Humble Perspectives: A Book Of Poetry b5929

Humble Perspectives

A Book of Poetry

Milan Newbill

Copyright © 2021 by Milan Newbill All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below. Christian Faith Publishing, Inc. 832 Park Avenue Meadville, PA 16335 www.christianfaithpublishing.com Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Gift Calamity and Chaos More Content Idle Time Breath Summer Nights Worthy Enough Faithful About Time Foster Focused Raise ’Em Right Fear Abuse RISE Not My Way Nature Power Tools

Shallow No More Chains Turned Down Your Eyes Righteousness Transition Turning It over to the Father Help Anticipation Alliteration Anthem True Friend Eternal Connection

Gift

God gave you talent; God gave you skill God gave you life and wants you to live in His Will God gave you hands to lift them in praise To serve His people so He can get the fame God gave you a voice to shout His praise God gave you a mouth to declare His name God gave you feet to go where He leads To follow the Great Commission by meeting other’s needs God gave you eyes to see people as they are God gave you ears to listen and hear another’s heart God has blessed you He has given you abilities to reach and teach To meet and greet and add to His sheep He has given you skills to work for Him Talents to serve Him Life from Him How will you use them?

Calamity and Chaos

We’re in trying times, unfortunate circumstances Causing the world to be blind Always inside, fearful and afraid to go outside Too concerned about what will happen next that we’ve left our joy behind Calamity has caused men and women to utterly lose their mind Going for things they want leaving the needs hard to find No one is able to sit back, relax, and unwind So much chaos has our hearts in a bind No room for sharing; what’s mine is mine Go, buy your own self a truck and stand in line We are living in a sad and crazy time No space to give; I need every last dime Such calamity and chaos sparked a rise in crime As a still small voice says, Don’t Worry We’ll Be Fine Another voice says, Don’t believe Him; He lies As he heard, the world let out a great and terrible cry Then the still small voice made a Sound reply His voice grew louder and took the world by surprise

He reminded them how much He loved them that He died How He rose the third day, and His Glory filled the sky Then reassured He would return and told them why His love stretches so far, deep, wide, and high He told us this chaos and calamity would cease and subside All according to His Will and in His Time

More Content

We want more; we are not content Not concerned with money as it’s being spent We’re greedy and don’t care for or tend to the needy Where will more take us? How far will we go? More money, more things, more hopes, more dreams It all sounds so good, or so it seems The more we have, the more we compare Spending time stepping on others without a care I have a two-story house and a Lamborghini My wife is beautiful and shows off her bikini You have an apartment and a Nissan Cube No wonder I always see you with your phone on YouTube I work in Sales and make plenty of money I believe you bag groceries at Costco, how funny I have no sympathy for you, only pity Maybe one day your wife will be half as pretty I need all the attention I expect to keep growing Unlike you grocery boy, I know exactly where I’m going

I’ve worked my whole life and don’t plan to stop Maybe one day, you’ll see what it feels like to be on top I won’t lift a helping hand or say an encouraging word While I look at you on the ground, I’m flying high like a bird Your dreams won’t come true; you have nothing to hope for But I, on the other hand, have so much left in store I’ll keep climbing the corporate ladder walking through every door. The Costco man reflected on each word, then reminded himself of what he stood for Knowing he is content living in his apartment Always on time for his rent; has no shame how his money is spent In his mind, there are no regrets, no need for him to lose it May not have the nicest ride, but on it, he can rely No! He is not arrogant or filled with pride, but he moves slowly, humbly waiting for what God provides So tell me, who is more content?

