open up and let Hope in.
let it dance around your heart.
open up and let Light in.
let your soul know the magic of sunrises.
open up and let Life in.
let it make you bloom.
open up and let Faith in.
let it make you believe again.
open up and let Love in.
let it change you,
let it play with your hair,
let it kiss you,
let it make you want to
fly and touch the clouds.
open your doors
and let Hope and Light
and Life and Faith and Love
stream in and chase away the darkness.
open the windows of your soul
and let boldness and bravery
drown fear out.
open up.

people won't remember
your pretty face
nor your pretty clothes
and the money you had.
they will remember
the melody in your laugh
and the way you loved
and the beauty of your heart
and the bravery of your spirit
and the kindness of your soul.
they won't remember what
you looked like
they won't remember what
you had.
they will remember you
and the words you told them
and the life you spoke to them
and the water you used
to bring to life the dead garden
in their souls
and they will remember the
sunshine in your smile
and the stars that
hid in your eyes.

i was tired,
i was chained,
i was hopeless
and You sang to me,
"you don't have
to carry the world
on your shoulders.
you don't have to
wear those chains.
you can be free.
I already forgave you.
you are blameless."
and as You sang your
song, i realized that i
was the one who
put on myself the
chains i wore.
i didn't have to
carry them, i didn't
have to be a slave
to my chains, to my sin.
i tattooed myself
in shame and i hid my
face from You, not knowing
that all You ever wanted
was to wrap me in your
love and clothe me in grace.

don't hide your face.
don't hide your heart.
don't hide your soul.
don't keep who you are
all to yourself.
let the world see you,
let them see the wonderful
creation that you are.
let them marvel at the
admirable light that shines
inside of you, darling.
don't keep your beauty
and wonder to yourself.
share your brave heart,
show your kind spirit and
your gentle beauty.
but don't keep the ugly inside.
don't keep your doubts and
your fears and your sadness
to yourself.
don't drown in your sorrows
and your tears.
don't bottle yourself up.

i've learned not to fear
the darkness because in it
i see your light
and i've learned to love
my brokenness because
You have promised to
make me whole
and i've learned to boast
about my weakness because
You make me strong.

even if you run away,
even if you hide,
I'm going to chase you.
and I won't stop.
I'm going to pursue you
and I will find you
and you'll see me
in the sky, in the sun,
and in the moon and stars.
and you'll see me
when you buy sunflowers
and when you drink
your morning coffee
and you'll see me in
the sunshine and
you'll see me
in the rainy days, too.
I'll be hiding in the
sunrises and sunsets
and mountains and valleys
and you'll hear my voice
in the radio and in
the songs of birds.
and you'll find me
in the words you write
and in the ones you read
and you will go on walks
and you'll look for me
and you'll find me
at the end of the road
with my arms open wide.

do you know how many
people walk their way
through life never wanting
to be more than what they
are, never giving their selves
the chance to open their
hearts and be bold and
risk it all? do you know
how many people don't
write the stories they want
to share, the poems they want
to write, the songs they want
to sing, the art they want
to make? do you know how
many people deny their selves
the opportunity to be brave, the
chance to be bold, to live in
bright colors instead of black
and white? do you know how
many people live in a cage,
afraid to love, afraid to live,
afraid to hope, afraid to feel,
afraid to be? do you know
how many people don't let
their souls be vulnerable and
beautiful and wonderful? i
hope you're not one of them.