Poetry: Prayer

Behind the Poem: True North

by Tina

June 27, 2022

The day I post this it will be Canada Day. Happy Canada Day to my friends and family who are proudly Canadian. 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🍁 🍁 🇨🇦 🇨🇦

We’re very fortunate to be part of a country that is home to so many people of various backgrounds. We’re also very fortunate to have the many freedoms we do in our beautiful, diverse nation.

This morning the words True North came to mind as I came away from some Ginny Owens music I’d been enjoying. (See videos at end of post.)

Why True North? I was thinking of direction and guidance. I was inspired to write a poem about God being my True North. As I thought about these words, I realized that I may not have a clear understanding of what these words truly mean. I was thinking of our national anthem. How does True North apply? Why is Canada referred to as the True North?

First, I came across an interesting article. If you’re curious about the politics behind what True North means to Canada and how it has changed as it’s leadership has switched hands, have a read.

What Does it mean to be True North Strong and Free ?

I was more focused, however, on the original meaning of True North in our anthem and Tennyson’s poem referencing these words. So I dug a little deeper.

What does True North mean in the English version of the anthem “O Canada”?

True North was borrowed from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem in which he refers to Canada as “That True North whereof we lately heard” in reference to its loyalty to Queen Victoria. It does not mean the North Pole or the real north, implying that the northern lands of other countries are false. It is the use of true in its other context of meaning loyal or faithful, as, for example, lovers are described as “true to each other.” The line of the anthem is describing Canada as loyal to the Crown: “With glowing hearts we see thee rise,/ The True North strong and free!”

From Now You Know Canada by Doug Lennox ©2017. Published by Dundurn Press.

After reading the words above, the direction of my poem shifted from God’s sure and trusted guidance, to my own faithfulness as a follower of Jesus: my King. It works both ways though. When we need guidance, following Jesus always directs us True North. 

True North

Lord, I want to be True North 

Strong and Free! 

Loyal to my King 

My Savior— to Thee.

Grounded and guarded 

Guided 

At peace 

Patriotic— as our flag flies.

True North 

Strong and free!

Lord, my Creator 

Breathe new life into me

Devoted to my calling 

Confident of my beliefs. 

Steadfast and forbearing

Passionate

Released 

I take up my armor… 

True North 

Strong and free!

Faithful to the end 

To my True Country and King. 

Tina 

June 27, 2022 

We are Citizens of Heaven. For Jesus is our Savior, God and King 

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

John 18:36 

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Hebrews 13:14

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” …

Revelation 21:1-27

25 thoughts on “Behind the Poem: True North”

  1. Nice, learned something I didn’t know.  Oh and Ric tested clear now so PTL

    Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

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  2. Happy Canada Day, Tina! 🍁🍁 What an interesting topic – True North. I love the way you applied it in your poem.
    What a wonderful path to be faithful (True North), strong, free, and loyal to our King and Savior, Jesus. Welcome back; I was happy to see your post! 😊 Have a great week and a wonderful July! ❤️💐🐝🌺

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    1. Thank you so much Jeanne. It IS an interesting topic! I really enjoyed reading up on it and incorporating it into my poetry. It is a wonderful path. Too often I get mowed down by the troubles of this world, forgetting how free indeed we are. God is graciously working on helping me to strengthen my feeble hands and weak knees. Looking forward to visiting your ‘garden’ and enjoying some ‘fertilizer’ I can always use the encouragement and nutrition to grow. 💕🌳🦋🐞🌻🌿🌹

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  4. Beautiful! I have been hearing a lot of messages lately about standing firm in our faith. This side of heaven, may we do just that. But may we also keep in mind that we have an eternal home waiting for us. Blessings, my friend.

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    1. Thank you, my friend. Yes, looking forward to heaven is so important. I have this C.S. Lewis quote with my profile picture as inspiration to keep looking forward to our eternal home. I so hope you’re keeping well and enjoying God’s grace and blessings. ❤

      “Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.” – C.S. Lewis/Mere Christianity ❤

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      1. I finally started to type up part of the text for a new book and finished the front cover design. Still a very long way to go to the finish line, but at least I have begun. Today I designed a cover for another book which will probably be finished before the other, but again, there’s still a lot of work. When I get started, I tend to work on several things at a time. I don’t know if that’s wise, but it seems to work for me. Hope you had a great Canada Day.

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  6. I never thought of True North in the context of being a loyal or faithful follower. It caught my attention as my church is called True North and I always looked at it as God being our True North. Thanks for this Tina.
    Have missed you here and hope that you are doing well my friend 😊💙

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    1. Oh wow, that’s awesome! I love it. Double meaning there! As it should be. I’ve missed you too, Manu. Praying for you, yours, your ministry and your own personal journey. Thank you for blessing me with friendship and fellowship. 😊💙

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  7. Very wise, Tina, love how God spoke to you in this “True North” studying and out of it came praise (to Him) from your words of poetry! Beautiful!

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      2. We have our challenges with changes in the family. Andrew’s mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimers and the doctor recommended that she no longer drives. Andrew’s dad doesn’t prefer to drive much at his age as well. So we have been driving them. Well, Andrew has. I’m still working on getting my license. I’m getting there slowly, but hopefully surely! So, a bit of stress with life changing, but trying to learn to trust that these changes will eventually become smoother sailing.

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      3. I love that you guys are there and willing to help Andrew’s parents in the midst of their trials…God wouldn’t want it any other way. We are called to bring Him glory in everything, even the inconveniences (and I’m sure that helping them isn’t always easy) but God is surely being glorified.

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