Idle Time

Taking up space, no purpose, useless Nothing, not active, pointless Idle. When nothing is going on, nowhere to be, no one to see You have time, space, and opportunity It’s you and your thoughts, you and your mind What do you wonder? What is it you find? Idle. Using your phone whenever and wherever just to the time On your phone in church, when someone is talking to you, even when you’re standing in line So much time is wasted being idle When there’s nothing to do, society chooses technology over productivity Why play outside when I have my television show to watch? Why read a book when I can play on my tablet? Why talk to my elders when I can communicate with my peers through Snapchat and Instagram Idle. On a slow day at work—just you and your computer screen

Sitting, waiting, wishing for something to do Too lazy to get up from your chair—no motivation to move Idle. Choosing not to do homework but listen to music Choosing to look at social media rather than read Choosing not to clean the house or help do chores Choosing to just sit on my bed and stare into space Idle. Wondering why no one comes to you for advice Constantly hearing the same question. What are you doing with your life? Feeling unwanted, insignificant, stagnant—no drive Not going anywhere, no direction, no end goal in sight.

Breath

We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for You Our lives literally belong to You You are in and with us, whether we recognize it or not My question is, how can we not? Every breath is Yours In You, we have life; in You, we are whole You breathed Your breath into us, and we became a living soul Each day we take what You gave us for granted, We use it selfishly. As our mouths continue to run rampant When we speak, we should edify, speak love and peace Instead, we spread lies and rumors, causing our knowledge to decrease Instead of speaking up and living right Being proud about things that matter We denounce them, ignore good things and repeat meaningless chatter We are alive because of God. God thought of us that much Everything else He spoke into existence But in His image, He took His time and uniquely formed us From the dust, we are created. No theory, cell, or space configuration

His breath gave us life. What a Holy representation Use your breath wisely who and where it comes from For just as He gives breath, He is able to take it.

Summer Nights

Summer nights with family drinking a tall glass of cold iced tea Summer nights sitting on your front porch forgetting about the heat Summer nights what a time to take a dip in the pool Summer nights, late nights—excited to wake up to no school Summer nights, there’s a peace about them, so relax and take it all in Summer nights wishing this night would never end Summer nights, turn up the music, and let’s groove Summer nights, take the dance floor and show off the moves Summer nights bring starry skies and full moons Summer nights need to be longer, so the sun doesn’t come back so soon Summer nights, enjoy the calm and let the good times roll Summer nights, take a deep breath and exhale. Summer nightlife, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Worthy Enough

What can I bring to You that will be worthy? How much am I willing to sacrifice? Can I truly give You my all? How much do I value our relationship? What do I have to show for it? Why do you keep seeking after me when I abandon You? How can You love me so much? Are You always this merciful and kind? What do You see in me? Will I ever come close God to where you want me to be?

Faithful

Even when I’m not, You are You never take the role of the star Even though at times you seem so far You never let down Your guard Lord, You are so faithful

Protector when I don’t see what lies ahead Corrector when I don’t believe what You’ve said You are The Truth. You have no tricks up Your sleeve Ever Present always available when we fall to our knees Lord, You are so faithful

You keep us from ourselves When we think we’re right and don’t need help Always there to comfort us from the pain we’ve felt If only we knew how much You cared Lord, You are so faithful

Being ever mindful of our sins, You bear You gave it all knowing what we gave You Proving to me Your love is complete and true So grateful You don’t focus only on our past Lord, You are so faithful You look ahead to the Ever and Last I pray I’ll serve You better and lessen my sins Knowing how much I need You to daily live Grateful for the hope to be with You in the End Lord, You are so faithful

About Time

Time to take care of business, time to stop messing around Time to get back those pieces of life I lost and make them found Time to step up and step out, out of my comfort zone Time to get back to really trusting God and have peace that I’m never alone Time to make decisions for myself and actually use my brain Time to stop coasting through life and hop on that high-speed train Time to read and reflect; Lord knows I need to Time to gather my thoughts and collect, leaning and depending on You Time to lead, grow and stretch, realizing there’s more to be done Time to work, prioritize and sacrifice; I didn’t say it would all be fun Time to lay down those lame excuses; laziness is bad for my health Time to take the time to build up others and myself

Foster

Broken homes, shattered dreams, hurt and pain, the normal feeling Taken from loved ones for safety reasons “The Man” is trying to do a good deed, but to the kid, it feels like treason I can’t imagine what it would be like to see your child only once or twice a week Not having them, not holding them when you desire Just the thought makes my whole body feel weak Having someone supervise you while you spend time with your kids Making you look back and contemplate what you did to get here Telling your child, I’ll see you next week, as you wait over 168 hours to hear them speak Wanting to know how their foster parents are treating your babies Wanting to make sure they’re safe and not doing anything crazy.

