleasure because of (something)

As I listen through the Bible this year with some of my church family, I have been struck again by how often God’s command, “Do not fear,” is immediately followed by the promise of His presence. This poem takes many of those references and puts them together in a prayer. Enjoy my son’s voice at the end. :)

He and I are both learning how to be brave. Maybe you are too!
…

Isaiah 41:10 - Joshua 1:9 - Deuteronomy 31:6 - Deuteronomy 31:8 - Isaiah 43:1-2 - Psalm 23:4 - Haggai 2:4-5 - Matthew 28:20 - John 14:27 - John 16:33 - Hebrews 13:5-6 - Acts 18:9-10

This poetic prayer was written while driving home after time with my family six years ago. As my sister, @sarahsparksmusic, heads to the airport with her husband this morning, I find I need this prayer again. Our family had a sweet time with my mom and dad and siblings and their families at the Outer Banks last week. So much fun and laughter together. But as we all head back home to different places across the country, I feel the great ache again of missing them and wishing we lived closer. As I grieve living so far from family, I am reminded that none of us are really “home.” That this broken earth isn’t a place we will ever be comfortable. And that although time is limited here, we are traveling to a place with no limitations on time. The ache I feel is really an ache for Jesus and heaven. And it’s a good ache.

If you’re comfortable sharing, how do you relate to this poem? What’s the ache that drives you to Jesus and the hope of heaven?
…

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” - Charles Spurgeon

* Revelation 21:4
* Hebrews 12:2
* Psalm 34:8
* John 3:16
* Matthew 4:4
* Matthew 6:11
* Philippians 1:21
* Psalm 18:2
* Psalm 62:7

“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Martin Luther
“Rock of Ages” by Augustus Toplady

…

Music by Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic
Instrumental “Control Line”

You are the God Who hears.
You are the God who sees.
You are the God who saves.
You are the God who keeps
His promises.

You are the God who made the earth
The God who catches my tears,
the god who records my sorrows,
You are the God who came here
To the world you created,
To save it.
We needed a way
And you made it.
Through the only spotless lamb
Who could pay the price,
Through the only priest
Who hands were clean
Through a sinless life,
Through the only offering
That could pass through space and time

You are the God.
You are the God.
You are the God.

And I am not.

…

“Two Truths to Comfort”
9.6.24

Music by my sister, Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic .

Psalm 34:17, 1 John 5:14, Genesis 16:13, Psalm 33:18, Isaiah 43:11, Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Psalm 145:13, Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1, Psalm 56:8, Revelation 21:4, John 1:14, Matthew 1:21, 1 Peter 1:18-19, John 1:29, Hebrews 7:26, 1 Peter 2:22, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 9:26, Isaiah 45:22, Romans 11:33-36.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4

…

Poem and Video - Kate Lab, @kategoescreating
Music by - Sam Rae, @samrae2001

A Poetic Prayer for Gloomy Hearts in Gloomy Weather

…

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” —Psalm 73:26

“For I, the Lord, do not change.” —Malachi 3:6

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” —Hebrews 13:8

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” —James 1:17

#prayer #poem #hope #liturgy #seasonalaffectivedisorder #mentalhealth #sad

Poem and Video - Kate Lab @kategoescreating
Music by - Sarah Sparks @sarahsparksmusic

Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 94:17-19
If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

John 10:28-30
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The Lord is my shepherd.
I have all that I need.

Because I have my Lord.
…

Psalm 23:4
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Matthew 28:20
“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

…

100% content by:
Kate Lab, @kategoescreating - poetry & performance
Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic - music & recording

A liturgy for Lent

Poem and Video - Kate Lab, @kategoescreating
Music by - Sam Rae, @samrae2001

You all know I love the church calendar. I love the change of seasons and reasons to anticipate and celebrate. Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent. I love how the season of Lent anticipates Easter. It’s certainly not a requirement or commanded in scripture, but it’s a tradition that has been helpful to me in moving my eyes from myself and the distractions of this world, to Jesus. And I want my motivation to be explicitly clear - not guilt or shame, but love for my wonderful Savior. I wrote this poetic prayer as a liturgy to begin this season, and Sam Rae composed this beautiful companion music!

Ephesians 2:4-5 – “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”

…

Lord,
In this season,
Take my eyes
From me to you.
And then may you
illuminate
My whole life
Through your light and truth.

