ODE TO YOU (UPDATED)

MAY YOU ALWAYS FEEL GOD'S LOVE.

MAY YOU ALWAYS FEEL JESUS' PRESENCE.

MAY THE ANGELS SURROUND YOU, YOURS AND YOUR HOME.

MAY THE EVIL ONE ALWAYS BE SCARED OF YOU AND LEAVE YOU ALONE.

MAY MY WORDS TOUCH YOUR HEART.

MAY YOU KNOW YOU ARE A PART

OF MY LIFE

AND I UNDERSTAND

WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH

BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE,

AND I'M STILL HERE.
AND JESUS ALWAYS WILL BE BY YOUR SIDE,
JUST CRY OUT TO HIM.

MATTHEW 5:15
IN THE SAME WAY,
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS,
THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

WHY AGAIN (UPDATED)

WHY IS IT WHEN I'M SUFFERING THE MOST

THAT GOD'S WORD COMES SPILLING OUT

AND I WANT TO SCREAM,

I WANT TO SHOUT,

NOT BECAUSE OF THE PAIN,

BUT BECAUSE OF GOD'S UNENDING LOVE.

HE LOVES US WHEN WE ARE MAD AT HIM.

HE IS BIG ENOUGH TO HANDLE IT.

HE LOVES US WHEN WE ARE SAD.

SADNESS IS JUST A PART OF THIS LIFE.

HE LOVES US FOREVER,

SO MUCH SO THAT HE CALLS HIS CHILDREN THE APPLE OF HIS EYE.

JESUS COLLECTS OUR TEARS IN A BOTTLE,

AND BY NOW I'M SURE MINE IS FULL.

I ADMIT I'M A CRYER,

BUT THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE THORNS I'VE BEEN DEALT.

I BELIEVE GOD PUTS ME THROUGH THESE TESTS

THE SAME WAY HE DID TO JOB.

AND I ADMIRE JOB FOR KEEPING TO HIS FAITH

DESPITE OTHERS WHO WANTED TO COUNT HIM OUT.

THE ONLY TIME YOU CAN COUNT ME OUT

IS WHEN GOD TELLS ME MY RACE IS DONE,

AND I'M ON THE GLORY SIDE

WORSHIPING JESUS

WITH AN UNENDING SMILE, 

SPARKLING EYES,

NO TEARS.
NO FEARS,
NO PAIN
 IN SIGHT.
FOREVER.
ETERNITY.
SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

MATTHEW 5:16
IN THE SAME WAY,
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

LOVE AGAIN (UPDATED)

LOVE IS THE ANSWER,

LOVE IS THE KEY,

LOVE IS THE LAST COMMANDMENT.

I MAY HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE

AND WILL PROBABLY SAY IT AGAIN,

BUT LOVE IS THE ONLY WAY

TO BRING JESUS TO THE LOST,

OUR ONLY CHOICE.

MORE SO THAN SHOUTING AND

SCREAMING ABOUT HELL.

LOVE IS THE ANSWER,

AND JESUS IS THE UNENDING WELL.

1 PETER 5:7

CAST ALL YOUR ANXIETY ON HIM
BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.

FORGIVENESS AGAIN (UPDATED)

HOW CAN YOU BEGIN TO FORGIVE

THE UNFORGIVABLE,

THE ONES WHO ARE FULL OF HATRED

AND SIN?

THE ONES WHO RETURN LOVE WITH ABUSE?

THE ONES WHO WOULDN'T KNOW JESUS

IF HE STARED THEM IN THE FACE?

JESUS SAYS, HOWEVER, TO FORGIVE

SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN,

NOT IN THE LITERAL SENSE,

BUT FOREVER AND ONE.

WE NEED TO FORGIVE

AS HE HAS FORGIVEN US

BECAUSE NONE OF US IS WITHOUT SIN,

AND I SURE DON'T WANT TO BE

THE FIRST ONE TO THROW THAT FIRST ROCK.