Fostering, taking care of your kids and someone else’s What a heart you have; I think mine just melted Feeding, clothing, loving, nurturing these kids who need to be taken care of Hoping, praying you can show them love Not to take over the parent’s role, but pouring into others often treated less than whole

Money helps You have to pay your bills. I pray it’s not the only reason you have this role to fill Dealing with emotions from kids not wanting to listen to you You’re not my mom. I hate you. Just leave me alone fills the room Not wanting to go to visits to see their mom or dad Picturing old memories, painful situations, and the struggles that you had I applaud those who foster It is an amazing choice You can hear the hearts of children and help them find their voice From broken and battered to brave and beautiful From terrified and torn apart to together and a team player From woe and worthless to winner and worthy From last and loser to leader and loved From rejected and rundown to restored and renewed.

Focused

Too focused on other things You miss out on so many opportunities You don’t model it, but you do a lot of talking You never think you’re wrong Too selfish to realize your cap’s not screwed on right You play too many games You don’t make time for important conversations You seem to have all the answers Too busy working. Open your eyes so you can see You don’t have to be so caught up You may lose out on someone you love Too mesmerized by your phone You spend most of your day looking down. Have to watch another video You wonder why you’re so tired all the time You don’t understand the damage you are causing to yourself.

Raise ’Em Right

Do you really love your kids? You say it, but when do you show it? You raise your voice constantly! Talking at them, not to them. You let them speak any kind of way. No correction? Where is the love?

Fear

I don’t want to do it What if they laugh at me? I’m not prepared As his legs shake and he enters the room Doubt rushes in The stutter grows, his voice cracks Ashamed of his condition and what he lacks, No confidence As he shuts up and leaves with his head down.

Abuse

Make it stop! Please, you’re hurting me She screams from her bedroom with an unwanted presence atop her The louder she cried out, the more he punished She left with bruises, scars, and scrapes She never thought she’d be the victim of rape At the age of seven, she never imagined her uncle hitting her before When mom and dad went on vacation, he saw an open door They had been gone for ten days, a much-needed getaway But at what price did their daughter have to pay? Mistreated. Called out of her name. Forced. Taken advantage of. So young with so much to say. So little and innocent. So much of her life taken away. So many thoughts race through her mind.

Too scared to pray.

RISE

Neglected by loved ones, hurt by close friends Told several times I’ll be with you until the end But the end gets cut short by unexpected events Each experience brings too much pain, sorrow, and grief Wondering when this life will give you comfort and relief 14 years dealing with an abusive father and a mother with too many addictions years young you lose your mom and your dad and don’t know how to cope 30 years old, former superstar running back, now on the streets selling dope 74 year old grandpa just saw his love of 56 years away 17 years old, in and out of foster homes, 15 years of feeling abandoned and alone So many stories… It seems dark, no hope, no light, no future in sight, struggling to make it through the night Age doesn’t matter. Loved ones are no longer in the picture frame Trying to improve and get better, but things continue to stay the same Rise. To move from a lower position to a higher one, to go up or get up from Rise from abuse and recover from an addictive family, the 14 year old stands strong, with no more bruises and her mother’s healthy Rise from the loss of life at a young age. The 7 year old has now turned the page,

living with grandparents where there’s comfort and cheer, and still doing well it’s her sophomore year Rise from selling dope to giving back to society. The former running back now coaches kids and volunteers, his life fully restored with trust regained among his peers. Rise from the hurt of losing a loved one to realizing the value of love and the joy of sharing it in the life of his grandson Rise from feeling abandoned and alone to continue hoping for a family and home. Still 17 years old, no more foster homes. Instead, you now call Kevin father, as he opens his arms wide to hug his long awaited daughter Life will be hard, yes you will struggle, but it’s about how you respond that counts You can rise from anything. Your past does not define you Family or not, money or not, abused or not, heartbroken or not. There is hope. Believe that is true A door will open, stay patient, stay ready Rise, lift your head and go up

