Giant Slayer

You thought you had me beat
You thought my hope was gone
Yet from the chaos of this storm
Let me tell you, you were wrong

When you brought me to my knees
And left me broken beyond repair
You stripped me to my very core
Till my cry rang out loud and clear

And as you rested in your victory
You thought no one could hear
Yet He Who rides on Eagles Wings
Had already drawn near

In the dark night of my soul
You thought all hope was gone
Yet Beloved and His perfect peace
Had birthed a brand new song

Your death that clung to my bones
Has lost its grip of despair
I am clothed in His hope and joy
And His image I now bear

Barren woman you have called me
Widowed woman you have sang
But you were wrong, you didn’t win
For Beloved is my name

You may try to dig a grave for me
And try to silence all my prayers
All the while my strength’s been rising
For I am a Giantslayer.

I Look At You

I look at you—
You know what I see?
A broken life no longer
For you have been set free
I look at you—
And this is what I see
A man of honor above
And a loving heart beneath
I look at the man within—
Embracing your identity
And established by Him
With utter certainty
I look at those beside you— 
Who also would agree
That God has filled you
With such honor and beauty
I look at all He’s done—
How He has set you free
And now guides your steps
In righteous purity
I look at your journey—
He’s unlocking the Key
Of awareness to who
He’s made you to be
And when you look to Him—
You will see and believe
That placed within you is
Character of integrity
For when I look at you—
Standing here beside me
I’m empowered by your love
And undone by your loyalty.

The In-between

I say yes to the tension
Yes to the in-between
The dream that has been promised
But not yet received
I say yes to the in-between
You are both kind and generous
To meet me in my desolate place
You meet me in my wilderness
When I have gone far beyond what I can sustain on my own
You meet me there in sweetness and gentleness
You anoint my head when my cup is empty
You call me beautiful when my face is weary
You say well done when I have nothing left
I fail at the simplest tasks
Yet You look at me and are proud
When I believe I can’t go any further
And I feel as if I’ve become a widow
You look into me and see Your bride
You love me in those moments
When I give up and I say, “No more I cant go on”
You say, “I love you, you’re perfect. You’re mine.”
When I’m empty and beyond despair
You give me rest upon Your lap
The sweet sweet aroma of Your Presence
The Resurrection Life of Your Breath
Blows across my face
And I think that maybe
Maybe I can
Surely I will
Say yes yet again
To the in-between
The not quite yet
The labor before the birth of Your Promise
I say YES
Yes and AMEN.

Work of Art

“Let me paint the colors of my love
Upon the canvas of Your Heart
Let me stir up the shades of passion
And make a worthy work of art

For every facet of Your Beauty
Has enraptured my affection
I am enthralled in Your vibrant Love
As I gaze on Your Reflection

Your Eyes reveal depths of ocean blue
Yet heights of mountains forest green
As I melt beneath Your tender gaze
I know that I am fully seen

Your Expression sparks a burning flame
Torrential rains of Fervent Love
Purifying all who dare to look
Yet Eyes more gentle than a Dove

Now enveloped by Your Golden Rays
My heart leaps in joyous rapture
With relentless colors of Your Love
My softened heart You have captured


As my brush swirls new hues of worship
I linger on your perfect Face
How could my painting ever capture
This piercing Love that breaks all chains

My steady hands begin to falter
No more fixed on His Gentle Eye
Self-doubt creeps in as I look away
I bow my head and breathe a sigh

Many others could better express
With gifted hands and vibrant love
And give a more precious work of art
That You’re fully deserving of

Your once-nailed Hands now envelop mine
Your Touch a warm and healing balm
Tears cascade as I observe a word—
My name engraved upon Your Palm

“My Dear do you not already know—
Your love is forever painted
Like a tattoo upon My Heart since
The moment We were acquainted

Nothing you do will change what I see
A spotless bride, a baptized heart
Washed in blood and shining white
My Own priceless Work of Art.”


Behind Her Painted Eyes

Tell me friend now can you see—

The look behind her painted eyes

A window to her anguished soul

That she tries so hard to hide?

 

You may see but do you know—

Beneath that thin disguise

The war that rages ever on

Intent on hope’s demise?

 

Now as you listen, do you hear—

The way her spirit cries

The rumble of her wounded heart

A silent scream, her inner sigh?

 

And as your heart leans into hers—

Can you feel the pain she hides?

The warmth that left her inner soul

A flickering flame slowly dies.

 

Will you extend a willing hand—

Beneath her shadowed skies?

Can you put salve to what’s hidden—

Behind those painted eyes?

