Read the winning poems from October's Writing Challenge!
The October Writing Challenge from the Southern Christian Writers Conference was to write a poem using one of these two titles--"Darkness and Light" or "Faith Over Fear."
October can sometimes be identified by fearful images and, as the days grow longer, darkness can impinge on the light. But, we wanted to celebrate that light and faith always emerge; we think that you'll find the images and messages in the winning poems below to be especially creative and inspiring.
We are overwhelmed each month by the number and variety of submissions we receive to our writing challenges and, as always, we wish we could acknowledge everyone who submitted with some sort of award. Please know, though, that all of the poems received were excellent. You should be commended for your wonderful writing!
After reading all of the poems submitted to this month's contest, we're excited to announce the following winners...
1st place: Marla Price
2nd place: Randy Williams
3rd place: Melanie Milton
Honorable mentions: Christy Bell, Aimee Graham, Kristin Griffin,
Anna Hendricks, and Tara Seahorn
Enjoy reading their wonderful, winning poems below!
"Darkness and Light
(A Lesson from the Geese)"
by Marla Price
Horizon glows with waning light,
Deep orange-purple, hues so bright
Just like the fire, now freshly lit,
A wisp of smoke, dry hickory split.
The geese above still find their way
Though darkness blankets human gaze.
Their silhouettes—invisible
Against the black—a miracle.
Their honking calls, like cheers, do guide
The flock along, on wings they glide.
No stopping now to rest a while.
I wonder at their task, and smile.
Yes, on they beat, as if a race
Against the clock, a rapid pace.
For deeper into darkness fly,
No turning back, they dare defy.
They know this truth, and so remind
The rest of us, so we can find
Our way despite the fears that grip
And shake our faith, yet God equips:
Keep pushing on—you’re not alone.
A few more miles, and you’ll be home.
Those darkened skies will turn to gray
And then full sunlight, break of day.
The cycle’s done, just ash remains.
We come and go, the seasons change.
Take comfort now, there’s rest and peace.
For on we fly, we speckled geese.
~~~~~~
by Randy E Williams
(Living with Post Traumatic Stress or Moral Injury has unique spiritual challenges. Many veterans live with intrusive thoughts and regret or guilt for years. Here is one veteran’s prayer.)
Confused and conflicted, I start my day.
What now, dear God?
Enough! I say!
Confused and conflicted,
My heart filled with pain,
Hoping one day, You will show me the way.
Confused and conflicted, I start most days,
Why, dear God? What have You to say?
Still…I want to trust You,
Will I have better days?
Distracted, my mind wanders.
To a better place I go.
Take me there, dear Jesus,
Your face to me show.
Confused and conflicted. . . no, not today,
Undeserving, I may be
But God has made a way.
“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
The sun and the moon were chatting one day
“My day was quite good” the sun quickly replied
As he flashed a glowing faint smile.
“I’ll leave it with you my trusted dear friend
As I set to rest for a while.”
“Must be nice” said the moon trying hard not to swoon,
“To have your light shine oh so bright …
To witness the fun, yes fun in the sun
While my light only shines in the night.”
by Christy Bell
Overwhelming Light
Darkness begins where the light ends.
Slowly creeping,
Softly suffocating.
Darkness begins where the breath ends.
And, yet, my eyes still see
a glimmer
a tiny shimmer
in the black sky
That the darkness forgot to cover.
Darkness ends where the light begins.
Slowly opening,
Softly warming.
Light begins and the darkness flees.
And, then, my eyes can see
the brilliance
the life
the Living Light
That the darkness can never extinguish.
~~~~~~
"Faith Over Fear"
by Anne Hendricks
The snow fell deep that bitter year, My heart was heavy, filled with fear.
"Faith Over Fear"
(Living with Post Traumatic Stress or Moral Injury has unique spiritual challenges. Many veterans live with intrusive thoughts and regret or guilt for years. Here is one veteran’s prayer.)
Confused and conflicted, I start my day.
What now, dear God?
Enough! I say!
Confused and conflicted,
My heart filled with pain,
Hoping one day, You will show me the way.
Confused and conflicted, I start most days,
Why, dear God? What have You to say?
Still…I want to trust You,
Will I have better days?
Distracted, my mind wanders.
