Back in 2008, I was riding on a train in from downtown Chicago, when a mother and her little girl stepped on. The mother sat her daughter in the seat and stood next to her. The mother then stared out the window and glanced at her phone from time to time. What she failed to see during the entire train ride, was the old man she had set her daughter next to. This man smiled at the little girl and stared at her for nearly the entire ride. This smile was not a loving smile of a grandfather with his granddaughter. This smile filled me with anger, fear, and disgust. I moved across the train and stood directly in front of him and stayed there. He looked up and the burning lust in his eyes turned to fuming anger at me. I’m sure I would have lost that fight, but every part of me wanted to throw him off the moving train. Instead, I just burrowed my eyes into him and fought off my impulses to attack him. He yelled a few curse words and tried to get me to leave. I stood there for the duration of the...

She stood in front of him,“Let me in the walls you built around”By the hand she grasped his,“We could find a reason to bring them down.”Falling to her knees she begged,“We were meant to find each other eyes”with her fingers tightly binding,“and see past the empty fabricated disguise.” He lifted her to her feet“You terrify me because I see such things”brushed her hair across her face,“that I only asked for in my dreams.”The smile was heavy,“You’re just as lost as I am”The touch of his hand quivered,“And walked where I have been.Help me tear them to the groundDon’t stop the fires that burn withinfor I will never stop fighting for youUntil together we face the end” “If you do the same and break themAnd care for the longing, wilted heart,Then I will light each day those firesAnd together we’ll fulfill our partsof this grand theater we pass through,Acted out since the universe began.”She boldly then made her promise,“And I’ll be here until the very...

Ambrose cupped his hands over his mouth. Adrenaline still pumped through him and his fingers trembled. A cloud billowed out of his nose though he desperately tried to mask his heavily convulsing breaths. After only a few sharp inhales he realized that it was better to breathe through his mouth. He could muffle it with his gloves and even control the pace of his breath. Such a thing was common knowledge to survival experts his instructor once said, “Each breath has to be steady and controlled. Without conscious effort, one in such circumstances could quickly hyperventilate.” The first gulp was bitter. The frigid air clawed its way down into his lungs and ripped open the last safe places of warmth within him. The shock was so jolting that he exhaled almost immediately. His gloves hadn’t provided the buffer to the cold that he had hoped and now his body again convulsed begging for another supply of oxygen. He had no choice but to take in another. This breathe of easier than the first. It seemed that the initial surprise had worn off and his lungs were now prepared for the subsequent breaths. Each one came easier after that. A...

By the fires of heaven, the dawn of days and fading stars of twilight, she tread the golden leaves beneath her.At the wicked sounds of aged willow grasping at the breezeshe shivered against the wool that bound her.The walk, this path, so marked by frigid memories within the solemn night,chilled her face with its bitter winds,But the mighty star that broke the dark now cast night beyond the skyAnd warmth touched her face again.This night’s suffering could do nothing to delay such perfect graceNor overcome her in the darkFor maker of the daylight, her father, and the giver of the sun,had already won her...

Oh how I wish life was black and white.  For answers to be simple and truth to be clear would make life’s decisions easier to cope with.  For when the truth and the right thing stand opposite the answers, there is no greater confusion.  This is why I have to rest in you.  This is why I can’t make such a final decision on my own.  For I am standing in the grey. There are parents that watch their children fail, not powerless to intervene, but choosing not to.  The motivation to see them grow and to see them learn contains the urge to pull their child away.  There are also parents who would see such a thing as unloving or uncaring, but there is no greater love than a parent who let’s their child fall for the ultimate good of the child.  Only from failure and can a child’s rescue bring maturity. You have asked me to become less.  You have asked that I, if need be, become the enemy so that you alone can become the savior.  You have ask that I do things that I do not want to do and say things I do not...

Father, again I’m troubled and again I’m thoughtful. Again I’m wondering about tomorrow and the way it comes I see the path to walk and I see the world before me Yet, you have allowed another obstacle to step out in front. Is this an obstacle, a test, or is it a gift from your grace? How can I distinguish the good when some say step away And others see the glory and say this is the way it should be? What do you see?  Did you place this here, in front of me? I will wait here.  I won’t walk past it and I won’t walk on. I will wait here.  For your voice is the only one I will to hear I will wait here.  This is in your hands to draw me to and away Whisper “This is good”. Whisper “This is not for you today” I am content to wait upon the your voice, my King There is no rush as I’m will wait upon the answers Teach me patience in this moment that it will become A seed by which you change the world and shape it Speak clearly to me and I will...

“Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” Why did they rejoice? I was thinking about this while getting ready for work.  I was pondering how difficult it could be to rejoice in the midst of suffering.  In essence, that rejoicing included praise of thanksgiving.  Their prayers echoed in my mind, “Thank you, Jesus, for the privilege of suffering as you did!”  And then it hit me.  They were rejoicing because they were given the opportunity to be like the savior they had followed! Not everyone is given such an opportunity, but what a blessing it is.  For He suffered!  It’s amazing to think that, when we suffer, there is so much about Christ, and such an intimacy that we gain, that we could not get otherwise. There is a deep understanding and incredible bond that transcends any spoken word when two people who have endured hardships come together.  This can be what is gained with Christ.  When we endure, there is an understanding of our savior and an ability to relate and know him that cannot be known any other way. They knew him, and the...

“I didn’t know you, I had just heard your name,” She flipped open her Bible and continued, “I started praying for you! I had heard all of these things about you, about the mistakes you had made, and about what kind of person you were.” I could only image what she had heard. Stories of my choices and my actions always seemed to be greatly exaggerated. Whether or not it was good or bad, I wasn’t sure I could live up to her expectations. “But,” she broke my thoughts off again, “I wanted to know you. So I asked God to show me who you were. Now that I know you, I understand what God showed me.” She thumbed through the pages and looked up again, “Do you mind if I read it to you?” “No, I don’t mind at all. Please do!” Her were bold as she read the word of God, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, ‘The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is...

Sister, sister, where are you going?Sister, sister, why are you still hiding from the faces of the mighty heavenly beings?Sister, daughter, heir to the kingdomWhy do you seek so desperately for the things that are freely given to you? Brother, brother, what are you doing?Brother, brother, have you lost your way or are you wandering for the end you’ve already arrived at?Brother, son, heir to the kingdomWhy do you so frantically scour for the truth that’s been revealed to you? Fellow heir, friend, you are hereSee, he has taken your filthy garments and has taken your iniquity away and made you cleanFellow heir, son, daughter, you are pureYou have been clothed from head to toe in the purest, whitest robes and you are...

The sun has set beyond the veil of the tempest across the skyT’was it not the rain that said, “I wash the tears from within your eyes”?And was it not the wind that cried, “Have not a fear, beloved daughterFor they cannot take away the grace bestowed by your mighty father.” “Or maybe they can!” the doubts echoed, deafening within your ears“They can take your life too and let you suffer, and abandon you to fear!For you haven’t the strength to stand against the suffering within your cup”From the silence, interruption came as the thunder shouted back, “Enough!” “You are my daughter for whom the world was shaken under foot.To bare your shame, your doubt, your fear, was a cost he willingly took.The darkness has no claim to you for you are the daughter of a kingAnd to that you fast your hold on me and never doubt my whisperings.” For though the Son stepped beyond the veil of the tempest across the skyHe did not abandon you to walk alone, yet left the Great Comforter behindThat you should know and obey his voice while ears pressed against his wordSo fear and doubt are wipe away with the prayer,...

This is the call of the king, the call of the mighty, that you be not just a man, but a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He called you not to be just a man, but a man changed by the mighty power of the sacrifice at the cross. He called you not to be just a man, but I man changed by the love of God. I’m coming as a son! And I’m coming for my inheritance of abundant life! I am coming to be mighty man of valor! Greater love has no man than this, than that he lay down his life for his friends for life is but a vapor. I need to do the important things while there is still time left. It may just be...

“He wasn’t my father…” She trailed off. The thoughts were heavy off her lips. He could see that there was some conflict between her words. “But you were just as close, weren’t you?” He wasn’t sure how to keep her on track otherwise. “Yes.” She shifted in her seat and moved her eyes form the window back to him. She slid swung the leg she had had tucked underneath her back out to rest on the floor and then leaned forward. Her elbows rested on her knees and her chin rested on the fist she was making with both. It was like this that he felt her look right through him to someone beyond him. “He was everything.” She was silent for a minute before continuing, “After James was taken, everyone was so confused how to go on. He had carried purpose while here, yet here they were left with a little girl and a world crumbling around them. Nathaniel seemed to be the only one that knew things were no longer going back to normal. The other two took a lot longer to realize that things were different. I was about twelve before the other two realized that...

An Eld(th)ian funeral dirge written phonetically using the English alphabet. Zhem zhad(th)ee, zhem zhad(th)ee elo-hoo-len, zhem whole-neh khree Ahm ree thoo-rhun, mathool theh-kahl Meh-rule ah-hrahd, d(th)ey sheen jay-hahl Eshun bah-thee, thohn zhem zhad(th)ee There is no direct translation for the term zhem zhad(th)ee, but the as a whole it represents “Hand of God” In the chant, each word or phrase is meant to be sung at a slow but rhythmical pace and is formed using low  guttural tones.  This was often sung by soldiers during the funeral march commemorating a fallen warrior.  It has also been used as a melancholy battle cry when facing certain and immanent death. It’s earliest recorded usage was during the first siege of Ahm Ah-thesh Nee-hahm.  Though the Kid(th)esh did not speak Eld(th)ian as their primary language at this point in history, it is believed that it was sung in an attempt to sway the hearts of the oncoming army that they might have mercy.  Though the Kid(th)esh surrendered, the song evidentially succeeded; the siege ended after only a few days without a single loss of life.  Furthermore, the city was granted unprecedented rights to maintain its sovereignty. The following is my best understanding...

