Author: jennygracespoetryandcreativewritingtechniques

I am a published poet and short story writer. I have been published in SNHU's the penmen review. https://penmenreview.com/author/jenny-andrews is the link where you can find my poetry and a short story. Currently, I am writing a collection of short stories, and a collection of poetry. I am trying my hand at writing a novel. Well, not a novel, actually. Make that two novels. My passion is writing. My inspiration is Franz Krafka because he managed to see the absurdity of life. Life is all about perspective and who is telling the story. We all see this life through the lens of our experiences. Literature should inspire us to think, to analyze, and to get lost in unfamiliar worlds in which we learn something new about this human existence. It is my hope that my writing challenges the reader to think, and to see a different perspective, as well as be entertained. My faith in Jesus strengthens me and gives me the courage to survive the twists and turns of this life. My faith influences a lot of my writing in that goodness always triumphs over evil, in that love conquers all. I hope you enjoy reading my blog.

Procrastination: A Quote

“On the great clock of Time there is only one word: Now.“- Unknown

It’s early Saturday morning; this past week has been a very emotionally difficult one. I won’t go into the details here. I give my worries over to God and trust that He will protect me and provide me with the strength I need to face tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I was just flipping through the calendar book I keep on my desk and I saw this quote that I am referring to. It touched me, and so I wanted to share it with you.

People often say that tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Yet, we go about our days planning as if we will live forever. We schedule events weeks, sometimes years in advance. And then we procrastinate about pursuing and following up with those plans. We erroneously believe that we can do it all tomorrow.

Truth is there is no tomorrow. There is just now.

So, if you plan to give your loved one a phone call, stop reading this, and call that loved one.

So, if you plan to apologize for a wrong you have done to someone, stop reading this, and go and make that phone call. Don’t text it; texting is just another way to erect barriers between you and another person. Hearing a voice allows you to connect with emotions in a way that text cannot.

So, if there is a novel you want to write, or a painting you want to draw, stop reading this and go and do it.

Do it all now.

You will never have this moment in time again.

Tell the people you love that you love them.

Forgive those who have hurt you.

Ask forgiveness from those you have harmed.

People we love have a way of leaving us whether by death or other ways, so do not take them for granted.

In this life, there are no second days.

You only have now.

Please, please don’t waste a moment.

I will be saying a final goodbye to someone so very, very precious to me. I ache from the looming loss and I have cried almost nonstop since Monday. I have begged God to surround me with angels to get me through this. Honestly, I just don’t know how I will react to the final goodbye.

Please offer your prayers up to heaven for me and my family.

Now, go and tell the people in your life just how much you love them.

There is no tomorrow.

There is only now.

The clock is ticking.

Jenny W. Andrews copyright 2023

Jesus

Savior in the storm

Arms wide open to comfort

Heals our brokenness.

This cloudy, cool Sunday afternoon in mid-autumn, I have a lot on my mind. Two people whom I love dearly are both facing health challenges. I am reminded that all I can do is pray, and God’s enduring love in the face of life’s storms is sufficient. This life is indeed a storm, and we all get tossed about by the tides that threaten to take us under, but, we must all remember that God is with His children, and although we may suffer, we do not suffer alone.

God sent His son Jesus Christ to this broken world to give hope to the brokenhearted. And, I think we all are brokenhearted about the events that have occurred this past week in the Middle East.

We all carry our own burdens and our own scars. This life hurts; this life is unbearable at times.

But, there is hope. There is Jesus. And, He stands with arms wide open to receive us and to comfort us in our suffering. He is a mere breath away. Simply call His name and He will embrace you and heal you in your suffering.

Jesus is the only hope in this broken world. He is love. He is God’s son.

Please join me in praying for healing all those suffering souls in the Middle East, and worldwide.

John 3:16 prayer:

God, thank you for sending your son into this world to us, a broken people, held captive by sin. Help us trust in Jesus Christ alone as our savior, and help us to spread your love by our actions.

Amen

Jenny W. Andrews copyright 2023

Prairie Flowers

Petals reach for sky

Bathed in yellow majesty

Butterflies glide by.

Jenny W. Andrews copyright 2023

Note: Yesterday, I spent an incredibly peaceful day just enjoying the outdoors. The oppressive heat is finally going away. It was pleasantly cool, so I went for a walk and snapped several photos.

I also stopped by my favorite coffee shop and wrote this haiku.

I hope you enjoy it and I hope you take some time away from your busy schedule to enjoy this beautiful world that God has blessed us with.

Jenny

Notebook: Late 1980s

I cling to the past

to you in shadows of amber, grays, and fading indigo skies; fading light at the end of my days.

Your voice betrays your heart; you fail to have that part of my closed heart you briefly possessed.

The world babbles into chaos; I know I stand here alone among skyscrapers that bury me on this crowded street corner.

Train rushes past; I fail to grasp the image of your handsome face reflected in the shattered glass door that slammed shut.

Loneliness swells around me; crowd jostles me.

I want to deceive myself.

Like the shattered glass, I shatter.

Shades of dying light in hues of lavender, sepia, and soft rose.

Shifting world; shifting hues of light.

Jenny W. Andrews copyright 2023

After the Storm

Hurricane Idalia lost its strength by the time it reached my town. During the night, heavy rain and wind reminded me just how fragile and vulnerable we really are in this life. We are at the mercy of the elements really. Thousands upon thousands of years, humans have survived, though. We manage to move from disaster to restoration because we simply have no other choice but to survive. It’s in our soul. No matter how dark the night; no matter how desperate we become, deep within our human souls we look towards a light that burns within us all. We survive against all odds. We fall down; we get back up. Then, we repeat it all.

This morning, I dashed outside after the rain had stopped and saw this pink rain lily that I had planted way back in April. It simply swayed in the breeze, a testament to all that is beautiful in God’s world.

Fear and anxiety have the devastating punch of a storm hurtling towards a coastline with threats of absolute destruction. Fear and anxiety hinder us and rob us of joy, rob us of peace.

I am petrified of rain at night. I am absolutely petrified when it gets intense, like last night.

So, I turned my thoughts to God and His protecting hands. God is always with me no matter how dark the night; God is always with me no matter how strong the wind.

He is always with each of His children.

Life is full of events that cause us to fear. Life hurts.

It’s never easy when the rains come, when night falls and the world shuts into darkness, and the wind roars.

But, I turn towards God and trust that no matter how dark the night he is with me.

And, He is with each of us.

Through all the storms.

Copyright 2023 (photography and writing) Jenny W. Andrews