How Deep Is Love by Alan Kemp – A book of poetic expressions of God’s grace.
Alan Kemp, who along with his wife, Allison, runs a mental health ministry at Revive: Markethill Christian Fellowship, Armagh has published a volume of Christian poetry entitled: How Deep Is Love?
Alan was happy to pen an article for The Church Page which talks about the book and his personal walk with God.
Alan Kemp writes:
‘How deep is love’ is a poetic journey that tells of how a heart of stone can be made flesh when God gets to work, bringing forth tears of pain and of joy. Each poem displays my heart inside out for all to see, no holds barred, no censorship, no avoiding the issue or availing of the truth. Above all, I hope it conveys the reality of how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and that He is very, very much alive.
I have been saved for 10 and half years, having been an extreme atheist before, wanting nothing to do with religion or faith at all in my life. Anyway since being saved God lead me to begin writing almost straight away with a massive emphasis towards poetry. To be honest I never expected to be a poet let alone opening up my heart to the world, as up until then I couldn’t even express myself emotionally even to my wife.”
God used poetry in Alan’s life.
“But God used poetry to teach me and to begin healing me of my terrifying past which is another story. I never planned to write any of the poems in this book or the ones that followed. I would be sitting waiting for church to start or quietly at home or even just going about everyday life and words would flow. Often I wouldn’t know really what I’d written till the poem was finished and when I’d read it back, I’d understand what God was doing.
Sometimes it would be a message for others, a release and healing for myself or the process of the poem would be like God taking me on a bible study just for me for my life.
I didn’t really focus on sharing it at first until a friend suggested I begin a Facebook page. This page steadily grew and along the way I saw the poetry effect others, receiving messages that grew in number out of control. I saw people open up and ask for help. I heard of people’s lives being deeply affected not just Christians but the unsaved, so I promised to share everything that I didn’t feel was just of me.
Along the way Susan a lady in the USA contacted and offered me the opportunity to publish this first book. I thought it was a joke or a scam but true to her word she made this book a reality.
Since the book was published things changed again and the first edition was read by many different people and the stories and conversations along the way showed me just what God can do. I have seen people transformed as poetry opened hearts, stimulated conversations and allowed the Holy Spirit to convict and minister to the most unlikely of people.
I have watched people give their lives to Christ after poetry opened the door to talk about the Lord. I have seen tears come forth as the most unlikely people had their hearts softened by a few verses.”
“I often wondered why poetry?”
Alan says, “I often wondered why poetry? Why did God give me this gift? Well two thirds of the Old Testament is poetry and it’s there for a reason, a purpose of eternal importance. God’s word is alive and poetry, like the Psalms, reaches deep into hearts without the need for hundreds of chapters or thousands of words. Poetry says so much in so little. It cuts through the walls people put up to keep the past out, the world out, their fears or anxieties at bay.
God lead my wife and I to establish a mental health ministry and a lot of this book will relate to those who have or are struggling. It holds nothing back. The poetry I believe is unique in message and style. Books have been into prisons and into rehab to people who have endured great struggles. Copies have gone to various places in the USA from Kentucky to California as well as countries closer to home. Writing this I feel so blessed and in awe that a nobody with no poetic or literary education would be given or called to pen poetry to reach others.”
The second edition of How Deep Is Love by Alan Kemp is now available
Alan continues, “This is the second edition of my first book as I now have the content to write a series and wanted to simplify the cover so that they would all stand together. I had never really launched or promoted the book when it was first published. To some degree I think I maybe didn’t take seriously or realise the significance of why God gave me poetry. Now I understand that I must publish this book for the work of the kingdom to make way for our ministry. I hope that this book and any that follow will allow me to move out of my secular career to simply serve the King.”
Order your copy of How Deep Is Love by Alan Kemp
– a book of Christian poetry.
To order your copy of ‘How Deep is Love’ by Alan Kemp click on this link. You can also find Alan’s page – How Deep Is Love – on Facebook here.