John 8:7

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

  

I READ THE END OF THE BOOK (UPDATED)

HAVE YOU BEEN THROUGH THE STORM?

HAVE YOU SUFFERED THROUGH THE RAIN?

HAVE YOU STEPPED OUT IN FAITH

AGAIN AND AGAIN?

GOD NEVER ONCE PROMISED US THAT LIFE WOULD BE EASY.

SURE GOD WANTS US TO BE HAPPY,

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SHARING CHRIST,

THEN THE ENEMY ISN'T GOING TO BOTHER YOU.

YOU SEE,

MY PHILOSOPHY IS THIS:

THAT IF YOUR LIFE IS EASY

AND A BED OF ROSES,

THEN YOU'RE NOT A THREAT

TO THE ENEMY

AND YOU'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH

FOR THE LORD.

JUST THE FACT THAT I'M USING

THE INTERNET

TO SHINE MY LIGHT INTO SO MANY COUNTRIES, SOME OF WHICH I'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD

AND SHARING MY VIEWS

CAUSES THE ENEMY 
TO BE TICKED OFF AT ME,

WHICH IS FINE

AND ABSOLUTELY NO CAUSE FOR WORRY,

BECAUSE, IN THE END,

I KNOW FOR A FACT 

THAT THE FALLEN ONE LOSES.
I KNOW CUZ I CHEATED
AND READ THE END.

1 JOHN 5:5

WHO IS IT THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD?

ONLY THE ONE WHO BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

I KNOW (UPDATED)

MEDICINE, IT HAS BEEN SAID,

IS NOT A SCIENCE, BUT AN ART.

DOCTORS AREN'T EVEN ABLE

TO HEAL A BROKEN HEART.

MOST, IF YOU ASK THEM,

WILL ATTEST TO MIRACLES AS AN UNEXPLAINED SCIENCE.

MAYBE THEY SHOULD READ MORE OF GOD'S HOLY WORD, THE BIBLE.

AS I'VE SAID PLENTY OF TIMES,

I SUFFER FROM CONSTANT PAIN,

A FACT THAT DOCTORS FIND IT HARD TO EVEN COME CLOSE TO
UNDERSTAND.

BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF I HADN'T BEEN GIVEN TO SUCH AN UNCARING FAMILY,

I WOULDN'T BE THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY,

SOMEONE WHO CANNOT HOLD THE JOY OF THE LORD INSIDE,

OR, GOD FORBID, HIDE MY LIGHT.

NO MATTER WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE, GOD HAS THE POWER TO TURN THINGS AROUND AND USE YOU TO ENCOURAGE AND LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND SHINE HIS LIGHT.

JOHN 3:16

GET OVER IT (UPDATED)

GET OVER IT,

LIVE THE LIFE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.

FORGIVE THE TAUNTS, THE BLOOD, THE BEATINGS

AND BEING LOCKED IN THE CLOSET.
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
WITHOUT END.

THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO NOW

EXCEPT FORGIVE THE ONE WHO DID IT WITHOUT ANY QUALMS.

SHE IS THE ONE WHO WILL HAVE TO STAND IN FRONT OF GOD,
AS WILL I,

AND GIVE AN ACCOUNTING, EXPLAIN HERSELF.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY AFTER ALL THE PAIN,

BUT I WISH HER MERCY,

IF ONLY FOR MY OWN PEACE.

FORGIVENESS ISN'T EASY.

IT'S THE HARDEST THING

WHEN THE ONE YOU WANT TO FORGIVE

DOESN'T RECIPROCATE.

BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE ON.

LUKE 6:28

BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU,

PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU.

LIFE (UPDATE)

LIFE IS FRAGILE,

LIFE IS SHORT,

WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ALLOTTED

A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS,
SEVENTY OR EIGHTY,
IF I BELIEVE CORRECTLY,
NOT THAT WE'VE BEEN PROMISED
TOMORROW,
BEFORE WE ARE JUDGED BY OUR LORD.

