Writing Poetry for Christ

©2021 Catherine Posey

Poetry is a unique portrayal of an author’s emotions and thoughts—a means for a writer to put their feelings down on paper. As a young teenager and throughout my life, I often released my pent-up sentiment by writing a poem. I would extend every part of my thoughts flowing within onto the paper before me, therefore releasing my agony or joy. But how can we write poetry for Jesus Christ? How can we reach the world for Him with our rhymes?
After attending a writer’s conference with my daughter, a Christian fiction author, I felt God tug at my heart to use my love of poetry to reach people for Him. Here are some ways you can write poetry for Christ:

  • Choose one or two Bible verses as your focus point. Spend some time praying for God’s guidance on which Bible verse He would have you write about for each poem. With His leading, we are sure to write exactly what we are intended to write.
  • Pull from your personal experience—how God has come through for you. When we stop and think about how real God has been to us, how many blessings He has given, and all the different ways He has met our every need—we can truly begin to share our Christ with the world.
  • Erase and rewrite. When writing poetry, it is up to the poet whether or not the lines rhyme, what syllable pattern to use, and how to capitalize or punctuate. Whichever way you choose personalizes the style of your poetry. Once you have that established, you will erase and rewrite many times until you find the perfect rhyming word or the correct syllable combination. Use a pencil and have fun during the process. You are creating a personal message from the heart.
  • Add a short devotional to further explain your message for Christ. If you would like, you can add a short devotional to complement your poem, giving more thoughts or Scriptures on the same subject.
  • Accompany your poem with a beautiful picture or drawing. This is optional, but if you can add a beautiful illustration with a meaning that supplements your poem, how lovely is that? Your readers will grow to love not only your words from the heart but your selection of delightful images or art.

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Catherine Posey is an award-winning poet and the author of To Hear His Voice: Poem & Devotional Book. She has been writing poetry since her childhood years and now enjoys writing for her Savior. Catherine’s poetry won third place in the 2020 Foundations Award at the BRMCWC. She has a Bachelor of Science Education Degree from Hyles-Anderson Bible College and has homeschooled her children for over 16 years. Through her Christian poetry, she encourages and teaches others to have a deeper walk with Christ.