|Written 2010|
*from my Emerge collection, being poem #9. Please see the collection page itself.

In the heart and spirit of "The Living Fire" and "Snare", I wrote "Unwelcome Visitor" in prayerful inspiration, but in more of a quick burst than the others. I believe I wrote it the same night as "Snare".

It's a reminder that though sin and temptation always crouch at the door, calling us back, God gives us the strength we need; let's keep our eyes on Him. Because despite the fact that we fell, and at times even may still stumble, God carries us by the hand. And that lion crouching at the door, waiting to devour us? Well, God's already crushed it, shackled its feet, and bound in it chains. You have freedom through Jesus Christ. Believe it. And should you stumble, pick up, accept God's grace which is more than your own, and move on, move forward in Him. Our victory awaits ahead, in Heaven, where our Advocate sits seated at God's right Hand. Amen.

I revisited "Unwelcome Visitor" in 2012, expanding it and tweaking it as I converted it into the form of a song. It's the most progress I've ever achieved on a song I've written, and it was done for a school project in my guitar class. I wrote (with some help from a friend on chord choice & arrangement) and recorded it with vocals, chords, a melody, and some extra effects. Unfortunately, the compiled recording file got corrupted and is lost forever. But I'd love to make and finish it in recorded form.
The expanded song lyric version is probably about 6-7 times the length of the poem in this original form.

I liked UWV so much, I even started writing a supernatural thriller novel based on it (but I've had some writer's block), and have had thorough ideas for a music video for the song version.

Like many of my other poems and writings, Unwelcome Visitor is a gift from God.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poetry, I just ask that you show courtesy by being honest and attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford

|Written 2010|
*from my Emerge collection, being poem #8. Please see the collection page itself.

"The Living Fire" was at once one of my favorite poems I had ever written. It was of the first that I knew and could feel undeniably that The Holy Spirit was involved in my writing it, leading its construction fluidly as it poured out from my soul. I had never experienced that before, and it sparked a love for poetry in me, in contrast with my previous disposition towards it. TLF is deeply personal for me and its birth was a significant moment in my life. I still remember the night.
I wrote it after a repentant prayer, pleading to God for forgiveness, help, and freedom from an addiction to ****. I felt his all-encompassing Love consume me in a way that lit my path for a forward journey in forgiveness and grace, as I learned what it is to be a child of God, walking in freedom and not being restrained by shame that comes not from him but from the enemy.

Like "Snare" and "Unwelcome Visitor", I later revisited this special landmark, applying a vocal melody and tweaking it some to be better suited as song lyrics.

If I remember correctly, "The Living Fire" predates "Snare" by hours, or less. I think I wrote them on the same night, or at most, consecutive nights.

Line 10 originally said, "the last beams fade", but I thought it was too unclear that I was referring to beams of light, and could not fit both of those key words into the proper # of syllables, so changed it ultimately to its current form.

© 2017 A.D. Sifford.
I'm okay with you sharing my poetry, I just ask that you show courtesy by being honest and attributing it to my name. Thank you,
- Sifford