New Release: Altar Call — More Than Poetry, It’s a Spiritual Wake-Up Call

I’ve spent over 25 years in education—as a classroom teacher, reading coach, assistant principal, and educational consultant—giving everything I have to students, teachers, and schools. Here’s the truth I had to face:

At some point… I was running on empty. That’s why, my newly released spoken word single, Altar Call, is so personal for me on many different levels. It’s not just poetry—it’s my reality in many spaces. I'm going to share a few lines from the track and some insights.

“I will praise in my pain… I will worship through the hurt…”

Because there were seasons I showed up every day carrying things no one could see. I’m sure I'm not the only one who has had that experience.

• Nearly 44% of K–12 educators report feeling burned out often or always

• Over 50% say they are considering leaving the profession earlier than planned

• Stress levels among teachers consistently rank among the highest of any profession

As educators, we are expected to pour… in a world that keeps pulling from us. For a long time, I believed I could hold it all together on my own.

“I keep trying to piece the pieces together with my personal power…”

After decades in this work, I’ve learned something humbling: My strength is not enough for this assignment. Not in a world filled with violence, uncertainty, emotional weight, and spiritual warfare. When the people I serve need the best of me. So I had to return—to God. Not just on Sundays, when things fell apart, but daily!! The “altar” isn’t a place I visit, it’s a posture I live.

“I will press on, though I mourn…”

That’s the balance. I still show up and serve, but now I stay connected. If you’re an educator, a leader, or someone trying to make it through these difficult times, hear me: You cannot keep pouring into others if you refuse to be refilled.

In a world at war—externally and internally—connection to God is not optional, He is the solution at the beginning, middle, and end. Before you answer another call…Answer this one.

“I’ll say yes to your will…”

The most important lesson I’ve learned after 25+ years in education is this:

If I disconnect from the source and not care for my soul, I will diminish the impact I was created to make.

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Berwick Augustin is the founder of Evoke180, a leading publishing company that also specializes in Haitian-Creole translations. He is an educational consultant and keynote speaker who embodies two decades of experience as a writer, teacher, and assistant principal. Berwick Augustin is the most innovative bilingual educational consultant capable of producing transformative results that effectively impact urban schools. His renowned book, The Education Formula: Maximizing the Village, offers a holistic, proven tool for schools and communities seeking to bridge the gap and build strong, thriving educational villages. Berwick is the creator of Self-Paced Haitian-Creole Courses online, author of Days, Months, and Seasons in Haitian-Creole, The Haitian-Creole Alphabet, and 1803 The Haitian Flag.