//Testimony//

Tears pour down
Searing pain pumps through the veins so thin
String of life-unravels
But not to the end of it all
A lost smile raises and reaches your eyes
Spirit breathed strength revives

Broken heart; dreams shattered beyond recognition
Disillusioned binding pledge
A ring melted down to ore
A new foundation laid,
Truth beneath is unearthed 
Heavenly bonds re-forged

Faith falls from idolized grace
Life’s picture torn from the frame
Religiosity’s mask blurs vision
Past vendettas tossed aside
Holy defined purpose unveiled
Salvations absolution redeemed 

Identity’s neat boundary dismantled
A familial breakdown to familiar
Path travelled to iceberg injury beneath the surface
A gasp of genuine love fills the lungs
Father’s sacrifice found at the site of HIS whose face is perfected 
Blessed legacy resurrected

Soul pierced with words so powerful
Bondages broken by lives so changed
Relationships restored by a grace profound-
Sharper then a two edged sword, 
Is the blood of the lamb, 
And the WORD of our testimony recounted and retold.


Dedicated to Anna Brown, Kendra Zondervan, Jess Reece, and Tiffany Cloud- thank you guys for being such an amazing inspiration and encouragement to me and countless other girls.

Sleeping Beauty Bride

Church

A place to call home

A place you feel alone

Faces lost in grace

Pastors preach…

Can they even teach?

ALL

Every

Each-lead astray sheep

Shelter from cold

Stones that roll by

When all hide-walls on the outside

Smile, Hug, Wave

We could do this all day

Sunrise to sunset

Is it time for lunch yet?

Hypocrites mark the way

To bad this happens every day

Doors closing- hearts too-

What if next time you turn around, its you?

You see a girl assumed dead

NO-he says, she is only resting her head.

Heart-Beat-Starts

Rise of a bride

Called by name- my church arise

Arise and be the light

Sun will shine for you again

There is no need for yourself to defend.

Death is gone-hearts are saved

Pave the roads that I have made

Love in smile

Joy in words

My sleeping beauty has awakened --my heart is still hers.

She is STILL alive

This I know

The apple had its poison but my words I have sown

A rock immovable-

A foundation unshakeable

My dear one is moving into the battle-

Scoffers stand back-hypocrites beware

My bride is awakening-

Tell me to mock her, do you dare?

I am not finished with her, my church

My body--Yes she’s been hurt

But to her calling she shall run.

To mend the broken hearted, stop the smoking gun-

My HEART-BEAT- is in her-

My name upon her face.

She is STILL in this race

Sleeping Beauty awake

Sleeping Beauty –you just wait.

The table I’ve prepared for you-you’ll arrive none to late

My word is still to be done.

My bride to you I call come

Oh people-will you listen now?

My bride is NOT dead—

She only…she only rests her head.

Mark 5:39-42

³⁹And when he had entered, he said to them, ^(AD) "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but^(AE) sleeping." ⁴⁰And they laughed at him. But he^(AF) put them all outside…Taking her by the hand he said to her…"Little girl, I say to you,^(AH) arise." ⁴²And immediately the girl got up and began walking… and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

Cruel World

The world and its cruelties, so cold and demeaning.

Why does it look down upon those who are not ideal?

Don’t be different or like every one else, then you’re a fool.

They look at appearance, never at what’s real.

A face such a simple quality, if your not beautiful you’re not worth the time.

The world shows no compassion on those left alone.

The hurting may show a shell of being ok, but all isn’t fine.

These people, afraid and lonely are left without a home.

Why so mean? So full of hatred?

The hurting turn to hurt others

Painful people inflict pain.

World, look below the surface,

See behind the mask.

Just show some mercy and love that will last.

Break down the walls don’t judge to fast.

The world and it’s cruelties it has got to change.

But God

Things in life fall from my plan,

I thought I had a hold.

          Maybe my hold broke it.

I’m learning what I am to do.

          I know even still, God there is always you.

But God has the knowledge

          That I won’t ever know.

The pain of hopes lost can hurt more than a bullet.

          The shot of ache in my stomach reveals

How far I went.

          I’m sorry I did not keep the door

          Closed.

          I’m regretting the first stage

          Of hope.

But God you make all things work together for my good.

          I dive

                   In quickly

          Only to find you on the shore.

I hesitate

                   On the edge just to hear you

Call me in.

But God your thoughts are higher than mine.

          I hold to deferred hope.

But God has desire for me

          I grasp at strings of a gone season

But God is making all things new.

          I anchor to the dull ache

But God wants me to live in the miracle of the moment

          I feel lost in routine

But God shows miracles in the mundane.

          I wonder at words of past

But God is speaking to me rhema, right now

                   But God has victory

                             But God knows my name

                                      But God sees my tears

                   “But God remembered Noah”

Words Laced With Conviction

I want to speak words laced with conviction

In light of heroes of the past

Shadow to follow-their words did last

My steps have hardly followed.