To a better place I go.
Take me there, dear Jesus,
Your face to me show.
Confused and conflicted. . . no, not today,
Undeserving, I may be
But God has made a way.
“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.
Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
Psalm 32:3-5
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”
Psalm 32:3-5
~~~~~~
"Darkness and Light"
by Melanie Milton
The sun and the moon were chatting one day
As embers at dusk blazed their last,
“How was your day?” the moon kindly inquired
As he drifted by slowly on past.
“How was your day?” the moon kindly inquired
As he drifted by slowly on past.
“My day was quite good” the sun quickly replied
As he flashed a glowing faint smile.
“I’ll leave it with you my trusted dear friend
As I set to rest for a while.”
“That’s nice” said the moon with a downcast gaze
“Have children been all out at play?”
“Have children been all out at play?”
“Oh yes” squealed the sun … second to none,
It was truly the loveliest of days.”
It was truly the loveliest of days.”
“Must be nice” said the moon trying hard not to swoon,
“To have your light shine oh so bright …
To witness the fun, yes fun in the sun
While my light only shines in the night.”
“Rubbish” roared the sun with a half-hearted grin,
“Without you where would they be?
Darkness would cover the land for sure
The kids would have no light to see.
“Without you where would they be?
Darkness would cover the land for sure
The kids would have no light to see.
It’s by your light they chase – and do so with haste
Those June Bugs they catch in small jars -
And besides all of that, you lucky cool cat
You get to hang out with the stars!”
Those June Bugs they catch in small jars -
And besides all of that, you lucky cool cat
You get to hang out with the stars!”
“But my sole claim to fame – lest I complain
Is that I summon sweet rest in their beds,
Except for one time, as the old story rhymes,
When a cow jumped over my head!”
Is that I summon sweet rest in their beds,
Except for one time, as the old story rhymes,
When a cow jumped over my head!”
As the sun scratched his chin he began thinking again –
He had plenty to say on this day.
A cloud drifted by in the low moonlit sky,
“Friend, I’ll share some Good News if I may.
He had plenty to say on this day.
A cloud drifted by in the low moonlit sky,
“Friend, I’ll share some Good News if I may.
You were created you see – and so perfectly
To reflect My Light as you shine.
So when you give light as you do in the night
You mirror My Light in His time.
To reflect My Light as you shine.
So when you give light as you do in the night
You mirror My Light in His time.
Now hasten my friend as the dark closes in
You have work to do in this land
Shine bright as you rise in the stunning night skies
Your time to shine is at hand.”
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
You have work to do in this land
Shine bright as you rise in the stunning night skies
Your time to shine is at hand.”
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
~~~~~~
"Darkness and Light"
by Christy Bell
Overwhelming Light
Darkness begins where the light ends.
Slowly creeping,
Softly suffocating.
Darkness begins where the breath ends.
And, yet, my eyes still see
a glimmer
a tiny shimmer
in the black sky
That the darkness forgot to cover.
Darkness ends where the light begins.
Slowly opening,
Softly warming.
Light begins and the darkness flees.
And, then, my eyes can see
the brilliance
the life
the Living Light
That the darkness can never extinguish.
~~~~~~
"Faith Over Fear"
by Anne Hendricks
The snow fell deep that bitter year, My heart was heavy, filled with fear.
A fragile life inside of me, A winter's tale of dread, you see.
My soul felt weak, my hope felt low, Watching the north wind drift and blow.
I knelt in prayer beneath the rod, And gave my anxious heart to God.
I trusted Him in darkest night, To bring His promise into light.
I held onto the words He gave, A faith that conquered every wave.
Then came the spring, the earth in bloom, Dispelling every shadow's gloom.
And when my healthy son was born, A full-term blessing on that morn.
My faith had won, my fear was gone, A brand-new life to carry on.
A victory proved within my home, I was not, and am not, alone.
My soul felt weak, my hope felt low, Watching the north wind drift and blow.
I knelt in prayer beneath the rod, And gave my anxious heart to God.
I trusted Him in darkest night, To bring His promise into light.
I held onto the words He gave, A faith that conquered every wave.
Then came the spring, the earth in bloom, Dispelling every shadow's gloom.
And when my healthy son was born, A full-term blessing on that morn.