To see the beauty of your glory,
& in comparison, my sin,
And then see redemption in my story
Because you have entered in.

To worship what should be worshipped!
To give what I must give.
Not to merit grace or earn affection
But because it is the only way for me to live

For I have been FORGIVEN!
Saved, by grace through faith.
And then adopted in the family!
Let me introduce myself by name

I am a child of God.
Coheir with Christ.
I will sell all my possessions
For this pearl of great price.

Lord, in the season,
Move my eyes from me to you.
Crush my idols, send the fire
That shows me who is who.

But my motivation is not guilt,
Manipulation, or shame.
Because of love, you carried the cross for me,
Out of love, I will do the same.

…

“It’s not small work. It’s grand, majestic, heroic work because you’re doing it in and through Christ for an eternal purpose that lasts far beyond this life.” - Laura Wifler, @laurawifler , A Million Tiny Moments

I’m tired. February was a month of grief and kid sickness and I’m worn out from both. I was reading the final book from @risenmotherhood , “A Million Tiny Moments” and struck by the second entry from Laura “For When You Are Worn Out.” It reminded me of this poem.

I need help seeing past this moment of work—this dirty dish, this hard conversation, this load of laundry, this time-out—to see the big picture. If I don’t, I whine and complain that all my work is undone and that nothing I do has significance or lasting importance. So I step back and look at the divine investment of my mundane tasks. I remember the inspired illustration of Scripture in the work of cultivating a garden—weeding, watering, and pruning. These daily tasks, these long days, are significant. God has called me to this particular moment of work through his gifts and divine circumstance. This next diaper is a good work laid out before me by God for this season of my life.

And my whole life is just a season. My entire life, I will learn how to die to myself, how to sacrifice, and how to be like Christ in his death and resurrection.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25).

Until heaven, I will remember this divine illustration of gardening. I will reframe my life and my daily work by it. I will weed and water in my own life for the coming harvest.

For moms who need this perspective in small doses, “A Million Tiny Moments” is a beautiful book with short digestible entries filled with wisdom from @emilyajensen and @laurawifler .

“Labor of Love” poem written by myself.
Original music is the instrumental of “Control Line” by my sister, @sarahsparksmusic .

And it’s as if,
No it can’t be.
Did God paint this sunrise for me?
And make these fragile flower for my eyes to feast?

Does He not paint the nighttime too?
Does He not show His glory through
These shades of pain and gray and blue?
Did He not make and shape the moon?

When the sun first set,
all I saw was black.
But as my eyes and heart adjust,
moon and stars light up my path
In my suffering I see I’m walking in
another’s tracks.

If my God is for me,
Then this is the best timeline.
If my God is good and powerful,
This moment was designed

For me.

For my good and His glory.

He who keeps you does not slumber.
He who holds you, holds you fast.
He is with you in The Valley of the shadow of death.
And beside you at the mountain pass.

…
“Does he not paint the nighttime too?”
Alternate title: “Sleepless night”
1.3.23

100% original content by:
Kate Lab, @kategoescreating - poetry, performance, & video
Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic - music & recording

Genesis 50:20
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

1 Peter 2:21
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:18, 28-32‬ ‭ESV‬‬
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

God,
Here I am again
Parched and weary
In a dry and dreary
Desert,
Wilderness walking.
The sun beats down
And critics mock me,
“There is no God.
What do you suffer for?”

With skin and eyes,
Cracked and dry,
I feel as if I
Should preserve
The water of my tears
And not waste any here
On this dry infertile ground.

My feet are tired,
The sole/ soul is worn,
I can’t go on.

I take the last step
I can take
Tears stream down my face.
And then I break.

And then my God says to me.
“I will find you in the desert.
I will keep you as the apple
Of my eye.
I will encircle you.
And care for you.
In the desert.”

Then shocked, I open my eyes
To find what looked dead
Is quite alive.
I thought these bones were dead and dry.
I see things I don’t expect to see
Colors- pinks, purples, blues and greens,
Something, even here, in this desert,
Is growing.

Including
me.

…

- “Honey from the Rock”
5.20.2022

Encouragement for when the kingdom feels more “not yet” than “now.”

Romans 8:18-25
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

100% original content by:
Kate Lab, @kategoescreating - poetry, performance, & video
Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic - music & recording

You are God.
And I am not.

