The sultry air lies heavy, still
The sun relentless presses till
The world sags beneath her ray
And yearns for ending of the day

From depths of towering cloudy peaks
The thunder groans, yawns and speaks
Bolts of lightning split the skies
Portending breezes sigh and rise

Treetops yield the right-of-way
To cooling gusts that make them sway
Thunder growls, it rumbles and claps
A silver jag of lightning snaps

The rain subsides, the lightning stops
The thunder dies, a cool breeze sighs
The clouds roll out, the sky is clear
And we know our God is near

I did not know what my choices would do
And how deeply they would affect both me and you
Conditioned to respond to my addictions
By compromising my convictions
I thought that I could handle it all
Through rose-colored glasses of alcohol
But then came along that fateful day
Where the sad truth came and the clouds rolled away
The devil left me alone on that road
Heavy with consequence, burden and load
I realized the sorrow too little too late
The scapegoat I’d become and I swallowed the bait
He left me the bill and tip to pay
He slipped out the door; he’d run away
So now I sit in a concrete cell
Wasting away and living in hell

But God rescued me!

In the turmoil of concrete and steel, where
numbers become prominent within this jungle;

Another day I survive, and still I rise. Truthfully,
prayer is my power to keep from tumbling under.

At a time I was blind and delusional, thinking I’d
lost everything and everyone, until I realized that
I still and always will have God;

That alone makes life so much easier to live and
cope with, and to think the devil thought he was
making it so, so hard.

See, no harm has ever fallen upon me. I was
absentminded, writing it off as mere love and fear;

But now that I’ve awakened, it was only the love
of God and the protection that He kept near.

His footprints in the sand, Him leading me hand
in hand through pastures of righteousness,
directing me to those pearly gates;

No longer who I was, transitioned to who I am,
and who I’m yet to become? I can hardly wait.

My journey still isn’t easy and at times it does
seem to get harder;

But I’m awakened now; that’s only the devil trying
to stop me from becoming one with our Father!

When your past sneaks up to haunt you,
Just remember, God’s got you!

The devil will try to knock you back down
But stand firm and fix your crown

No matter what people say,
Jesus said it’s going to be okay

So no matter what your story is,
Give glory to God, ’cause you are His!

Among the most powerful of powers
Yet more delicate than the softest flower
So much unspeakable pain, anguish and fear
Lies in that which is the lover’s tear

All the emotions of what’s left unsaid
Brings to light the futures ahead
It can cement two paths for forevermore
Or tear down the strongest walls to the barest of floors

When sounds and words become obsolete
A feeling to make one complete
With great power and everything to fear
Words try to convey a lover’s tear

Shed in private or numb belief
Holds all the emotion impossible to keep
The happiness and regret in a far-off stare
Is the universal understanding of the lover’s tear

I wrote this poem when I found out while in prison that my wife and two baby girls died in an apartment fire back in 2011. I became upset with God at first, but in the long run, I made my peace with Him. I tell everyone I meet who still has loved ones living not to ever forget this phrase: “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”

Speak to me in love, Lord,
As only You can do;
Speak to me in love, Lord,
Because Your love for me is true.
Speak to me in love, Lord,
Please show me the way;
Take my hand and lead me,
Come in my heart to stay.
Speak to me in love, Lord,
Every day and every night;
Speak to me in love, Lord,
Show me how to walk into the light.
Speak to me in love, Lord,
Every time that I do wrong;
Speak to me in love, Lord,
Help me to stay strong.
Whenever my life is troubled,
I need some help from above;
Open my ears so I can hear—
Lord, speak to me in love.

Consider how humbleness grows out of loss,
Lay down your fears at the foot of the cross.

The end draws near, the battle’s all done,
Time stood still as the victory was won.

That’s how strong,
That’s how strong His love is,
The very first love was His.

All my tears,
All my fears,

The ones I’ve found, the ones I’ve lost,
He collected them all at the cross.

As the darkness came and the veil was torn,
As the thunder roared, He settled the score.

The earth quaked and rocks were tossed,
All my brokenness was laid at the cross.

For all my sins, death was the cost,
So my salvation was hung on the cross.

He rid my heart of all of its dross,
I found my joy at the foot of the cross.

Lord, pure as gold, as pure as gold,
Refine me, Lord, as pure as gold.
Lord, bring me to the end of me,
Till all that’s left of me is Thee.

Though through deep waters I must go,
And raging rivers round me flow,
The Lord will keep my head above,
He will support me with His Love.

Though fires burn and flames run hot,
He won’t forsake nor fail me not.
He knows how much I can endure,
Until the gold in me is pure.

Lord Jesus, You know where I go,
For You have walked this unknown road.
You know my years, how young or old,
O Lord, please make me pure as gold.

But for grace,
I perish;
but for love,
I see flames.

But He died,
was buried,
rose again.

And I cry
bittersweet tears;
and I cry
tears of joy;
and I cry.

Lord Father, thank You for loving me
with all my flaws.

And standing by my side
throughout it all.

For hearing me always
when I call

And being there to catch me
when I fall.

For building me up
to stand so tall

Even in a world where
I’m so small.