“You are so much more, my child.

You are much more than you see.”

—“You Are So Much More”

As an educator for twenty-five years with high school–aged kids, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to sit down in a counseling session and somehow get that message across to a seemingly hopeless youth who didn’t see his or her value.

God used me to communicate many life-giving messages.

The poems in this collection called Shine are God-given messages of Salvation, Hope, Inspiration, Nourishment, and Encourage (S-H-I-N-E). They are born out of a love for God and people I can’t generate on my own. Romans 5:5 tells us that the Holy Spirit pours out God’s love in our hearts. I encourage you to pray before reading each poem for the Holy Spirit to reveal its significance to you.

While many of my encounters with teens were as an advisor in relatively calm conditions, there were times these kids needed a more desperate message:

Hey there! Snap out of it!

Choose life over death in your mind!

Hey there! Snap out of it!

Don’t let thinking drive you blind!

—“Snap Out of Hopelessness”

Fortunately, I didn’t have to knowingly talk anyone off the ledge, threatening suicide. However, there were times when desperate words had to be said to encourage kids not to overthink their current life situations, letting them know there was hope.

Finally, there are personal poems designed to express this pent-up love I have toward my Father, God, hoping to inspire others to pursue this same intimate relationship with the Lover of our soul:

I desire passionately to pursue,

Clinging to You, never letting go.

My love for you consumes me,

Sending longings into my soul.

—-“When I Consider”

My prayer is you will allow this poetry to saturate your heart and soul with love’s possibilities!

--Michael Beal

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