…

“Two Truths to Comfort”

Psalm 34:17, 1 John 5:14, Genesis 16:13, Psalm 33:18, Isaiah 43:11, Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Psalm 145:13, Genesis 1:1, Psalm 24:1, Psalm 56:8, Revelation 21:4, John 1:14, Matthew 1:21, 1 Peter 1:18-19, John 1:29, Hebrews 7:26, 1 Peter 2:22, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 9:26, Isaiah 45:22, Romans 11:33-36.

Marriage is not ultimate. It’s a model—beautiful, but just a model—for something far greater. We are each of us on our way to The Wedding.

“If marriage shows us the shape of the gospel, singleness shows us its sufficiency.” —Sam Allberry, 7 Myths about Singleness @samallberry

And this beautiful background track is from Sarah Sparks’ new EP “My Love and An Ordinary Life” available today! And in the same way I think this poem for singles is for all Christians (single or married), I think Sarah’s songs on the every day love in marriage is edifying for all Christians.

I hope these words are an encouragement to you on a day that might make you feel like you are missing out. We are each of us on our way to the wedding.
…

You are exactly where
you are meant to be. Equipped and purposed. You are who the Church needs.

And in this very moment— You are loved. You are the Bride.
Each path to The Wedding holds both blessing and sacrifice.
 Each path is a model to be seen.
Marriage shows the Gospel’s shape. You show its sufficiency.

“Paths”

Though we are changing
Each day,
Our knowledge
And shared experiences
Of each other
Make our love very different
From the spark
Of romance
that began it.

But there is nothing wrong
With the way
I can rest and relax
In your love.
With the security I feel
In your known embrace.

It is the kind of rest
And freedom
You can have
When you know
Only God in death
Can part us.

And not much is more exciting
Than our two souls
Bound in a life-long adventure.

…
“Adventurers”

@sarahsparksmusic EP releases this Friday! It includes three beautiful songs on the gift of marriage. Don’t sleep on it!

A poetic promise to friends who are grieving.
…
Your grief isn’t old.
I remember. I feel.
Know that you are not alone.
I won’t forget.

Tell me again, how today you feel the loss.
Show me the picture, I want to see it.
I won’t get tired of wiping your tears,
And crying my own. I’m comfortable with
our wet cheeks and red eyes.
I love still to delight
in the person you once held.
Now gone.
But not forgotten.`

When the future is impossible to picture,
Don’t you forget to see me there.
Hands outstretched to you.
Walking and living the only way
We can - by faith.
Remembering, grieving,
hoping, believing
That some day, some day
this broken world will be remade.
The battle against sin will be fully won,
This present darkness
Overcome.

Until then, hand in hand,
- As we are meant -
We walk together.

—
“Where to Find Me”

Tag a friend you promise to walk through grief with or who has walked through grief with you.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Galatians 6:2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

“So like the moon waxes and wanes
When the feelings can’t be found,
Still I know my God is good
Like I know the moon is round.”

- KL
….

One of my favorite books about God’s goodness in the midst of suffering is “The Moon is Always Round” by Jonathan Gibson. It’s a 32-page illustrated children’s book about a boy whose family is anticipating and preparing for a new sister, Leila Judith Grace, who is stillborn at 38 weeks. Throughout the book, we hear conversations between the son and father about the moon, the different phases/shapes that we perceive, and the shape it is always. The moon is always round, even when you can’t see all of it. God is always good, even when you can’t see or feel it. This poem was written a while ago but it was helpful to me today.

Here’s one more poem I needed to write.

…

A recent grief is causing me
To take my own medicine.

But I do find
That the Jesus I’ve prescribed
And The hope I write in lines
When it echos words of divine
Inspiration,

Is good medicine.

And the God who wrote
Those words to me
Can handle all my feelings.
And give me strength
to believe
In the tethering truths
In every season.

….

Music by my sister, Sarah. @sarahsparksmusic

I hear you pray,
“O Lord, may
My whole life
be for your glory.”

But,
When you don’t
to disclose
Your sorrows,
You are withholding my story.

I am there in the highs and lows,
I am in the waves of grief.
If you hide from all your troubles,
How will they know
I bring relief?

Your trusting lament, in a minor key,
Is a sweet and fragrant offering,
A melody that points all who hear and see
To me, the Giver of all good things.

