In a World of Darkness

Closer to the stars as I've ever been.
I'm 40,000 feet above the ground and
I look out my window,
Two visions are placed before me:
A galaxy below me -
The work of man's hands, and
A galaxy above me -
The work of God's hands.
Each have a vastness,
Both vying for my attention and praise.
The ones underneath strike in
Hopeless competition with
The bright lights of the night sky.
They work  restlessly to be magnificent.
The former has curiously captivated my eyes,
This second galaxy,
But as those lights fade,
The splendour and richness of the sky is
Ever increasing, multiplying,
Stealing my breath and my thoughts.
The beauty of man can never
Surpass the beauty of God.

Then I wonder...
Does God look down on us and
Think the same thing as
I do about His stars?
Is His joy and praise in this creation?
I realize, the answer is yes.

I look a second time at
The world beneath my feet. and
Behold a sea of shining lights,
Not from buildings or posts,
But from souls bearing the
Light of God in their hearts.
Each speck of illumination is
A being placed
In a world of darkness
Trying to shine like the
Stars in the sky,
To get as close to heaven,
Where the Father is,
As we can go;
Waiting, living, for the moment
Where we will ascend beyond the stars into
The eternal dwelling.

The lights will fade.
The stars will fall.
All will be forgotten.
But those who wait,
Those who hope,
Those remain in love,
will never be shaken.

Yes, there is no competition.
God is ours; we are His.
He loves us more than the stars.

And so it begins...

Here marks the line

Where I left every good thing behind

To look ahead and 

Walk to what is better.

This is real.

No a memory erased,

Not a love forgotten.

But here marks the new beginning.

A journey.

In which my heart breaks.

The pain is untouchable,

Feels like no room for relief.

No one has the remedy

To soothe it's raging fire.

The fear rises up the walls of my mind

The smoke of it is suffocating.

I feel like I'm drowning out of water - 

Tossed up in the air,

Unsure where I'll land.

Sorrow breaches inside my chest.

Tears evade through hollow eyes.

Every word of bravery is a pretense;

Acting strong when all I can do is tremble.

I uncover the mask long enough to

Make a deep confession to the One who

Knows and formed my heart.

As I walk alone,

He opens my eyes to show that

What I feel is not truth.

My eyes move from left to right;

I see many people gathered,

Arms linked, as

Some sort of barrier,

Some sort of shield.

The link breaks before me, 

Two arms part to

Open the door to a rugged path.

There's a bright light 

Keeping me from seeing the

End of the path.

I squint, it is so radiant.

I hesitate to move,

Not wanting to leave the

Formation of support.

I take the first step,

Then pause.

Breathe.

My second step is slightly bigger.

I look around at the faces,

They are smiling, glowing,

Casting off a golden hue as in

Reflection from the great luminosity. 

I make eye contact with one,

In his state of elation,

He winks and says, "Go on, Child".

They are all encouraging me to

Keep moving.

Then I realize, 

I have no where else to go.

This is the path made for me. 

I look again toward the light -

It gives me unnatural strength.

Suddenly I forget all who surround me.

All hesitation has subsided and

I gain new confidence.

Now I am smiling!

My feet are moving; 

The light has filled my heart and 

I don't want to go anywhere but

Where the light is dwelling.

As I take a step on the rocky ground,

The light lets up and 

I can see that 

It doesn't last that way for long.

I can see it smoothing out.

However, I can't see very far ahead, but

I have never felt

More sure,

More safe,

More loved 

Than this moment.

The Light will show me the way and

I know He is trustworthy.

Yes, I will walk in the Light.

Here marks the new beginning:

[A Journey]

Mr. Moon, Moon, Mr. bright and shiny Moon.

I have come to be very endeared to the moon.  A full moon specifically.  

In the last few months, there have been several times when the light of a bright, full moon has been a comfort to me.  It makes me feel like my Lord is wrapping His arms around me and holding me, just like a father would his beloved daughter.  

I can't quite explain it, it is a connection that goes beyond the physical.  It is a comfort of the soul.  It has been an reminder of the assurance of God's everlasting, unfailing love.  It has brought more comfort than a thousand hugs.   

It brings such a peace to walk out in the night and see the brightness of the moon reflecting the sun.  I feel so safe wrapped in its light.

Last night was a full moon.  As I was looking at it, I was wishing that every night a full moon would rise.  I then began to think about how I could apply the different stages of the moon with my own life.  

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There are times when the moon is full and illuminating everything around you.  It's easy to see what's in front of you; there isn't much you can't see.  

Then you have the waxing gibbous moon, in which its less than full and more than half.  It's a slight change, not quite as bright, but you hardly notice.  You can still see and feel the comfort of the light, not giving any thought to the darkness that is actually around you.  

Then comes the quarter moon.  Half of the light is gone.  This time you notice.  You try to stay in open areas, not surrounded by trees or buildings that will cover up the light it's giving off.  You don't like the darkness.  You start hearing noises you never heard before, creeping shadows.  Once you reach the open air, you kind find some solace once again, but not resting as peacefully as you did before.

When the crescent moon appears, things are suddenly scary.  You can't walk as fast as you could in the full moon.  You have to take smaller steps, allowing your eyes to adjust to what is set before you.  Patience... don't get too hasty.  The next step could lead you over a cliff, you will need to be careful.  Everything is dark. The world and all the things that come with living as humans are covering the sun's light from the moon.  Yet, there is still the tiny sliver of light that gives you hope.  You know that just because the comfort is not apparent as it was before, the light and love are still there. 

Lastly, there is the new moon.  You cannot breath for the thick darkness surrounding you.  You don't know which direction your going, or why you're even moving.  You just sit and try not to be afraid of the unknown.  You pray for the light to shine.  You must remember the light, how it was, and live with the hope that it will return.  You know it will return.  

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It kind of seems to relate to the stages and seasons of life sometimes.  I really enjoy taking the things we do and see everyday and comparing them to the Christian's journey.

God is truly and solely good.  Bless His name for all His wondrous deeds!