Hope in the Midst of Hurting: Poetry from Rev. Brian Shivers

Hope in the Midst of Hurting: Poetry from Rev. Brian Shivers

Rev. Brian Shivers (MDiv ‘10) has found a therapeutic way to express himself while holding space for those experiencing hurt through his poetry, a medium of expression that has become an extension of his ministry through the hope and healing it provides. As the Pastor and Head of Staff at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Shivers has a great deal of experience offering pastoral care that recognizes the hurts people are feeling while also helping them discover hope. He has written poetry on and off for over 25 years, but in light of tumultuous events and painful, divisive rhetoric unfolding in recent years, he began viewing his poetry as more of a spiritual discipline. Through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, Shivers generously shares his poems with a broader audience, fostering connections and sparking meaningful conversations.

We recently caught up with Rev. Shivers and asked him some questions about his poetry. We have shared his responses below, including four of his poems as a means of encouragement to our readers. We hope you find his spiritual practice of poetry as inspiring and encouraging as we do!

Q&A with Rev. Shivers:

Slide

You don’t have to carry it alone.
You don’t have to be strong.
You don’t have to know the solution.
You don’t have to solve all of the problems.
You don’t have to feel up to the task.
You don’t have to put on a brave face.
You don’t have to have your s*** together.

You don’t have to.

It’s okay,
in fact,
it’s important,
to feel . . .

wounded,
bone-tired,
lost,
uncertain,
road-weary,
frazzled,
frayed,

. . . to feel.

- bshivers 2024

Slide

It’s the small things.

All those the other things,
the clutter and clatter,
that once seemed so big,
have always been smaller
than the ones
that actually are
important.

Those small things.

The fragrance of your beloved.
The crooked knowing smile
that accompanies finally getting it
(whatever it might be).
The sound of that one lyric,
the guitar lick,
the drum solo,
the unexpected yet perfectly placed rest.
The green grass in the early spring.
The dog’s tail when they hear their name.
The nightingale, the lark,
the morning songbird.
The door held for the stranger.
Please.
Thank you.
You’re welcome.

Yeah.

It’s the small things.
Those are the ones
to notice,
to relish,
to drink in.

- bshivers (2024)

Slide

As you gaze back
across the landscape
of where you have been,
the shadowy places,
the ones bathed in sunshine,
the stormy seasons,
and the lush landscapes,
give yourself the time and the space
to celebrate this moment
and how far you’ve come.
You arrived here
by navigating there.
You made it.
And here you are.

- bshivers 2024

Slide

You have purpose.

It isn’t for the machine
to use you up,
to drain you dry,
to cast you aside.

No.

Your worth
can’t be measured
by production,
by output, by impact,
or by the way you
“move the needle”
for someone else’s gain.

You are here.

You are you.

And that is
everything.

In fact,
it may be all
you need to know.

- bshivers 2024