 WE HAD BETTER BE READY,

WE HAD BETTER BE RIGHT,
WE HAD BETTER NOT BE AFRAID TO SHINE OUR LIGHT, 
PLANT SOME SEEDS 
ALONG THIS PATH WE CALL LIFE.

FOR WE WILL ONLY BE GIVEN ONE CHANCE

TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. 

SO 

PLEASE, IF YOU HAVEN'T YET, GIVE  YOUR HEART TO JESUS
 BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
JESUS IS THE KEY TO YOUR HEART.
COME AS YOUR ARE.
IF JESUS CAN HEAL MY BROKEN HEART, HE CAN HEAL YOURS.

I PROMISE IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

YOU WILL BE WITH JESUS

FOREVER.
ETERNITY WITH JESUS.
WHAT COULD BE SWEETER?

HEBREWS 5:16-18

REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY CONTINUALLY, 
GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES;
FOR THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU
IN CHRIST JESUS.

I DEDICATE THIS TO MY MAMA J, WHO WENT TO BE WITH JESUS ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2015.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE AND MISS YOU, MY SWEET MUSE.

WARNING: TRUTH AHEAD (UPDATED)

IT'S TIME SOMEONE TOLD THE TRUTH,

AND I'M NOT AFRAID OR ASHAMED.

WE WERE BEATEN TO THE AGE OF INSANITY,
MY MOTHER, MY SISTER AND ME.

THE REST OF THE FAMILY WILL DENY

THIS FACT TO THEIR DYING BREATH,

THE SHAME OF IT ALL BEING INCONCEIVABLE
AT THAT TIME,
IN THE 1960s
NOWHERE TO GO,
NOWHERE TO HIDE.

BUT IF TRUTH BE TOLD,

EVERYONE PLAYED A PART,

MY SISTER AND MOTHER BEAT ME
TO THE POINT OF BLOOD.

AND MY DEAR SISTER?
SHE LOCKED ME IN CLOSETS WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS AROUND,
NOT THAT MOTHER DEAR WOULD HAVE HELPED.

BUT I FINALLY OUTGREW MY OLDER SISTER AND COULD RECIPROCATE.

AND THE TAUNTS AND TEASINGS
AND JUST PURE MEANNESS,

TO THIS VERY DAY CONTINUE

WITHOUT PROVOCATION AND TO MY HORROR.

O, IF ONLY GOD HAD PLACED ME IN A LOVING CHRISTIAN FAMILY.

WHO WOULD CHERISH ME AND RAISE ME UP IN THE WAY I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BORN

INTO THE PERSON I WAS MEANT TO BE.
BUT IF HE HAD,
WOULD I TURN OUT TO BE THE ME I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE?

BUT I WILL BE WITH JESUS
HOPEFULLY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER,
AND EVERYTHING SHALL BE FORGOTTEN,
A DISTANT MEMORY,
AND MY HEAVENLY DADDY WILL CHERISH ME
FOREVER.

1 JOHN 5:5

WHO IS IT THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD?

ONLY THE ONE WHO BELIEVES 

THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

YOU AND ME (UPDATED)

THOSE THAT MAY THINK THEY KNOW YOU 
HAVE THE MISCONCEPTION THAT THEY KNOW YOU MOST

AND CAN PUSH YOUR BUTTONS.

BUT THEY DON'T REALLY KNOW YOU,

NOT THE DEEPEST PART OF YOU.

YOUR AMBITIONS, YOUR SKILLS,

YOUR WANTS, YOUR WILLS,
YOUR WISHES,YOUR DREAMS,
YOUR EVERYTHING,

YOUR INNERMOST BEING,
YOUR LOVE FOR THE KING.

THEY DON'T EVEN TRY

TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES YOU TICK.

THEY ONLY SEE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE,

IF ONLY THEY COULD SEE YOU AND ME AS GOD DOES,
IF ONLY WE COULD SEE OURSELVES AS HE DOES -

REDEEMED, FORGIVEN, CHERISHED AND LOVED,
THE APPLE OF HIS EYE,
BEAUTIFUL
A CHILD OF THE ONE AND ONLY
TRUE KING,

THEN MAYBE THE WORLD MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.