Sing, child. Sing.

….

“My Story”
1.26.23

I’m really grateful for my friends and family sharing their sorrows with me. For my friends and family bearing my sorrows. I’m grateful for people who do so publicly, laying their testimony out through books and speaking and social media. What a gift to see what God does through impossible situations. How He saves! Redeems! And comforts!

What a gift the church is when we bear each other’s burdens, when we let God use our sorrows and pain to grow us and the saints around us.

Two challenges in this:
1. Tag folks in the comments who are sharing their stories well.
2. Share your burdens with a sister or brother in Christ. Do it today. Don’t suffer alone. You’re not meant to.

The line “minor key melody” line is from my favorite book on lament called, “Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament” by Mark Vroegop. @vroegopmark

#lament #pain #poetry #prayer

A Poetic Pray for prayers that are hard to pray, and hope that is hard to hold onto.

I have a couple prayer requests that God has answered with “no” for many years. I am so grateful for a God who is just as good and kind when He says no as when He says yes. I’m also grateful for a God who wants to know my desires, who asks me to keep asking with hope, even when it feels scary. Who gives me parables and stories of the persistent widow and Hannah’s prayers as models for asking. I will not annoy Him with my prayers.

I have no doubts if my God is able, I have read too much scripture to deny the power of God. But sometimes it’s hard to ask because the hope and potential disappointment are too heavy to hold. But my God can hold it. He wants me to ask.

So I will call to mind His mighty deeds and miraculous works, I will pray in tears with hope and with confidence in the power of God. And whether the prayer is answered “yes” or “no”, still I will praise Him.

Romans 15:13 - Revelation 3:7 - Acts 1:7 - James 1:17 - Psalm 84:11 - Philippians 4:6-7 - Psalm 56:8 - Luke 18:1-8 - Daniel 6:22 - Genesis 21:1-2 - 1 Samuel 1:20 - Job 38:8-11 - John 11:43-44 - Isaiah 43:2 - Daniel 3:17 - Colossians 1:20 - 1 Peter 2:24 - Habakkuk 3:17-18 - Daniel 3:18

Music written by Sarah Sparks @sarahsparksmusic

“Cycles of Surrender”
10.19.22

Written & Performed by Kate Lab, @kategoescreating

& This music was composed by my gifted friend, Ellie Brooke, @ellieeebrooke

Make sure to check out her work! It’s stunning.

…
Luke 9:23-24
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Ephesians 1:11-14
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Already you have decided
How I will spend my day.
You change my plans
By the demands of
The people in my way.
And by the human experience
Of a world and body in decay.

But

Your limitations are not limiting
They are liberating signs
From an unlimited God
Showing me the best use of my time.

By taking away my control
You show me what I idolize.

So I’ll still pen my plans
But with my hands wide open
To the distractions of my day
Better named “divine appointments”
To see my sin, to trust your will
To love your people,
Plan A fulfilled.

For thine is the kingdom, the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.

…

“Thy Kingdom Come”
1.7.22

Resharing this poem as my prayer. I’m again feeling self-imposed pressure to produce and disappointment when I don’t. I expect this will always be a temptation of mine in whatever season of life I’m in. Praying that God would give me eyes to see my children as God’s gifts to me and opportunities for investment and growth, instead of seeing them as distractions from my real work. Praying God would remind me through the frailty and sickness of my human body that this world isn’t it. And praying that God would show the good fruit that is growing in days that otherwise feel “unproductive.” Praying the same for those of you who need a similar reminder. :)

Today, this moment (all its joys and hardships and work) was designed for me before time began by a loving, kind, all powerful God. And you too.

A poem for when you feel like you don’t have enough strength for today’s tasks, or enough resources for the good work laid out for you.

God is not limited by our limitations. He controls the outcome. And we’re called to be faithful, not productive or successful by human measurement.

What a relief.

My two kiddos (age 4 and 6) joined me singing the last line. They hung out with me while I finished the video. Hope you can enjoy their voices a fraction of the amount that I do as their mom.

“Divine Math”
Update 1.18.25

….

Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

1 Corinthians 1:27-29: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

Matthew 19:26: “...With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 14:17-21 . Exodus 3:14 . Jeremiah 32:17 . Mark 12:41-44 . Mark 12:41-44 .

