This sonnet is written in honor of my friend and fellow poet Tonya Stanley who even now is making the last journey which will bring her to her eternal home.

The words are a re-imagining of her own poem “With All My Heart” which she self published in her own collection of poetry titled, With All My Heart (2010).

Grace Presbyterian Church’s worship leader, Michael Kuehn, took her words and worked them into a song which we regularly sing in worship and which I am happy to share here.

Here is my re-imagining of her words, and you may listen to it as well.

Arise now, stand strong and healed
Safely home, never to depart
Welcomed to the broad and spacious field
Of His expansive love filling — all your heart.
Come now, made whole and see
With your own eyes the One —
The Poet who rhymes words into reality
Whose mercy shines as morning sun.

With all His heart, he welcomes you,
Whisp’ring words of love to allay your fear
His salvation searches, makes you new
As he gently wipes away every, last tear.
And taking your hand, “Little one, awaken in my light
What was imagined in thy heart, is now given in thy sight.”

© Randy Edwards 2016
artwork: Gabriel Max. The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter , oil on canvas, 1878.

You may listen also here:

https://audioboom.com/boos/4981182-with-all-his-heart