IF ONLY THEY COULD
SEE YOUR SOUL
THEN THINGS MIGHT CHANGE,
THEY MIGHT,
IF THEY REALLY TRY.
SEE, THE ONLY TRUE ME IS
THE HOLY TRINITY.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST,

THE NEW CREATION HAS COME.

THE OLD HAS GONE,

THE NEW IS HERE!

. 

NOT OF THIS WORLD (UPDATED)

THIS IS NOT MY HOME.

I DON'T BELONG

HERE

ON THIS PLANET WE CALL EARTH.

I BELONG WITH THE ANGELS,

LIVING WITH MY HEAVENLY DADDY,

PRAISING HIM

FOR ALL OF ETERNITY.

I AM SO EXHAUSTED FROM THIS STRUGGLE,

LIVING AMONG THIS VERY DARK AND SAD 
RABBLE
RUBBLE.

MOST DAYS I JUST DON'T THINK

I CAN MAKE IT ANOTHER DAY

LIVING WITH THIS PAIN.

I LONG TO BE IN MY HEAVENLY BODY,

WORSHIPING MY KING,

SITTING AT HIS FEET

JUST LISTENING.

NOT WORRYING THAT SOMETHING I SAID OR DID

WILL BE MISCONSTRUED

I DON'T BELONG HERE.

I AM NOT OF THIS WORLD.
TAKE ME HOME,
PLEASE,
JESUS,
SOON.

PSALM 4:3

KNOW THAT THE LORD HAS SET APART HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT FOR HIMSELF;

THE LORD HEARS WHEN I CALL TO HIM.

GOOD MORNING. OR IS IT? (UPDATED)

I WAKE UP

AND THINK

IS TODAY GOING TO BE THE SAME,

FILLED WITH PAIN?

THE FIRST THING I FEEL

IS, LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY,

THE PAIN THAT RUNS DOWN MY BACK INTO MY LEFT LEG.

REALLY?  AGAIN?

WHY WON'T IT GO AWAY?

I'M NOT GOOD WITH PAIN.

NEVER HAVE BEEN,

NEVER WILL.

SOME PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THE PAIN ISN'T REAL.

BUT THEY'RE NOT LIVING IN MY SHOES,

AND THEY DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT,

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE

WITH A DISABILITY

THAT CONFINES YOU,

DERIVES YOU

AND DEFINES YOU.

I REFUSE, THOUGH, TO BE DEFINED BY THIS PAIN.

I WANT TO BE KNOWN BY ANY OTHER NAME.

POET,

MOTHER,

WIFE.

CHOOSE ONE OF THESE, PLEASE.

OR YOU CAN CALL ME

A CHILD OF GOD, PART OF THE HEAVENLY ARMY.

I KNOW, TOO,

THAT THERE MUST BE A REASON

FOR WHAT I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH

FOR SO LONG.

AND FOR REAL COMFORT

I WON'T LOOK TO ANOTHER,

BUT TO JESUS CHRIST,

MY FATHER.

HE IS THE ONLY ONE

THAT CAN SAVE ME FROM THIS PAIN.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7

FOR WE LIVE BY FAITH,

NOT BY SIGHT.

MADE YOU THINK (UPDATED)

I BELIEVE THAT WE HUMAN BEINGS

FOCUS TOO MUCH ON MATERIAL THINGS.

THESE THINGS WON'T LAST,

AND WE CERTAINLY CAN'T

TAKE THEM WITH US,

AND THEY WILL SOON TURN TO DUST.

SO WHAT'S THE RUSH

TO COLLECT THINGS

THAT HAVE A TENDENCY TO RUST AND CORRODE

AND EVENTUALLY BECOME USELESS AND OLD?

