Joe Cole's Challenge I wanted to take
Pen my thoughts on paper to share
The first of its kind for me
To share my life story in a poetry

My life's story I am and going to tell
To share a piece of my heart just as well

So I sit down thinking, what I could share?
The memories come back my soul to bare

It's been a long time since I connected
Reached behind those walls
which have my heart protected
I bury deep and I can see
I've made peace with my
past so I can feel (nothing)

Those long moments buried in memories
Where a little girl embarked on her life journey.

A difficult child she was proclaimed
Oft would break her parents to tame
Rebellious and free she wanted to break free
Find out the reasons to all her queries

Answers were not that forthcoming
Sheltered a life she lived, was her feeling
But evil had other plans,
for as soon as she set foot on alien shores
All the monsters came tumbling out of closed doors.

Life wreaked in havoc
Betrayed by friends
Poor judgement and bad decisions
Made her profane
The vicious vortex kept her in spin
Salvation looked like a distant dream

Anger at the world made her lash out
Though she was successful, inside she was a doubt
If I keep my exterior a fake
I can survive longer than it takes.
She kept her life a make believe
She had no friends her heart to relieve.

She looked for love in wrong places
Broke her heart on few of the *****
Yet not a single of those lads
Took courage to love her a tad
Her heart felt the ache and longing
Wanted to understand why it was failing

Till one fine day, down in the dumps
she called out in despair
Begged on heaven gates for her soul to repair
Save her from the vortex that would drown
Stop the angry world on her to frown

Christ's redeeming light came to her aid
Broke the ******* and her sins forever bade
That day she turned to her Christ her light
Only He could be her heart's delight.
All wrong relationships fickle in her sight
She bid darkness forever goodnight

Now her life is just a day to day story
Through her love and pain give Christ glory
The demons and monsters keep surfacing from time to time
But for her Christ's light will always shine.

Give hope to those in despair and pain
Heaven's dearest treasures to gain
Share Christ's love and unyielding hope
Be grateful for all she has and more.

Treasure every relationship in Christ profound
He alone blesses, His graces abound
Though I make mistakes I'll try not to loose sight
Know what is wrong and from evil take flight

While on this earth I'll tarry so long
Yearning to sing my heavenly song.
When my time is up I'll fly to HIM
Free at last His perpetual praises to sing!

Wash my soul Oh beautiful spring!
Wash it away of its stains
How I long and wish to be made clean
and how I wish to be sane

For Thou art purity and
For in you is tranquillity
For in you is my peace of mind.

Wash my soul Oh beautiful spring
Wash it away of its stains
Lord I know not what to say
and the only way I know,
is YOUR Way of Life.

I look to you with eyes thirsting
That you should know me this deep!
More than human, more than evil
Two sides of the same coin, I can be.

How far I walked away from the one who did care.
and wandered beyond darkened shores.
Where only grief and despair would claw against my soul.
A dead end, a drop and not a hope for sure.

I immerse my brokenness in your sway
and confess my grief so deep.
Oh cover me with your tender love
and help me to sleep.

Oh how, deeply I mourn this separation
What did I do! that I should not have done?
And you ne’r a word did say
Only looking at me with soulful eyes
To say “I do care”.

But once in your embrace Oh Life
Not a care shall worry me.
For my past behind you make me leave
and give me the treat of a Life.
I float in your magical embrace
and lifted high I rejoice

I had once blocked your love through sin
And you swept away my shame.
Now flow through me Oh Living Waters
and wash me in your wave
For I shall be made all clean
and you shall wash away my stains.

You give me a chance to renew and replenish
and with your love you set me anew.
Oh radiate in me Live Living Waters
For your love, to shine through me

A life so clean and washed and blessed
I shall find in your deepest crest.
When made clean by the spring of life
I shall come to rest at shores divine.

If you let your heart be held ransom
By someone's unkind words
If you let them trample on your soul
You have no one else to blame
But yourself!

Break free from those who seek to hurt you
Cause all's in the mind
Letting go in prose is the only way to go!

Each day is a new day
Trials and temptations
come my way
Each day I battle my demons
Monsters clawing out my closet
I am not perfect, I am not divine
I can hardly claim to be sane
I can remotely proclaim
To be his true child
Yet the Father,
loves me for his own

For those who think
Religion is obfuscate
God knows no religion
HE IS LOVE ABOVE ALL
I know this eternal truth,
because in my heart it resounds

His eyes all seeing
Your sighs are not unnoticed
Your soul bare before him
Every threat and torment
Right from ground zero
He knows you so profound

Yet he chooses not to judge you
Your own makings often trap you
The guilt you feel in your soul
Is the longing to be restored

Reasons of your behaviour
To your may appear sound
To him your logic is profane
In human reality ground

Yet in all His omnipresence
Your free will to Him is sacred.
This Father alone is the one
Who knows to make you strong
His loving nature hands you tests
Life's precious lessons follow
He know experience is a great teacher
Else slothful you'll grow.

So when I know my Father's Heart
I'll put my heart and soul
To get up just once again
knowing my heavenly goal
His loving lessons I will learn
Bear the bruises on my soul
In the bargain stronger I'll become
His grace I will earn

My Saviour is my model
Thrice tripped He persevered
He kept forging up ahead.
Despite His enemies jeers
He beckons now with assurance
Don't give before your state
Heaven's shore is not far away
Just try once again!

I am not sure anymore
How to tread the ground with you
It's like walking on broken glass
The shards embed deep

But it's not the glass that hurt so bad
More so the wounds your words inflict.