Some perspective in poetry for those of us in seasons of grief entering this new year. Praying it’s an encouragement to those of you on really dark pages of grief: experiencing chronic pain, terrible diagnoses, infertility, death, painful relationships, depression, divorce, loneliness, job loss/frustration, parenting sorrows and more.

This story is better than the ones we would have written. Even on the pages and in the chapters that are incredibly dark.

The Author is a good author.
And the ending is very good one.

100% original content by:
Kate Lab, @kategoescreating - poetry & performance
Sarah Sparks, @sarahsparksmusic - music & recording

More reading:

* Proverbs 19:21
* James 4:13-15
* 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
* 1 Peter 1:6-7
* Romans 8:28-31
* Hebrews 12:2
* Revelation 21:4
* Revelation 22:13
* John 1:1
* Psalm 119:68
* Psalm 34:8
* Psalm 100:5

These human hands
Have written down grand plans
With to-do lists,
dates, and tasks.

But as I live out my days
What I see are the ways that
My God most often asks

For ordinary acts.

And if God asks it of me
- Be it dishes or laundry -
When my heart does it willingly,

The significance
is not ordinary.

…
“Ordinary”
1.6.24

I’m convicted again as I try to use my own New Year reflection and study with many interruptions to my sleep and quiet morning time. My most important tasks are the ones I have to do right now for the people God us placed in front of me. Things like folding and putting away clothes and greeting my children with joy when they wake up earlier than I want them too.

God is not surprised by the tasks we need to do today, He’s laid them out for us, for our good and his glory. And even the maintenance tasks magnified in mundane life that are always undone have eternal weight and significance.

Today I post this for my own sake, but you need the same encouragement to see today’s work with divine perspective.

Don’t wait till it’s perfect
Before you begin.
No good work is completed
By good intentions.

…

I have a lot of areas in my life that I find myself paralyzed because I’m trying to have a perfect plan - a perfect Bible study, a perfect gospel presentation, a perfect house and meal, or perfect words. I feel like I’m the king of good intentions. I have so many grand plans that never come to fruition. I’m learning to move forward with whatever I have- my widow’s coins, my five loaves, my two fish, my energy, my experience, my physical health, and my time.

This is especially true of me in these areas:
1. I cannot wait until I have a perfect plan before I read my Bible consistently.
2. I cannot wait for a perfect house or elaborate meal before I have people over.
3. I cannot wait for perfect skills and knowledge before I share the gospel.
4. I cannot wait for perfect words before I reach out to someone in grief.

I have fallen asleep reading the Bible and praying. I have served some bad meals in a messy home. I have given some convoluted and confusing gospel presentations. I have said the wrong thing to someone in grief more than once.

In every one of these skills I have also improved with practice - not arrived, but improved. God is not limited by my expertise. And God is gracious to me through the gracious people around me. And every experience of grace teaches me to be more gracious to other people.

What areas do you feel paralyzed by the desire for perfection instead of faithfulness?

More verses below!

One of my favorite things about Instagram is the opportunity to collaborate with people across the nation. So when Lana Scott (someone I watched on The Voice) came up with the idea to cowrite a piece using a background track from her new album and with the inspiration of the line from song, I was really excited!

I felt conviction in the writing of this, and conviction as I finished the video today. Hoping this is a similar challenge and conviction for you to consider about what you want to invest in and water this year.

. Matthew 6:33 . Ephesians 5:15-16 . Matthew 6:19-21 . Luke 10:41-42 . Philippians 4:8 . John 15:4-5 . Galatians 5:22-23 . John 15:1 . Colossians 3:23-24 .

Check out “Water It” from Lana’s new album, “Bigger Than Me.”

“A weed or a rose, everything grows where you water it.” @ameasureoflana

…

Poetry co-writers - Kate Lab and Lana Scott
Performance - Kate Lab
Music- Lana Scott
Video - Kate Lab

Lord,
This devastation has exposed
how little we control.
The power we think we hold
in this unfolding disaster,
cannot contend or comprehend,
we see more clearly in the midst
and after,

This world is broken, sin-sick & sin-stained,
You are the one who keeps chaos at bay,
And when our pretense of safety & power
is removed,

Only You remain.

Even today,
You see, you hear, you act in ways
we may or may not see.
You comfort and console.
Lord, Move your Church to be
Your hands and feet.
Move us with generosity
To relieve those with physical need.
Make us weep with those
Who are weeping.
Let us respond in humility.
Let us respond with empathy.