I KNOW THAT SOCIETY

HAS A WAY OF MAKING US THINK

THAT WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

THIS OR THAT

OR THAT WE AREN'T BEING VERY GOOD

IF WE DON'T BUY OUR SPOUSES SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL,

LIKE A DIAMOND RING OR A BRAND SPAKIN' NEW CAR.

SURE, WE WILL DERIVE PLEASURE IN THE BEGINNING,

BUT WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD,

WHEN WE GET A LITTLE OLD?

I GUESS MAYBE WE COULD JUST WATCH

OUR BEAUTIFUL THINGS FROM AFAR,

BUT WHAT'S REALLY THE USE OF THAT

WHEN ALL WE SHOULD WANT TO DO
IS DWELL IN GOD'S PRESENCE ALL DAY?
LET HIM POUR YOUR SPIRIT ALL OVER YOU.
IT WILL CHANGE YOU.
IT CHANGED ME.

MADE YOU THINK.

JOHN 18:36

JESUS SAID, "MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD."

EASIER SAID THAN DONE (UPDATED)

I MUST FORGIVE

AND NEVER LET BITTERNESS SET IN.

MOVE AWAY

FROM THE PAIN

OF THE PAST

BECAUSE THE PAST

DOESN'T LAST.

YESTERDAY

I DIDN'T HAVE WHAT I HAVE NOW.

I WAS LONELY AND SAD,

EASILY IRRITATED,

CONSTANTLY MAD.

I ALWAYS WISHED THAT I WAS RAISED IN A NORMAL FAMILY,

A MOM AND DAD THAT LOVED ME DEARLY,

AN OLDER SISTER THAT WAS MY BEST FRIEND.

BUT IF I HAD BEEN RAISED THIS WAY,

WOULD I HAVE BECOME THE PERSON THAT I AM TODAY?

WOULD I HAVE BEEN CHOSEN?

WOULD I HAVE BEEN FOUND?

OR WOULD I BE LOST FOREVER,

JUST LIVING FOR MYSELF

AND MY SELFISH PLEASURES?

WHO KNOWS?

I JUST MUST MOVE ON

AND TRY TO FORGET THE SINS PERPETRATED AGAINST ME.

IT'S NOT HELPING ME TO HOLD ONTO THE PAST

AND ALL THE WRONGS.

I HAVE TO CHANGE MY SONG.

THE PITY PARTY NEEDS TO END.

I AM NO LONGER 

CAST IN THE CORNER.

I MUST PRAY FOR THOSE 

WHO GOD CHOSE

TO BE MY FAMILY

AND FORGIVE

THEIR INIQUITIES

AND MOVE ON.
EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

LUKE 6:28
BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU,
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO MISTREAT YOU.

ONE WAY (UPDATED)

IT CONFUSES ME SOMEWHAT

WHEN I HEAR OTHER CHRISTIANS SAY

THAT THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY

TO HEAVEN.

'DON'T YOU READ YOUR BIBLE,' I WANT TO SCREAM AT THEM.

HAVEN'T YOU HEARD ABOUT HIS WORD?

JESUS, GOD'S SON, IS THE ONLY BRIDGE

THAT FILLS THE GAP,

CROSSES THE RIDGE

AND OPENS A HEART.

IT'S SO SIMPLE.

CAN'T YOU SEE?

HE'S THE SON,

THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN OPEN THE DOOR.

IT'S SO CLEAR TO ME.

AND I WANT TO SHOUT THE GOOD NEWS

OF THIS SIMPLICITY

FROM THE ROOF.

USING THE TOOLS GOD HAS GIVEN ME,

I SHOUT WITH GLEE,

HAPPINESS AND COMPASSION,

THAT JESUS IS BY GOD'S SIDE

WAITING FOR YOU TO CONFIDE.

HE LOVES YOU VERY MUCH,
BEYOND MEASURE.

SO, PLEASE, WOULD YOU JUST LET HIM TOUCH

YOUR HEART, YOUR MIND, YOUR SOUL,

YOUR INNERMOST BEING?

JESUS CAN AND WILL MAKE YOU WHOLE.