“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” That sentence, nestled in Romans 4 has always made me wonder, who did You see in Abraham? Did you see the same Abraham that I see when I read Genesis? If anything, his life was full of doubt, of mistakes, of sin, but you say he didn’t waiver? Why is this? Can it be that you see us, not for our only abilities and our own failures, but for the person you are making us into? Does the blood of Christ cover us so completely that you only see the righteousness? Yes! What an amazing thing to know!  That you, the God of the universe, see me as a son pure and righteous. No wonder you feel no shame towards us! That shame has been paid for and is no more. I wonder how the books of heaven will look at my life, “No unbelief made Travis waver concerning the promise of God.” Yet it is you that act upon me, shape me, and...

“Some say she is marked with a scarlet letter. Some call her the Samaritan woman. Others say her wake is a trail of tears. Some call her a harlot. Some say she has lost her way. Others call her impure. But for her I laid down my life, for her I took her filth upon myself. She is clothed in white and pure as snow. She has been made new. I call her beloved. I call her my bride. I call her my...

Each time I see your face, it’s always in the faces of others. I saw you in the eyes of that little girl as she reached out her arms to be lifted and held by her father. I saw you in the smile of the little boy as he laughed at the butterfly that landed on his hand. I heard your voice in that late night phone call of a man when he lost everything and longed only to not be forgotten. I touched your hand in that hospital bed and as she lay unconscious, life slowly slipping away. A grandmother to more than just her own, her frailty was only in this physical body. I spoke with you that day with the couple as they poured out their hearts. They were fighting to raise their family, but the money just wasn’t enough.  I felt you heart, as the mother opened her soul, her life torn apart by an affair and then divorce.  Abandoned by her church, she lost all hope.  But in all those, in the least of all these, I saw you! You are so near. You are in the hearts and the faces of the orphans...

“What are you afraid of, daughter? You are not too far gone. You are not beyond hope. You are my daughter and I am your father. The shame you feel is not from me but from he who is against me. The doubt you have is from the darkness that says you’re not worthy. No matter how far you run and how far you fall, I am here. I am nearer than you think.” “Why does the anger burn within, child? You have not been abandoned. You are not alone. I am still here and I am still chasing after your heart. I will take what’s wrong in your life, the self-inflicted wounds and scars from the past, and make them white pearls and pure gold. I will fill you with hope and joy and rescue from the deep. I have not forgotten you.” “Where are you going, my beloved? Do you think running will give you peace? Are you afraid to stop because of what judgment may come? Your home is with me and my heart longs for you. Return to me and I will give you rest. Look up to me and I will give you peace....

“Travis, you deserve to be happy.” I laughed, but immediately pulled it back, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.” I shook my head and smiled at her. The look in her eyes was bewildered, “I know that you intended to be kind and encourage me and I’m grateful that you’re my friend.” The amusement in my smile faded and my heart was overcome with compassion for this young girl. “What I’m about to say is going to be stern.” She nodded an okay to proceed. “I don’t deserve to be happy. No one deserves anything good. In fact, it’s the lie, ‘I deserve…’ that started all of this. The reality is, the good things we get are gifts. A thing like happiness is a gift from God, not deserved.” “I guess I understand what you mean.” I felt like I had just exposed the workings of a magic trick to her. At the same time, her reaction exposed that she already knew the truth. As with most people, the illusion appears much better than reality. “Besides, in spite of how things might look, circumstances wise, my life is very good.” I wanted to reassure her, “I have followed...

Little boy, you stood at the edge of the earth and looked to the stars You reached your hand and took them in your grasp You pulled them close and breathed your life into them One by one you placed them, brighter, into the gaps   Little boy, you smiled at the edge of the earth and felt the breeze You waved your arms and laughed into the air With each pulse you stirred up the clouds and sent them away Your breath pushing, guiding them to quench the thirst of the dust   Little boy, you dreamed at the edge of the earth and made it true You shouted with spoken words unbound by time Your tongue moved and danced and the flowers bloomed Each brighter than the one that came before it   Little boy, you walked at the edge of the earth and touched the darkness You cracked it so deeply that only light could be seen As it poured through your hands and through your feet And tore down the divides that stood between   Little boy, you danced at the edge of the earth to that song You danced in your father’s site and...