Jesus is Faithful

Others may lie to you,

Breaking trust and security.

But He tells you the truth;

Jesus is Faithful.

Others may make empty promises,

Choking your expectation and hope.

But He does that which He said;

Jesus is Faithful.

Others may ignore your needs,

Bringing worthlessness and neglect.

But He comes to your aid;

Jesus is Faithful.

Others may cut you with their words,

Wounding your heart and soul.

But He lifts you up;

Jesus is Faithful.

Others may take your possessions,

Invading the places you thought safe.

But He gives you heavenly treasures;

Jesus is Faithful.

Someone may even steal your innocence,

Bringing confusion and shame.

But He restores all things;

Jesus is Faithful.

Papa

Trust me.

I keep every promise I make,

And I am never late.

I am your Papa.

Confide in me.

I understand your pain,

And I will heal you.

I am your Papa.

Ask of me.

I will show you the way through your struggles,

And lead you on straight paths.

I am your Papa.

Stay with me.

I am with you always,

And will never leave you.

I am your Papa.

Receive from me.

I own the whole world,

And I meet all your needs.

I am your Papa.

Lean on me.

I am your strength in weakness,

And I have defeated your enemy.

I am your Papa.

Trust, Confide, Ask,

Stay, Receive and Lean,

And I will deliver.

I am your Papa.

It is Finished

To prove my worth I tried,

To be perfect,

To be smart,

To be pretty,

To be witty,

To be a model Christian,

Pleasing and serving others.

But now,

It Is Finished.

Christ did the perfect work

To prove my worth.

In Him,

I am perfect,

I am wise,

I am accepted,

I am beautiful,

I am of great worth.

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Jesus

Jesus is the Commander in Chief.

Enemies flee from Him,

Opening prison doors,

Setting captives free.

Jesus is the Pure, Living Water.

He quenches your deepest thirsts,

Leaving you refreshed, whole and secure.

Jesus is the Powerful Doctor.

He heals broken hearts and bodies,

And even raises the dead.

Jesus is the Best Teacher.

He explains the secrets of life,

And gives insight into your pain.

Jesus is the Shrewd Broker.

He exchanges beauty for ashes,

Joy for mourning,

And a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness.

Jesus is the Straight Shooter.

He boldly tells you the truth,

Giving warnings for the future.

Jesus is the Faithful Friend.

He prays for you daily,

And takes the blame for your wrongs.

Jesus is the Perfect Son.

He obeys His Father in all things,

Even to the point of death.

Jesus is all of these and more.

Will you trust Him?

Will you make Him your Lord?

The Closet

Darkness fills the closet.

My eyes open, but I see no exit.

Built and designed by my enemy,

Its walls are Fear and Insecurity.

Rejection and Shame pave its floor,

Lies shut its door.

One day, the door opens.

A LIGHT beckons.

He holds LOVE, ACCEPTANCE and FORGIVENESS,

"Come", he says, "Receive of my goodness."

I hesitate and doubt.

It's more natural to pout.

My enemy shuts the door,

That I see the LIGHT no more.

"These gifts are not for you.

They are for the new.

You are damaged goods,

To deserve them, you never could."

I take his words to heart.

Why should I get a new start?

Time and again the door opens.

To this LIGHT should I quicken?

One day He offers FREEDOM,

Another day He sets out HOPE.

I believe,

I rise to my feet.

I see His pierced hand stretched out.

It's LOVE, He is about.

I grab on to New Life,

To call Him Daddy is my right.

Never let go,

Defeated is my foe.

Never look back,

Nothing I now lack.

The Search for Security

Security, where are you?

A six figure salary?

A dream home?

Finding Mr. Right?

An excellent education?

A perfect fitting job?

Religion?

A fit and thin body?

Notoriety?

Praise and admiration?

Achievement?

A strong military?

Security answers,

"You will find counterfeits of me in these things.

But they are not lasting and will leave you in want."