Not My Way

My way is not always right It pains me to it When I see others doing wrong In my head, I question why wondering when they will quit Not recognizing I didn’t raise them not aware nor caring for their past In that moment, when the action occurs, I don’t want the wrong to last I figure if I say what makes sense to me, they’ll stop Not considering I come across as a wanna be cop I can’t stop everything To me, I was raised quote on quote right, but it doesn’t make me right I need to step back My heart is in the correct place, but my mouth can annoy At times when I do speak out, I become a killjoy I don’t mean to ruin moments or break up a silly joke I can’t take things so seriously; I must loosen my hold on the choke At the end of the day, who am I really? I have no right to say If someone has an opinion, it’s theirs. I shouldn’t make them pay

Nature

Can you hear the splash of the waters as the waves hit the rocks near the beach? Can you feel the wind in your face and the warm sand in between your feet? Can you feel the sun beaming down and waking you from your sleep? Can you hear the thunder as it booms and roars in the sky? Can you feel the warmth of the fire as you lay peacefully beneath the stars? Do you see the green grass throughout the valley? How widespread and beautiful it is. Do you see colors of red, orange, and purple painted across the evening sky? Do you see the splendor of the shooting star racing through a cold dark night? Do you see the snow covering the open field as it comes down while the children play? Do you see the majestic mountains towering above the ground? Do you see the flowers as they bloom in the meadows? Colors of yellow, green, pink, and blue. Can you hear the rain as it showers and drips to the ground? How refreshing and relaxing it is Can you hear the sounds of the birds? Bluebirds, cardinals, sparrows, eagles, and doves. Can you hear the cry of the wolves as they howl to the bright full moon? Can you see the vast rock formations along hiked trails, within waterfalls, and filling the land?

Do you see the sunset as you sit outside and enjoy its beauty? Can you hear the silence? Can you feel the peace it brings? Can you see the smile it puts on your face? Do you see the desert? Can you feel the dry heat all around? Can you see the clouds? Cumulus, fluffy, cirrus, white, stratus, gray Never knew all this nature could be so beautiful. With a cup of hot chocolate, the temperature just right, a walk in the cool breeze. What a delight!

Power Tools

If you have the right tools, you can use the right power You have the power; use the tools. Power is strength, enduring, and finishing to the end Power is might, having grit, not being afraid to get it in Power is a tool that comes from within Use all you have, be willing to dig again and again Dig until your power is gone by that time, your tools will be sharp enough to sing their own song Tools. How are you using them? Tools are meant to help, provide assistance, and secure things in their position Tools take a load off when things get too heavy Tools are cherished when properly taken care of and reused Use the tools you’ve been given Understand their responsibility; it’s no plaything Recognize your power, use your tools and dig in Utilizing these tools will give your power more validity This world needs all the Power Tools and their Operators to drive our hearts to win.

Shallow

You’re shallow. You have no sense of imagination. You don’t think outside the box You think everything is straight-forward and have to follow the time on your clock All you care about is looks Too busy focused on appearances instead of having your head in the books All you want to hear about is how much he can spend on you Willing to stay dumb and not be educated. Waiting for things to come free Stop. How does my makeup look? Is this Instagram worthy? Not considering what it feels like to know a gentle, meaningful touch Such low self-esteem. What a poor outlook on life As you ponder in your mind how much you’ve had to fight No depth. You can’t hold on too long; you’re afraid to sink. You have no power; you lack the right muscles to think.

When will you wake up and recognize the shallow water isn’t all around you? When will you reach out and go deeper, leaving the past behind you?

No More Chains

Free. Don’t let the chains of your past bind you Whatever you did before, it’s over When people bring up your past, don’t let it phase you Look them in the eye and smile. It won’t be easy to do Some will have a hard time accepting that you’ve changed They want to keep you stagnant; to me, that is strange Don’t forget about your past; it served its purpose Grow, move past it, keep building, and flourish No more chains Live free.