HE FILLS THAT GAP THAT THE WORLD HAS LEFT BARE

BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE CARES

AS MUCH AS GOD DOES,

THAT'S WHY HE GAVE UP HIS ONE AND ONLY SON.

AND WHY WOULD HE DO THAT, 

MAKE SUCH A SACRIFICE

IF THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY

TO GET OUT OF THIS MESS?

NOPE.

I'M NOT THE LEAST BIT SORRY OR ASHAMED TO SAY

THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY.

John 14:6 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

GOD'S WILL (UPDATED)

IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO TRUST

ANYONE OR ANYTHING

BECAUSE OF THE WAY  I WAS RAISED.

NO ONE IN THE FAMILY WILL ADMIT TO

THE CONSTANT ABUSE.

I GUESS THEY'RE JUST TOO ASHAMED

THAT THEY NEVER DID ANYTHING

TO HELP ME OR MY FAMILY.

IT'S HARD TO GET PAST

THE NEGLECT AND TEASING,

BEING MADE TO FEEL LIKE A FAILURE.

I'M JUST DIFFERENT,

THAT'S ALL.

AND THAT'S OKAY

BECAUSE IT'S GOD'S WILL.

HE PICKED ME OUT OF ALL OF THE OTHERS

TO BE HIS DAUGHTER.

I'D RATHER BE THE CHILD OF A KING

MORE THAN ANYTHING.

AND TRUST WILL COME

BECAUSE JESUS HAS NEVER EVER LET ME DOWN.

AND THROUGH HIM I AM HEALED AND FORGIVEN.

JAMES 1;5
IF ANY OF YOU LACKS WISDOM, 
YOU SHOULD ASK GOD,
WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY WITHOUT FINDING FAULT,
AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU.

BROKEN HEART

It breaks my heart

when I hear of someone rejecting

our Lord.

He has done so much for us,

sacrificing his life on the cross.

He says that he won't put us through

what he hasn't felt himself,

and that's true.

My suffering can never come close to you, Jesus.

Just His name brings such bliss.

He has always been there for me,

by my side.

When other's tore me apart,

there He was,

inside my heart.

All I had to do

was give Him my life.

 Not too much to ask

after what He did,

The King,
sacrificing Himself
on the cross.

JOHN 3:16
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON,
THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM
SHALL NOT PERISH
BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

PS: WOULD YOU SACRIFICE YOUR ONLY SON FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS NOT EVEN YET BEEN BORN?

DON'T JUDGE ME (UPDATE)

YOU USE ME, ABUSE ME,

IGNORE ME,

MANIPULATE AND JUDGE.

YOU PRIDE YOURSELF

ON HOW MUCH YOU ARE WORTH FINANCIALLY.

I DON'T CARE.

JUST STOP JUDGING ME

FOR THE WAY I LIVE,

FOR GIVING GLORY TO GOD

AND BELIEVING HIS WORD.

AFTER ALL I'VE BEEN THROUGH,

BEING A CHILD OF GOD IS MY SUM WORTH.

IT'S ALL I HAVE,

WHICH IS MORE THAN I CAN SAY

FOR THOSE WHO RELY ON THIS WORLD

FOR THEIR NEEDS.

I ONLY RELY ON JESUS, MY LORD AND SAVIOR,

TO GIVE ME WHAT I NEED

AND TO ALTER MY BEHAVIOR.

I GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY

FOR SUSTAINING ME THROUGH EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN THROUGH.

THE TAUNTING, ABUSE,

NEGLECT AND MISUSE.

I PRAY TO NEVER BECOME BITTER,

AND WHEN OTHERS SEE ME,

I PRAY THEY WILL ONLY SEE LOVE

AND JESUS' LIGHT IN ME.

MATTHEW 5:16 - IN THE SAME WAY, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE OTHERS, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

REALLY? (UPDATE)

Some people say

that blessings are disguised.

But, personally, I believe

that all we need to do

is just open our eyes.