Lord, please.

On my knees,
On our knees.
Hear our prayers.

Help us with the help only you can give.
You have written us on this page.
For such a time and place as this.
This time and earthly space is our divine
Inheritance.

Until the lament is no longer our song,
Until We no longer ask
“How long?”
Until You come again and right all that is wrong.

Help us.

….
8.11.23
A Lament After Natural Disaster

Many times in life, God says a clear no to a good thing we’ve prayed for - health, marriage and family, careers, relief for pain. In the summer of 2023, I got three very final “no”s for things I’ve been praying for faithfully for myself and for others. Good things, but a good God has withheld them from us. So I wrote this as a lament with encouragement from my twin sister, Sarah, for when dreams die- to help us to do the important work of grieving dreams that will not be and then laying them down at the feet of a perfect and good God who cares for us. And to help us remember that if God is who he says is - good, powerful, and in control - we can acknowledge through our pain that this is for our good and his glory.

The dreams and hopes we have are so different, and yet the grief we experience in when they are disappointed is universal. Sarah (my twin sister) and I have very different dreams we have needed to grieve and let go of, and yet we can grieve together.

“Occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be. Grieve the losses. Then wash your face. Trust God. And embrace the life you have.”
― John Piper @johnstephenpiper

Open your hands, shed your tears, and then witness what beautiful things the Gardener is growing.

After you listen to this lament, listen to two song’s of Sarah’s, “The Artist” and “The Gardener” on spotify or apple music. I’ll share them in my stories today. And listen to the background track of this song, “Control Line” for a beautiful lament on infertility.

Lamentations 3:22–23 - Romans 8:28-30 - Genesis 50:20

I added it to the New Year Reflection because so many of us are entering 2025 with sadness at what did or didn’t happen in 2024.

“Funerals” 5.28.23
Poetry written and performed by Kate Lab
Original music composed by Sarah Sparks - @sarahsparksmusic

Prayer- My God, After sitting here with You,
Pouring out my burdens
And saying aloud
My gratitude

Somehow
I am both lighter
And more full.
I release my pretense
Of control.

I hold up my empty hands,
Offer you
My time, mind,
Body, and soul.
Because I can go on.
When I thought
I could not.

Add this
To my list
Of reasons to trust you.

[ The Final Benediction ]

May the lengthening of my list
Help me to kiss
The wave that throws me
Against the Rock of Ages
And shorten the time wasted
Before I trust you again
In the next storm.

…

Conversation Over Coffee

3.26.22

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Charles Spurgeon

“But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭69:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

For in your constraints is freedom
And in your limits is love.

…
“Closing Doors”

One of the most important questions to ask at the beginning of the year is how has God narrowed your focus through your limitations? What doors has God closed? This is a very painful question. Sometimes it requires us to let go of a dream we we’ve been holding onto for a long time. But, if God is good and in control, then there is no better place to be than in his hand. In his constraints is freedom, and in his limits is love.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Job 1:21, ESV

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.
Proverbs 16:9, ESV

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39, ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31

I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.
Ecclesiastes 3:14

“You are strong in our weakness.
All your resolutions true.
You lay good works out before us
And give us power then to do.”

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“Liturgy for the New Year”

Praying this poetic prayer is an encouragement to us, whether or not we are strolling or limping into 2025.
I’m very grateful for a faithful and powerful God who both hold my tears and fills my heart with joy no matter my circumstances.

“Look Up” New Year Devotional and Reflection is ready for download on my website. The purpose of this devotional study is to frame your year-end reflection and new-year aspirations in Scripture and God’s character. Prompts, verses, and questions are organized to look back at God’s promises and His faithfulness in our lives and look forward with hope and expectation at what He will do (even through trials and pain.) There will be praise and lament, as well as Bible study and artwork for reflection. Some will read this devotional with excitement for the new year, and others will read with weary hearts. My hope is this devotional has space and function for both.

This digital download includes:
The “Look Up” Study and Reflection (42-page PDF) in three formats: full-color, print-friendly (Black & White,) and mobile version, as well as 8”x10” PDFs of the New Year artwork.
Study includes original artwork, poetry, scripture, study prompts, reflection questions, and goal-setting templates.

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