Turned Down

It didn’t feel good I thought I had it in the bag I planned it out and practiced. I even called my dad She was the one; I knew it in my heart I found out that day; love aims like a dart She rejected me. Such pain I felt inside I never experienced this sort of divide As tears roll down my cheeks I feel broken and incomplete No appetite, no drive Poor attitude, barely alive Sky-high to rock bottom in the blink of an eye.

Your Eyes

When I look upon your eyes, I feel a comfort I can’t explain When I gaze into your eyes, there’s a joy I can’t contain It feels like home. I stare deeply into your eyes; my heartbeat is for you Your eyes sparkle when you smile; you are the one I adore They soften when we embrace—I feel warm, safe, and whole Whenever I look at you, I aim to please When you’re sad, I sink with you in your teary eyes Whenever you’re excited, even small things make you shine When you get mad, those eyes shoot piercing arrows into my mind When you’re happy, those wide eyes open, and I get weak When I look into your eyes, I know this love is truly real.

Righteousness

Doing right consistently regardless of the circumstance God is never wrong He always keeps His Word He has never failed He is Truth Us on the other hand We think we live a righteous life Yet we seldom keep our word We fail constantly Yes, it pains us to it We’re quick to say one thing then change it We lie so easily We possess no truth if not rooted in Him We let our mouths run wild, continuing in sin Listen up so our priorities match His It’s not . It’s about God’s Son, Jesus, and what He did Strive to follow His ways mirror how He lived

Then and only then; can we know True Righteousness.

Transition

Transition. Moving on, moving forward Change of scenery, a new look, starting over It’s a process. Adjusting, regrouping, reorganize Transitions are a hassle, not a walk in the park Not known for its smoothness, be prepared to get on your mark Have to be set and ready when it’s time to Go Transition. Time to change, stretch, and grow Expect it to be uncomfortable It takes time to comprehend. Patiently waiting for this moment Hard-working sacrifices, fully prepared Walking with hunger and desire everyday Stroll into it with precision. Embrace it, knowing you’re in the right position Heart set, focused, and conditioned

Giving thanks to the One who gave permission This transition without intermission was His decision He paved the way.

Turning It over to the Father

Save me; I need Your help Here I am crying and embarrassing myself Can’t you see me, don’t you know what I’m going through? I thought you were in control and made all things new It’s been dark and bleak for quite some time The struggle is real; I can’t even lie My job let me go, my wife left me, and my son has a rare heart disease If You, truly are Lord of all, help me, please, Why is life so challenging for me? You said you would always be there and never leave I can’t feel you, God You’re nowhere to be seen I need your help. Jesus, please, intervene Wherever I have wronged you, Lord, make me clean Here I am, Lord, allow me to be redeemed I vow to serve You and keep You where You belong I finally understand That’s been Your place all along

Come and move like only You can I surrender to Your will and give up all my plans A tap on the shoulder grabs his attention He received a call with news that had to be mentioned He rushed to the hospital and found his son much better His wife was in the room with an apology letter He thanked the Lord for the joy of restoration Reunited together, no more separation His wife gave him the message from the police station He received his job back, full reinstatement All that was heard in the room was heavenly jubilation

Help

Help me, Lord, to be more in Your Will To move and go for You when I choose to sit still To seek Your face, be in Your Word, and accept it’s real Help me to believe and trust You no matter how I feel Let me resist the temptations of sin, give me a reason to kill it within Let my heart not be troubled, by Your Spirit allow it to be filled Help me to show more of Your love so You can be revealed Help me not be so concerned with the things of this world, like bills Help me manage life so I’m never stuck on medical pills Show me how to appreciate You without needing more worldly thrills Show me how to live upright Help me to be more in Your will Help me Lord to be more in Your Will To move and go for You when I choose to sit still To seek Your face, be in Your Word and accept it’s real Help me to believe and trust You no matter how I feel Let me resist the temptations of sin, give me a reason to kill it within Let my heart not be troubled, by Your Spirit allow it to be filled

