In the fall of 2011, Debbie Andrews Smith had an encounter that would not soon be forgotten. She was praying about many things that day; one was for blessings for a young couple whose love and zeal for the Lord was inspiring to her. She longed for the confidence to be more outspoken about her faith so that she, too, might be used in leading souls to the Savior of the world. Upon expressing this desire to the Lord, she heard Him clearly say, “Debbie, … saving souls is what it’s all about. Don’t worry; you’ll find your own way to speak about me.” This was the first time Smith had audibly heard His voice, and the moment was far from disappointing.
A year and a half later, in the Spring of 2013, the blooming writer showed some pieces she’d recently written to her family and friends. Many encouraged her to get them published, but it was the persistence of one of her sons that brought revelation. Her writing was a gift from God; He would want it shared. Smith let those words sink in, recalled the overwhelming encounter with Him she’d had, and realized that poetry would be how she’d speak about the Lord.
Although she claims to have only dabbled in “floetry” — she defines this as “the Spirit of God flowing and working within me which flows from my heart and soul to another” — her passion for it has flourished with God’s guidance. Her book, Echoes of His Heart, is the product of her diligence in conveying Scriptural truths. From cover to cover, readers will come to learn that “He loves, heals, forgives, saves, and speaks.” Accompanying every poem is a verse at the bottom of each page.
One of the most fitting poems for the book is “The Invitation.” Much like the book as a whole, this poem welcomes people to join the journey of following Jesus and gives a glimpse of the promises that come with having Him in our lives. Its lines are as follows:
The Invitation
You are cordially invited to embrace Jesus Christ
His yoke is easy; His burden is light
All who are weary and heavily laden
please know that His rest is a prayer away
Accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord
brings new strength with each new day
He’s always available, so we’re never alone
When we stay united, He helps carry our load
We’re lost without Him; we need Him in our heart
Once we have Him, we won’t want Him to part
It’s up to us, but of this we can be sure:
Our present life is but a blur
The sooner we accept His gracious invitation
The sooner we’ll become a brand-new creation
We can also reject His invitation
and reap the consequence this brings
Our decision is eternal—Have you RSVP’d?
You are personally invited to embrace the Great King!
Smith says, “This book is a testimony of my faith and my contribution and tribute to God Almighty.” She knows that the Lord will use it for a grander purpose than she could ever fathom and feels strongly that if it brings one stray person back to Him or leads one new soul to Him, “then her book will have achieved its purpose.” With the air of boldness, she has received these last few years, Smith is determined to continue sharing Jesus as she is a firm believer He is not meant to be kept a secret.
Echoes of His Heart
Messages of Hope, Forgiveness, Mercy, and Grace
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