Their words I have borrowed.

But now its time.

I see a girl standing in the arena

No sign of fear upon her face

The crowd jeers and lions roar

She is solid to her core.

An unseen God holds her tight.

The smile on her lips reflect days past

When she stood and broke fear-

Those are the times she felt him most near.

With death at the door

Pain round the corner

Suffering was a small cost.

Her words rang true in the ear of accusers

Her words were laced with conviction.

The conviction I feel with comparison done-

I can hardly stand tall.

Falling down has been my pattern

My fears had wrapped me tight.

But to a fight I’ve been called-

Flesh against Spirit.

Words of lie are on my tongue

But how am I to live a life without a care?

Will my God carry me there?

I know he has seen passed opportunities-

Too many to count!

Does he still care to use me again?

Am I able to walk the path

Only martyrs go there.

I am to die to self daily.

But my words are full of me

Words are things to easily taken

Words are things to be treasured and spoken

Stand up for your beliefs.

Declare the One God’s Glory

Live a life of love

Out loud speak the words-

Words laced with conviction.

How do I measure up?

Fear or Faith

Pain of Peace

Chilled or Charged

Hateful or Healing

Dragging or Determined

Shy or Saving

Helpless or Hearty

Angst or Righteously Angry

Careless or Convicted?

With the power I know

With the Father I have

With the glory I’ve seen

I must stand.

I will follow the path walked before-

Silence won’t rule me now.

My words will drip with passions aflood

No excuses to grand

No hesitation to true

My god calls me forward

No matter the depth of friction

I will speak words of Conviction.

Inspiration- Francine River's "Mark of the Lion Trilogy"

Summer Air From Somewhere

Summer air symphony outside my window,

Riding on the fresh after breath of the moon.

                What if I could catch you in a jar and study your unique tune?

Who is it that directs with sounds so sweet?

                Do the stars twinkle to keep the time?

I wonder whether the crickets know their strings were assembled by the Divine.

                The breeze that builds the acoustics so resounding,

Helps to amplify the trees rustling percussion.

                Me? I am just a passerby who paused as I sauntered past the amphitheater.

This one located at the somewhere along the intersection between dream and thought.

                I marvel at the harmony so true-

A sound hardly touched by ivory and wood.

                This summer’s symphony will soon give way to autumns textures and colors,

A canvas composed of   artistic picture rather than a midnight song.

                No matter the lyric, artistry or allure-the author tis all the same.

He is the one who sings the melody, a thread woven through all our joy or pain.

                Heavy notes of love and faithfulness-so soothing for one to hear.

So whether you sleep, wake or rise-

                Remember who you are in this grand composer’s eyes.

End the question of the summer air from somewhere-the source is deeply known.

                When it next comes to mind-take the time,

To listen to that which is sung around the throne.

                A summer air’s song from somewhere. 

Savior to Servant

Equally yoked are we

Such great friends you and me

We build each other up in this place

As we walk along, side by side

Encouragement flows face to face

Nothing from you I feel I have to hide

               

As days go by we make our way

I never noticed the edges start to fray

Just like a sunset in its last glimmer

Or a lightning bolts blinding flash,

The fire for God in you was turned to simmer

All the sudden you’re convinced there’s a catch

               

The finely built cord begins to unravel

Soon there is a swerve in these two that we travel

I notice now, it’s nearly to late

How am I to hold you up as you trip and stumble?

Can’t let you slip into such a fate

Am I to let this defended friendship so easily crumble?

                Sturdy I set my feet apart

There must be a way for me to hold to your heart

With all my strength I lift you up

But you only pull away

All doors for me to help seem shut

I can’t allow this failure over me to lay

                All at once I realize you’re too far off for me

Tears fall as frustrations rise to the feeling you won’t ever be free

What sort of a friend am I to fail you?

My strength is sapped now I see

I can’t save you, but then who?

The answer is a strong resounding HE

                He is the one who orders your steps

He is the one for you who descended into the depths

He has an arm not too short to save

He is the one who sees your wandering heart

He is the one who will calm your raging waves

He is the one who from you will never depart

Where I lost, He has victory

                                Where I was blind, he alone can see

                                Where I fell, he stands his ground

                                Though he draws near to the humble, He opposes the proud.

                So I see now I’m not the one to save

He alone is the author of your days

I must trust Him to do his work

Let him rightfully be savior

I, myself, cannot heal your hurt

I’m letting Him lift you as an eagle to sore

                As I stand back I see the place to be

I tried to play savior-but God has other plans for me

He has called me to be your servant

Here I devout myself on your behalf to prayer

For you my heart shall be rent

                                I let go.

                                I am not Savior, but servant

                                I commit you, dear one, into my loving Father’s capable care.