Help me to show more of Your love so You can be revealed Help me not be so concerned with the things of this world, like bills Help me manage life so I’m never stuck on medical pills Show me how to appreciate You without needing more worldly thrills Show me how to live upright Help me to be more in Your will

Anticipation

Excitement Doing something you love Having the opportunity to serve Awaiting the task ahead Looking forward to the joyous feelings to come Peaceful Calming The beauty of seeing others with less Inspired by the hope they give you Makes you think about how you treat what you possess Hardworking, loving people Who open their homes and invite you to their table Giving all they have for others, although they seem unable Eye-opening Perspectives change Missionaries at work

Alliteration Anthem

God gives, grants, grows, and glorifies us in our grief He guides the weak and strengthens those who seek after Him He heals, helps, hearkens and hears our cry. As life goes by, we daily strive to stay alive and abide by His commands If you listen to Him, He has prioritized a plan, purpose, and place for where He wants you to go He wants you to be in Him, with Him, and for Him—know that you are not alone He will not leave you, let you down, or lose you. He is available to aid you He looks out, listens up, and leans in when we call upon Him. He adopted us, accepted us, and adores us in spite of our sin. God is patient, pure, and powerful. A protective provider who is pleased when His people praise His Holy, Heavenly, and Hallowed Name.

True Friend

A true friend is someone you can always count on They have your back and will stand with you, even when you’re wrong You’ve been through ups and downs and seen their highs and lows You have secrets between the two of you that nobody else knows You trust them with your life When your anger makes you lose it and you feel like you want to shout When you need that one to call because your family is acting out A friend is there to listen, comfort, and know when to give you space Understanding the same would happen if they were in your place A friend will you and show up to family gatherings Recording videos of your cousin who really believes he can sing A friend is your pillar through school and extracurricular activities Helping you achieve your goals that may produce endless possibilities A friend brings humor, laughing at old stuff from childhood Looking back on all the crazy, funny, stupid things they did A true friend is a gem and very hard to find All the more reason for them to be cherished A friend will tell you what a bad idea is

Then turn around and when you have a good idea A friend will speak the truth when needed They know how to be quiet until the task is completed A friend is one you can talk to all night long Then turn around to give you company at dawn A friend knows where you came from and will stay until the end A true friend is someone you can always count on

Eternal Connection

Everlasting, Forever, Set in Stone Unbreakable, Unshakeable, Undeniable Strength, Power, A source you can depend on Be Rooted in Christ, Grounded in His Love Be Prepared and equipped for every challenge that comes Realize your help comes from Above Understand this bond, this connection, starts with Him Jesus came down from Heaven to die for our sins He showed us how to love by being a servant Church listen up, because this trait is worth it He gave it all so we can live, giving us the path to get to Him Jesus is The Way, He paid the Ultimate Price This Connection with Christ grants us access to Eternal Life Live for Him, live peaceably with one another Love Him, love deeply one another Never forget where your Eternal bond started Always stay connected and hold on to The Promise

About the Author

Milan Newbill is born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and is happily married to a beautiful woman that has been a blessing to him. He is the youngest of four siblings and is very close to his family. He loves his church, building relationships with people, serving others, and hearing their hearts. One of his ions is missionary work, and life’s journey has taken him to Haiti, Africa, and Mexico both during and after college. Additionally, he thoroughly enjoys going to the movies, being in the rain, playing soccer, playing basketball, and eating food. He learned to love writing in kindergarten and began to write about things he saw. His interest grew, and he fell in love with the work of Langston Hughes during the Harlem Renaissance at an early age. As Hughes said in his poem entitled Dreams, “Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die life is like a brokenwinged bird that cannot fly.” At age eleven, he began to seriously write his thoughts, and it turned into poetic expressions that he enjoyed so much. Milan would ask people he knows to give him topics so he could challenge himself to write about them. He is quiet but a strong leader. He honestly did not believe he would have made it this far with writing, but by God’s grace, he is here daily, striving to be closer to Jesus Christ and carrying himself in a manner that honors God and shows His love.