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Dear God I’m overcome.
I know no other way.
I’ve heard it works for some,
So finally I’ll pray.

No reason to rejoice;
I have so many needs.
So God, just hear my voice,
And please ignore my deeds.

I’ve never asked for much,
Or anything at all,
But my issues are such,
It’s You I need to call.

I pray for better health
(My back is always sore),
And if I had more wealth,
I’d probably pray more.

If you could help my son
To make the soccer team,
It would help him a ton
To realize his dream.

So what else should I seek?
I’ve never prayed before.
If I sincerely speak,
Then You just give me more?

To pray this easily…
I’m not sure what I mean…
Is prayer supposed to be
Like a vending machine?

God, forget what I said.
This prayer is not the best.
I need You in my head
To make any request.

I should not seek Your grant,
Without seeking Your grace.
The unrepentant can’t
Come to a holy place.

I think You’re there to find.
I feel I’m on my own.
So let me clear my mind
As I approach Your throne.

I want to try again
But this time not for me.
Your concern is for man.
Prayers not for “I” but “we.”

If You send the world peace,
Our needs are not a must.
Give our ego release,
And please just grant us trust.

You’ve seen this mortal man,
And things I never saw.
Whatever is Your plan,
I’m humble and in awe.

The act of prayer itself,
If prayer is to be true,
Will purify the self
To feel closer to You.

I don’t pray to save me.
If my sins You forgave,
Then I pray just to be
Worthy of being saved.
Poetic reflection on the statement of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, "“The primary purpose of prayer is not to make requests. The primary purpose is to praise, to sing, to chant. Because the essence of prayer is a song, and man cannot live without a song. Prayer may not save us. But prayer may make us worthy of being saved.”

Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy "Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts to Life" at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
Regret caked on my skin like sticky mud,
Bathed in the stench of my mistakes and sin,
My conscience drowned in pools of bile and blood,
With no forgiveness for the filth I’m in.

The angels that God sent each turn away,
Divine, but not enough that they’d succeed.
Angels on High fear for their own decay,
For only God Himself could meet this need.

O God, redeem this lost and worthless soul!
As on the day you moved across the deep!
Or sheltered Moses hiding in his hole!
“The LORD! The LORD!” you showed him your mystique.

You promised me my sins you would erase,
Redeem me, God, and move across my face.
This poem is based on a blog post I wrote on my blog this weekend about Redemption unlocking the meaning of the image of God. Find it at insightshurt.blogspot.com
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Buy “Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life” at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
All of my life I’ve been known by my name,
And yet as I’ve grown I’ve not been the same.
Hoped my identity would be clearer,
No answer when I look in the mirror—
Who am I?

Born in a world of infinite places,
Encounters with these infinite faces,
My restless spirit seems destined to roam,
Wondering still when I think I’m at home—
Where am I?

Not accidental that I came to be,
But may have missed out on my destiny.
And though I’ve done things of which I am proud,
None of them stop me from asking out loud—
Why am I?

Each moment I age life’s completion nears,
And I regret I might run out of years.
I’m meant for something I need to make so,
But all of this time and I still don’t know—
When will I?
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy “Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life” at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
Oh you bless’d eyes, how can I forgive you?
I trusted you to find beauty unloosed,
To hallow it, beauty from Heaven true.
But you wandered, looking to be seduced.

Oh you bless’d eyes, how can I still trust you?
I closed you at night with dreams as your guide,
And bid you find each day’s beauty anew.
But you opened, sought fantasy and lied.

Oh you bless’d eyes, why should I let you see?
I gave you the rainbow’s colors and hues,
To enjoy life’s beauty and majesty.
But you went dim, after the darkest views.

Oh you bless’d eyes, what sight now shall remain?
No beauty below, no solace above.
Please find me beauty to ease my heart’s pain!
But you’ve gone blind, useless to find true love.
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy "Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life" at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
The whole wide world would end
If the sun ceased to shine.
But my world would go on
For as long as you’re mine.

The Earth would be destroyed
If the planets collide.
But I’ll live forever
If you’re still by my side.

If every cloud opened
And all the living drowned,
I know that I’d survive
If I have you around.

Though I have no power
To survive mortal strife
It’s just a simple fact
That our love survives life.
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy “Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life” at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
I was not alive until my first breath,
Inhaling the spirit of the divine.
And yet I was alive without living
Till you kissed me and your breath became mine.

Each breath I took filled my lungs with stale air
But my heart remained dark as an eclipse.
Now the quickened breath that lights up my heart
Is the moment I seal my mouth to your lips.

My mouth only used for meaningless speech,
With a tongue that had no reason to be.
But you kissed me and its purpose was clear,
My tongue dances with yours delicately.

Breathing was just my excuse to survive
But I breathed in life that was less than whole.
Now I survive on the breath of your kiss
Kiss me again and breathe life to my soul!
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy “Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life” at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
Been sure of my love since we begun it,
But I’m not perfect—in fact far from it.
I know how much patience loving me takes,
So forgive me for these coming mistakes:

My restless sleep that disturbs you at night.
When I hurt your back from hugging too tight.
For being distant when I’m deep in thought.
For each time it was my fault when we fought.
For not telling you which dress you should wear,
‘Cause if I’m with you I really don’t care.
I annoy you with an unfunny text.
You tell me and I still forget what’s next.
I get impatient while standing in line.
You doubt me when I say everything’s fine.
I let my ego get out of control.
My apologies dig a deeper hole.
I cry like a baby just from your touch.
I try too hard ‘cause I love you too much.

While I try to be better than ever,
I’ll still need your forgiveness forever.
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy “Insights Hurt” at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
Eons of water dripping on a stone
Altered and absorbed into creation--
But I need suddenness of something known
From Epiphany and Revelation.

Realization's not slow and steady,
Rather spontaneous elevation.
My need to learn demands I stay ready
For Epiphany and Revelation.

Show me no small lessons that life presents,
But insight with dramatic sensation!
Life unfolds in a series of events
Of Epiphany and Revelation.

Even silence is thunderous rapture
Triggering profound imagination.
Knowledge springs from the wisdom I capture
With Epiphany and Revelation.

Who I am today is a product of
Awe in my moments of education.
It's these times in life that I've learned to love--
My Epiphany and Revelation.
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy "Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life" at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
She's already saved me from myself
By being my alternate path
Away from destroying the self
Towards forgiveness of my self-wrath.

She's the voice I always ignored
It was a voice no one would speak
Sought to put my neck to the sword
She was strength the times I was weak.

How often will she pull me back?
I keep leading her to the brink.
My fears have me under attack
But she doesn't care what I think.

My poor judgment speaks its dissent
"I'm not worth the man you expect!"
With patience she sees my intent
And I change to earn her respect.

Such love feels so undeserving
From depth where my broken heart bleeds,
Her depth of love is unnerving
But I'll be the man that she needs.
Ode to my very patient partner whom I love and would change for.
On Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy "Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life" at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
Beauty from the first glance,
Never more blessed by chance,
Beauty from the first sight,
Fades to black by the night.

Beauty lands on the eye,
Keep watch as time goes by,
It’s gone as sunlight fades,
Banality cascades.

Beauty which beauty lasts,
Timeless aura it casts,
‘Tis my surprise sublime,
Beautiful every time.
Instagram @insightshurt
Blogging at insightshurt.blogspot.com
Buy "Insights Hurt: Bringing Healing Thoughts To Life" at store.bookbaby.com/book/insights-hurt
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