people will try to break you
and make you believe words
that are nothing but lies.
turn your back on them.
turn your back on the lies.
don't believe it when people say that
you're not good enough,
that you're not able,
that you're not beautiful.
tune those lies out and
sing a new tune.
a tune that speaks the truth,
a tune that says that you are
enough.
able.
beautiful.
important.
worthy.
turn your back on the lies,
because they're not true.
you know who you are,
and no one can take that away from you.

all i needed to find You was to lose

m y s e l f

i wish i could get inside Your head
and figure out what You were thinking
when
You created the universe.
i wish i could get inside Your head
when
You made me.
what was going through Your head
when
You formed my tiny feet and hands
my face
my heart
my mind?
what was going through Your head
when
i said yes to You?
i wish i could get inside Your head
and figure out what You were thinking
when
Your son died for me.
i probably wouldn't
understand what was going through Your head
because
Your mind is
infinite and complex and everywhere
so i will settle
with thinking that You were thinking
that You loved
me.

This is just so beautiful.
Roses bloom in spring.
A little sparrow sings.
The world sings to me.

Roses bloom in spring.
A tune of happiness and love
The world sings to me.
A melody that flies through the trees.

A tune of happiness and love.
A little sparrow sings
A melody that flies through the trees.
This is just so beautiful.

my life is short
and
i am nothing but a vapor
i am smaller than small
and yet You
rejoice when
You hear my voice
singing to You
You celebrate when
my lips glorify You
and to know that I make You smile
makes me smile.

all i can say is
thank You
thank You
thank You
because who looks at this
mess of a heart, of a soul
and finds beauty in it?
You.
who looks at the awful things i did
and instead of pointing a finger,
instead of casting a stone,
or turning their back
they smile and whisper that it's okay?
You.
who looks at this heart who everyone couldn't love
and tells it that it is the most loved heart in the whole entire universe?
*You.

You deserve to
belong and
be loved
because you exist.

You're so big
and great and glorious
and endless and amazing
and perfect
and You don't need
tiny
little
ordinary
me
and yet You saw
tiny
little
ordinary
me
and i don't know what You saw in
tiny
little
ordinary
me
but You chose to take
my heart and make it Your home,
and You chose to make of
tiny
little
ordinary
me
a canvas
to display Your glory,
to shine Your light
and even though You don't need
tiny
little
ordinary
me
You chose to give me a chance.

it is like a spring shower,
refreshing and renewing,
making everything bloom.
it is like a river,
bringing life to a dead land.
it is like the stars in the sky,
endless.
it is like a summer breeze,
rushed and unexpected.
it means hope.
a second chance.
freedom.
life.
You call it second nature,
i call it grace.

I don’t know you yet.
But I know you’re out there.
I don’t know if you have blue eyes or green eyes or brown eyes.
I don’t know if you’re tan or pale
Or if you look like Christian Bale.
I don’t know if you’re short or tall.
But I know you’re out there.
I don’t know if you can swim or ride a bike
Nor the ice cream flavor you like.
I don’t know what your favorite color is
Or if your name is Chris.
I don’t know if you hate math like I do or if you have seen Toy Story 2.
I don’t know if you like to read; I hope you do.
But I know you’re out there.
There are many things I don’t know about you,
But some things I do know.
I know God made you for me.
I know that your smile will make my heart flutter
And my legs melt like butter.
I know I’m gonna love you with all my heart.
I know you’re gonna love me too, yes I do.
I know the day you kiss me, my head will be spinning
And you’ll have to hold me, ’cause I might be fainting.
And one day I’ll know
If you’re tan or pale
And if you look like Christian Bale.
I’ll know if you like ice cream
And if your favorite color’s blue.
I’ll know if you have seen Toy Story 2,
And if you haven’t, we’ll watch it together,
Because I haven’t seen it either, to tell you the truth.
I’ll know if you like math and if you like to read
And I’ll know all of this because
I know you’re out there.

i ran away from You
and hid in sin,
in its darkest caves,
in its smallest holes,
in its deepest coves,
but your grace chased me
and found me.
everywhere i went,
there You were,
wooing me,
enamoring me,
and i realized i couldn't run away from You
and so
i opened my heart,
let You in,
and fell in love with You.

i wasn't there but it was me.
it was me who scoffed at You,
it was me who spit on You,
it was me who laughed at You,
it was me who crowned You with thorns,
it was me who put a cross on your shoulders,
it was me who nailed your hands and feet.
i put You on that cross and You stayed there
for love of me.

do You remember
when David asked You to give him a pure heart?
Yes, i need one, too.
do You have a spare one?
can You search me and fix me?
You are good and compassionate,
merciful and your love is unfailing.
You've seen who i really am and
You've seen what i've done.
look inside this broken heart,
it belongs to You.
it is contrite and repenting,
and it needs You.
clean it and make it white as snow,
and it will forever sing of your righteousness.
this broken heart belongs to You,
don't reject it.
take this broken and contrite heart
as an offering,
a sacrifice You will not refuse.

