Did you know that one-third of the Bible is made up of poetry? From the richness of the Psalms to the passion and challenge of the prophets, the biblical authors often found poetry to be the best medium for conveying God’s heart to His people. And with poetry experiencing a resurgence in popularity, could it now be the means to help Christians engage with well-known truths in new and life-changing ways?

In A Piece of Orange, life-long poet Lorna Beedham does just this with the biblical metaphor of the fruit of the Spirit. Through accessible and easily understood poems, she takes each part of the fruit in turn and helps us see it in a new light. Encouraging us with the unique revelation of God’s heart each expresses, she also shows how God seeks to nurture them in our lives.

Have you ever wished for more patience? Have you ever put yourself down because you lacked the self-control to say no? Have you ever yearned to know true peace? We all know that patience, self-control and peace are aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, but we can all struggle to live them out. By letting Lorna’s Spirit-filled poems wash over us, and reflecting on the questions she asks at the end of each chapter, we will be empowered to better partner with God in seeing His fruit grow in us.