 

Your gentle touch, a loving word—

A friend who does not hide

Remind her that she’s worth the fight,

To find her strength and surely rise.

One Day

One Day

One day you were here and then you were gone
Before I knew that something had gone wrong

No time to enjoy a future with you
To know who you’d be and all that you’d do

I wish I could meet you here on this earth
Though wasn’t God’s plan to bring forth your birth

For now I’ll remember you were once mine
Even if just for a short bit of time

One day I will hold you no longer apart
One day you’ll be near not just in my heart


- to my precious Grace

Crystal Clear

My waters have been tainted

No longer crystal clear

Bathed in such murkiness

I’m drowning in my fear

 

Overwhelmed by the pain

And the flooding of my tears

I have lost the enjoyment

Of all that I hold dear

   

Sweetness now is bitter

And void of daily cheer

I’m bowed to battered knees

From what has gone this year

    

My hope had left my side

And driven far from here

As I taste these bitter waters

That once ran crystal clear

 

Though pain was uninvited

I have let it stay so near

Its grasp upon me strong

Forever will it adhere?

 

What must I truly do

For joy to reappear?

How can these waters run 

Again, so crystal clear?

What is LOVE?

What is Love? Ask many a question

But have we the truth on a real definition?

Is love just a feeling, an emotion to express

Do culture and movies truly say it best?

Is that now the end or could still there be more

Let’s see what happens when we open up that door

Yes love is a word and love is a deed

Love is an action that cares for others’ needs

Love is patient and Love is always kind

Love carries on in midst of daily grind

Love is to be brave and Love is to be sweet

Love fights for all no matter whom they meet

Love can be a whisper and love will also shout

Love is a chorus without a single sound

Love does not envy, Love records no wrong

And even in suffering, Love will carry on

Love knows no bounds, and Love knows no hate

Love still forgives in spite of the pain

Love is to sacrifice, Love is to be humble

Love will lift the other even when they stumble

Love is passion, Love is Desire

Love will set our hearts truly on fire

Love goes to war, Love rescues the lost

Love will give up all, no matter what the cost

Love has formed this world, and Love holds it still

Love gave up His life for our choice of freewill

Love is a Person, One and yet Three

Love gives us life, and Love has set us Free

Love is far beyond what words could ever say

But perhaps you understand a little more today

Measure Of One’s Worth

In joyful and pleasant seasons
In the midst of pain and strife
Many things we may face
In this walk we call life 

As we travel upon this path
We learn to trust in Him
Through good times and the bad
And everything else within

Yet something has remained
Unaware most of our days
A lie that’s somewhat hidden
And subtle in its chains

For the work of our hands
Much satisfaction’s found
And a level of worth
In what we raise from the ground

But when circumstance falls
And opportunities are ripped
From one’s own heart
A level of dignity feels stripped

Ability is then measured
And oft found to be short
When no amount of striving
Has brought forth any fruit

Confidence begins to waver
Self-value begins to flee
And all one can think is
What’s so wrong with me?

But the folly of these thoughts
And where chains often hide
Your value is not in what you do
But who you are inside

For those seasons He had meant
You to rest upon His Promise
For your future provision
As a season of confidence

For the Promises He gives
Are unfailing in His Nature 
Impossible to revoke 
And filled with all His favor 
So when the testing of a season
Finds you on your knee
And if leaning on His Words
Is beyond what you can see

Stored up for you is Confidence
Not in your own provision
For only He Himself alone
Knows what to be given

The value in you He placed
Can’t be increased or removed
By any work of your hands
That you may try to prove

Your dignity is secure
You are a Child of the King
And in Him you will find
The provision for every need

So take a look in that mirror
And rip those chains aside
The ones that say you’re broken
The ones that try to hide

You’re confidence is in Him
Not your own attempts to provide
For you are not on your own
Within Him forever you reside 

Your value has been established 
His promises secure 
And within His Might and Power 
Anything you can endure

Heart’s Paradox

Can a paradox of the heart truly be met?

Can two directions at once a person be sent?

For in opposite directions even now I am pulled

And with only Your Might can this paradox hold

For You had confirmed that I am going away

Yet it feels just the same my heart’s here to stay

So what is this story that You intricately weave

As this fork in the road here lies before me?

I know Your a God beyond Impossible’s grasp

And all knowledge of the future surely You have

So two opposite directions down this path I walk

Knowing full well my heart pays a high cost

But the fires of hardship shall bring forth Your beauty

As nothing truly Precious was ever found to be easy

And though I fear the sting of broken heart’s cry

Regardless I will leap and pray that I can fly

For the tears of this heart shall soon find their mending

In the midst of Your Presence forever unending.