My faith had won, my fear was gone, A brand-new life to carry on.
A victory proved within my home, I was not, and am not, alone.
~~~~~~
by Kristin Griffin
Send me a dream tonight?
I promise I’ll check
My disbelief at the door
Like the forgotten scarf
Hung on the school house hook
Unwanted,
Abandoned in Springtime.
Seemed prudent to bring it,
Smart people prepare
But now in the playground light of Spring
It’s just stifling and itchy
Strangling the life
Right out of my
Head filled with faith,
Waiting to hear from You.
Send me a dream tonight?
I promise I’ll check
My disbelief at the door
Like the forgotten scarf
Hung on the school house hook
Unwanted,
Abandoned in Springtime.
Seemed prudent to bring it,
Smart people prepare
But now in the playground light of Spring
It’s just stifling and itchy
Strangling the life
Right out of my
Head filled with faith,
Waiting to hear from You.
~~~~~~
"Darkness and Light
(The Rose and the Storm)"
by Tara Seahorn
The garden blooms bright,
The roses blossom and grow;
Unsuspecting of storms,
And the winds that will blow.
The rose petals open,
The day begins;
The sunlight shines bright
And gentle the winds.
But darkness appears,
And begins to seep in…
Like in our lives,
The sins within.
The winds get harder
Some petals are lost.
Will the rose make it through,
Or be uprooted and tossed?
The same holds true
For you and me.
Are our roots planted deep,
Like a mighty tree?
The storms of life will come,
And toss us about;
But with our eyes on the SON,
We’ll find our way out.
We are like the rose,
We stand tall in the sun…
But when the darkness comes
Do we stumble or run?
Do we fall in the dirt,
Our blossoms tossed away?
Or do we cry out to Jesus
Do we stop and pray?
Jesus is the way,
Through the storms of life.
In the darkness, He’s light,
Our comfort in strife.
Our bloom may wilt,
Our leaves may fall,
But with Jesus, the LIGHT,
We’ll get through it all.
~~~~~~
"Faith over Fear"
by Aimee Graham
A gaggle of girls
In the midway lights' glareTall enough finally
To ride what they dare
They run ride to ride
Their world is wide open
The wind in their faces
Their senses awoken
They are wild and intrepid
Big adventure they crave
Save for one little girl
Who's not quite so brave
She wants to run too
Because what will they say
Those dauntless girls
Who leap into the fray
Her faith just an ember
But her fear a full flame
She cannot extinguish
She'd rather face shame
Because what will they say
Those dauntless girls
Who leap into the fray
Her faith just an ember
But her fear a full flame
She cannot extinguish
She'd rather face shame
So she sits all alone
On a ride for a child
And she dreams of the day
Faith flows free and wild
I watch from the sidelines
As forlorn as she
She is child of my child
But she used to be me
Her expression is stoic
But her eyes tell the tale
She has let herself down with
The fear she can't quell
And I wish that she knew
Though it feels like succumbing
Her faith might be small
But she still is becoming
Though it feels like succumbing
Her faith might be small
But she still is becoming
Congratulations again to all of our winners--and to everyone who submitted this month--and we hope that you'll join in the fun as we sponsor the last two challenges of the year.
To get you started, here are the final two challenge of 2025 as we look to November and December.
November Writing Challenge: Imagine that you're hosting Thanksgiving dinner and you can invite ANYONE (a person you know or knew, a historical figure, celebrity, Biblical figure, etc.) to it. Write a reflection on who your guest/s would be, and how the meal would go. (Maximum of 1,000 words. Deadline: Nov. 20. Email to scwritersconference@gmail.com with "November Challenge" in subject line.)
December Writing Challenge: Write a journal/diary entry in a childhood voice, sharing either a true memory of Christmas morning from your youth OR creating a fictional story about a Christmas morning. (Maximum of 750 words. Deadline: Dec. 7. Email to scwritersconference@gmail.com with "December Challenge" in subject line.)
The winners of all monthly challenges from 2025 will be published in our special ebook coming out on Dec. 22. It will be available on Amazon as an ebook and on Kindle Unlimited, and we can't wait to share this new annual publication with you.
** Want more information about the Southern Christian Writers Conference? Join our vibrant Facebook community here. **
Comments
Post a Comment