I don't think that God would

pretend or lie.

He doesn't have that particular

capacity.

So when we are blessed,

God wants us all to know

that the blessings flow

freely from His throne.

I also believe

that being able to breath, to live

is, in and of itself,

one of God's greatest gifts.

But that's just me.

PSALM 113:3 - FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN TO THE PLACE WHERE IT SETS, THE NAME OF THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED.

RUNT (UPDATED)

I WAS THE RUNT,
NOT QUITE LIKE KING DAVID WAS,
NOT IN SIZE.
JUST IN SPIRIT
AND LACK OF ATTENTION.
YOU SEE,
MY OLDER SISTER WAS SICK.
SO I WAS PLANTED IN THE CORNER
AND MADE TO FEEL INVISIBLE,
ALWAYS TOLD TO JUST BE QUIET ALREADY.

BUT EARLY ON,
I STARTED TO WRITE POETRY.
IN FACT I WON A FIRST-PLACE TROPHY
FOR THE VERY FIRST POEM I WROTE
IN FIRST GRADE.
IT WAS CALLED,
"HOW LONG IS A PIECE OF STRING?"
THIS WAS AROUND THE TIME I WAS SAVED.

TRAIN THEM UP,
THE GOOD BOOK SAYS,
NOT TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS,
BUT TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL,
THE WAY GOD MADE THEM TO BE.

I RECENTLY DISCOVERED
THAT NOT ONLY A DISTANT RELATIVE OF MINE
WHOM I CALL GRANDMA BETTIE,
ALONG WITH MY FATHER'S MOTHER,
GRANDMA BILLIE,
WROTE POETRY TOO.

ALL THIS TIME
I HAVE FELT LIKE SUCH AN OUTCAST.

IT IS AMAZING,
I THINK TO MYSELF,
HOW GOD EVENTUALLY
USED THIS GIFT.

I ALLOWED GOD TO MOVE FREELY IN MY LIFE,
AND I FOLLOWED IN HIS GENEROUS FOOTSTEPS,
AND SO I WRITE AND I WRITE AND I WRITE,
AND,
ASTONISHINGLY,
MY SIMPLE POETRY
HAS BEEN READ BY PEOPLE
ALL OVER THIS MORTAL COIL.

MY PRAYER
IS THAT IF YOU ARE READING THIS NOW,
YOU ARE TOUCHED BY MY SIMPLE WORDS,
AND THAT YOU KNOW I'M JUST ME,
A DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH KING.

I PRAY THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO BE
HURT BY THOSE THAT SHOULD LOVE YOU THE MOST,
THAT YOU NEVER FEEL THE PAIN OF THEIR REJECTION.

BUT IF YOU DO,
JUST KNOW THAT JESUS
IS RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE,
WAITING FOR YOU TO OPEN YOUR HEART
AND LET HIM IN.

AND THAT IS WHEN THE STRUGGLES END.

I ALSO PRAY
THAT YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY GOD'S ANGELS
AND WRAPPED IN HIS COMFORTING WINGS.

I THESSALONIANS 5:11
THEREFORE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER
AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP,
JUST AS IN FACT YOU ARE DOING

CAN I? (UPDATED)

Can lil' ol' me

somehow make a difference?

Can I share my life with others,

my ambitions and my struggles?

Do I have what it takes

to touch someone's heart

with what I've been through,

my life embarked,

the road less traveled?

Does anyone care

what I have to say?

Can I teach someone else how to pray?

Jesus is planted so deep in my soul

that it's hard NOT to share,

to tell the world of his agape love.

Do you get that He died for you,

an agonizing sacrifice,

willingly?

I was five

when Jesus first tugged on my heart.

He's been a part of me for so long

that I flatly refuse to depart.

Jesus is my family.

So if you are a child of God,

then you are my brother and my sister.

And I'll see you 

on the other side of eternity.

PSALM 19:14 - MAY THESE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART BE PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT, LORD, MY ROCK AND MY REDEEMER.