Christmas in Heaven
From LoveToKnow Christmas
Wanda Bencke is the author of the poem “Christmas in Heaven”, a comforting rhyme to ease the pain of losing someone you love.
Bencke’s Inspiration for “Christmas in Heaven”
Bencke has had a life filled with both deep sadness and boundless joy. She notes that she was a teenaged unwed mother who gave her daughter up for adoption, a pain that remained with her for more than 25 years. Now, she and her daughter are reunited. This, Bencke says, is a gift from God.
However, that was not her only trial. Bencke and her husband had three daughters, one of whom, Lysandra, was born with cerebral palsy. Lysandra’s condition was quite severe, but Bencke believes it was God’s will to fulfill Lysandra’s destiny in this way to inspire others. In 1997, Lysandra slipped into a coma and died five days after Christmas. During that anxious wait, Bencke wrote the poem “Christmas in Heaven”.
The premise of the poem is simply that someone of faith should not worry about losing a loved one, for that loved one has gone to be with God. In “Christmas in Heaven”, Bencke describes what the departed one sees of Earth from heaven, how serene and comforting it is to be with Jesus in heaven at Christmas, and how that knowledge should bring the grieving person closer to peace.
Bring “Christmas in Heaven” Closer to You
The poem has circulated around the Internet, in church bulletins, and in homemade cards, but there is only one official version of “Christmas in Heaven”. It’s on Bencke’s website.
Bencke made the decision to give her life to God nearly two decades ago, and feels she can be used as an instrument of His words to help others. She is available for speaking engagements and testimonials. Contact her here.
You can also order a framed print of “Christmas in Heaven”.
Where to Find More Inspirational Poetry
- If you’re looking for additional words of comfort, pick up Grace Barrington’s A Mother’s Heart: Inspirational Poetry from An Opened Heart, written as a swan song to Barrington’s son, Kevin. Another inspirational favorite is Restore the Joy: A Collection of Inspirational Poetry and Prayers by Doris M. Batson and the Reverend P.R. Moore.
- The Rainbow Hand: Poems about Mothers and Children, by Janet S. Wong and Jennifer Hewitson, is written to appeal to children in grades 4-6, but many mothers find the words a kind of tribute to the work they do.
- Yale professor and poetry critic Harold Bloom put together a comprehensive anthology titled American Religious Poems. Bloom’s vast collection helps people of all faiths find inspiration through poetry. In this book, there is verse on a number of different faith themes, including Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, and Native American. Poets from the 17th century as well as contemporary writers are included in the anthology.
- Poetry of Today Publishing offers a number of Christian poetry collections in gift book form, available for purchase.
- Do you desire a wide variety of poetry in general? Visit the Modern America Poetry site. Various works by poets are featured, as well as poetry theory. Another good poetry site is 2River, which features a number of new and established poets. Still another resource is the Academy of American Poets. Don’t be misled by the organization’s title: there is a great lineup of international poets to find here, too.
Learn More
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© 2006-2009 LoveToKnow Corp.
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