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.