"I reside in the Creator of all things.

He is the embodiment of all that I am.

I, Security, dwell in Christ."

"Come to Him and you will find me.

You will be satisfied and whole.

You will no longer fear,

You will no longer want."

The Shawl of Shame

The Shawl of Shame is knit with many threads:

Illegitimate birth,

Secrets kept,

Family rejection and disdain.

The Shawl is heavily adorned.

Sexual abuse keeps the Shawl in place,

Suffocating freedom and life,

Hiding the real person underneath.

Sexual sin and pride then tighten its fit,

Creating guilt and a desire to hide.

Darkness fills the future...

Then LOVE breaks through.

The perfect sacrifice lifts the Shawl.

Forgiveness and New Life are adorned in its place.

Followed by garments of Joy and Praise.

Freedom is now within reach.

God's purpose lived out,

God's name lifted up.

The Shawl of Shame adorns no more.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is power,

Power to move mountains of despair.

Forgiveness is freedom,

Freedom from from attachment to the offender.

Forgiveness is faith,

Faith to let God be the judge.

Forgiveness is maturity,

Maturity to understand the wisdom in letting go.

Forgiveness is strength,

Strength to get up again.

Forgiveness is healing,

Healing from deep wounds.

Forgiveness is life,

Life abundant that Jesus promised.

Weeping in the Night

Weeping may remain for a night,

But Christ brings joy in the morning.

Confusion may come in the darkness,

But understanding dawns with the new day.

Heartache may strike like a thief,

But healing breaks through by His touch.

Lonliness may linger for a season,

But comfort arrives in His presence.

Disillusionment may come in a moment,

But new dreams are born in the heart.

Anger may arise in a flash,

But forgiveness is found at the cross.

Trappings may come by another,

But freedom comes through the Son.

Fear may grip in the shadows,

But power comes by His light.

Sickness may strike in a moment,

But healing comes in His time.

Even death may pass through your doorway,

But life everlasting awaits on the other side.

Weeping may remain for a night,

But Christ brings joy in the morning.

Voices

The voice of pain says

"Why live today?

I will overtake you,

Body, soul and spirit.

I am part of you;

You cannot escape.

Rejection,

Neglect,

Shame,

Lies told,

These are my tools.

Since your birth,

I have used them,

To trample and destroy you."

Yet another Voice speaks...

This One calls in the darkness.

He says, "Come to Me,

I can carry your hurts,

Your rejection,

Your neglect,

Your shame.

I give you the Truth,

Acceptance,

Attention,

Forgiveness.

Rest.

These are my gifts.

From before your birth,

I have saved them for you,

That you may be full,

Body, soul and spirit.

I heal, restore

And make all things new.

Soon we will meet face to face,

The voice of pain silenced forever.

Until then,

Stay in My love,

Drink deep of My Spirit;

And do not lose heart,

For I have overcome the world."

Hope Deferred

Hope Deferred

Hope deferred makes the heart sick

My heart has been ill.

Hoping to be reconciled,

Hoping to be loved,

Hoping to be accepted as his daughter,

Hoping to be brought in close,

And now it is final.

He has passed from this life into the next

These hopes will not be fulfilled.

Yet ALL hope is not lost.

My hope in God the Father remains;

My heart will be healed.

I am reconciled to Him,

I am loved,

I am adopted,

I am brought in close,

It is final.

This hope has been fulfilled!

Wedding Shame

No father to give her away,

No money saved for this special day,

Wedding Shame.

No giddy, mother-daughter hours shopping,

No heirloom dress saved for that special morning,

Wedding Shame.

But all is not lost,

God the Father counted the cost

To lift this Wedding Shame.

His Son gave life to the bride,

He heard the desperate tears she cried,

No Wedding Shame.

His Spirit filled the heart of the groom,

Two perfectly matched from before the womb,

No Wedding Shame.

Filled with love for Him and each other,

Committed to stay together,

No Wedding Shame.