i want to love You
like I've never loved someone.
i want to love You so much
that the mere thought of You
makes my heart want to leap.
i want to love You in such a way
that talking to You brings me to tears.
i want to love You so much
that i can't imagine life without You
i want to love You in such a way
that i can't keep quiet about You.
i want to love You so much.

it surprises me that You
still love me.
that you are undeterred
by my actions.
when i told You that i
lied and stole and cheated
You didn't even flinch.
You didn't cast a stone.
You didn't leave.
instead
You took me into your arms, held me close,
kissed my forehead, and whispered into my
ear that
You don't care about what i've done,
You just care about who i am.
i guess that's what makes you You.
There are 7 billion other people out there
and you still vie for my attention.
You keep loving me.

i wish you knew
that you are precious and honored.
that you are lovable.
that your worth doesn't come from you.
nor does it come from
your successes
your failures
the heads you turn when you walk by
your weight
your beauty.
i wish you knew
you're so much more than that,
and so i tell you.

they call you the great Lion.
but in my world you have another name.
you're not safe, but you're good.
you're the King.
you come and go.
one day i see you, one day i don't.
you're not a tame lion.
at the sound of your roar,
sorrows will be no more.
when you bare your teeth,
winter meets its death.
when you shake your mane,
we shall have spring again.

with just three nails
Your life ended
and mine began.
it took only three nails
to change my destiny,
my identity,
my future.
with three nails
You gave me life i don't deserve
because i fail you
and yet You love me.
those three nails signified
Your unending love
for me.
those three nails gave me
the freedom to struggle.
and i will never fully understand
what it meant for You to let
those three nails
pierce You.
i will never fully understand
how much it hurt,
how much it cost
You to let
those three nails pierce You.
and yet i know that
if You had to do it again
You would let
those three nails
pierce You.

it's one of those days when
i know i need You
and yet i'm afraid of coming
closer to You
because i don't know how
You will react
I don't know if You'll be able to look
past what i've done.
You're probably done forgiving
and so i leave.
but as i turn to go
You say
my love is over, it's underneath,
it's inside, it's in between
Your love is
everywhere.
over my shame.
inside my sorrow.
in between the pain.
over my guilt.
underneath my brokenness.
inside my doubt.
in between my fear.
You still love me and
there's nothing i can do about it.

you are more
than anyone could ever be.
you are royalty
dressed in gold jewelry and purple robes.
you are worth
more than all the diamonds in the world.
your smile
can light up the darkest sky.
your laughter makes flowers bloom.
your eyes are brighter
than a summer sun.
you are loved.
you are treasured.
you're important.
you're enough.

it was a summer of firsts.
first crush
or something like that.
i'm still not sure if it
qualifies as a crush.
first shooting star
and i didn't make a wish
because i knew better than
to believe that wishes on a star come true.
and yet i marveled like a little girl
thinking that God planned that moment
to tell me that He loved me.
first time singing in front of others
i had practiced all day
but when the moment came
my hands were shaking
and so was my voice.
Bruna held my hand
and the sweetest sound came from my mouth.
i blushed as
everyone smiled.
it was the first time in a long time
that i felt like i belonged
that i felt i was real
that i felt i was me.

i am
tangled and caught
in my sin
disgusted and horrified that
i've done it once again
and i want to cry
but i can't
and i am so sorry
and i forget about You
and who You are
and what You do
but at the end
i always remember
who You are
and what You do
and i hear Your voice
it's singing
a tune of forgiveness
a tune of grace
the sweet tune enters my soul
and my heart
it courses through my blood
and it makes it
white as snow
it makes my brokenness
beautiful.

i know You love me
and yet i feel unlovable.
i know You treasure me
and yet i feel unworthy.
and i know who i am
and what i can do
and yet i feel like
i will never measure up
to what You want from me.
oh, if i could have a glimpse of
what You see.
if only i could see myself
through Your eyes.

how can i not believe in You
when creation is singing Your praises?
how can i not believe in You
when the roaring seas declare Your majesty?
how can i not believe in You
when You are everywhere?
You are in the highest mountain
on the tallest tree
in the greenest forest
in the deepest sea.
You are in a child's smile
in a baby's laughter
in a lion's roar
in a sparrow's tune.
it's all You.
it's all Yours
and i am Yours, too.

i could paint a hundred sunsets
and the sum of them would not equal a fraction of how glorious yours are.
i could draw a thousand seas
and the most beautiful of them would not mirror Your majesty.
i could sing a million songs
and Your voice would be sweeter than any of them.
i could love You with my heart, mind, and soul
and i wouldn't love You as much as You love me.

the moon has only one job:
to reflect the sun's light.
i wish i could be like her.
my only desire is
to reflect Your glory.
i pray that my life mirrors Yours
like the moon reflects the sun.

reflect the Son.

i know words can't describe
Your love
i know words can't describe
Your majesty
i know words can't describe
Your grace
i know all the words in the sky
and all the words on the earth
cannot describe You.
all words cannot explain
who You are.
with my words
i'll paint Your love
with my words
i'll paint Your majesty
with my words
i'll paint Your grace.
i know all the words in the sky
and all the words on the earth
cannot describe You.
i know all words cannot explain
who You are
but i will try.