Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
She Was Only Ten Years Old
a poem i wrote several years ago... by the end i was bawling, unable to face the faith of the little girl. as an author you must put yourself in the shoes of your main character, going through everything they go through in your writing. you should be exhausted in the end..and i was. though this particular poem is fiction i have read of similar accounts in Foxe Book of Martyrs, which i highly recommend as a must for everyone. as you read, please try putting yourself in this yound girl's place and praise the Lord for such testimony which grounded our precious faith in the highest price there is: one's own blood. ..only because of the cross.
She Was Only Ten Years Old
The footsteps come nearer, echoing off the cold bare stones.
The faces grow still, a small flicker of fear jumps to her eyes.
A warm hand steadily grips her cold one.
“He has not given us a spirit of fear.”
The soft words seem to calm her, the shivering stops.
A man appears at the door, his thin lips stretched into a mocking smirk.
Blood glistens at the end of his spear, not his own.
He smiles at them.
“Hear the crowds? They’re waiting for you.”
The shivering begins again; the ache in her chest sharpens until her breath catches.
Suddenly, his eyes meet hers. “My dear, you are yet so young. Does your God really demand your death? Nero would be happy to have you serving in his palace, your pretty face will surely please him. Come now, my child, don’t be foolish. Bow just once to our great emperor and I will give you life.”
Fear burns steadily in her blue eyes.
Her hand trembles slightly in the steady grip.
“For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, Of him will the Son of man also be ashamed
When he comes in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.”
The shivering stops and she squeezes the warm hand as her eyes steadily meet the guard’s.
He shrugs and wipes the blood again with a thin smirk.
“We’ll see how you’ll run when the lions take the first bite.”
His eyes glitter with something ugly as he laughs, a coarse and ugly sound.
“Get up, you stupid lunatics, the people await.”
As if to affirm his words, the crowds roar impatiently.
They stand together, the shivering begins again except now the steady hand is gone.
One by one, in total silence, they file through the door.
She tries to rush through but the cold iron of the guard’s spear pierces her skin.
The only answer to her quiet gasp is a chuckle.
Again the iron pierces her skin, except this time fresh blood glistens on the tip.
Her blue eyes fill with tears as she tries to escape the next prod.
“Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life”
Again the quiet words steady her and she raises her chin toward the light.
Blood seeps through the once gray cloak her mother knit for her many months ago.
Finally they reach the light.
“Good-bye my little one.”
The whispered words are accompanied by the final hard prod, the cold iron is thrust into her side.
She stumbles but before her knees buckle, the guard pushes her through with a sneer.
“Your audience awaits you, my dear.”
The sudden light blinds her, she raises her sticky hand to her eyes and stumbles through the iron gates.
“But take heart, I have overcome the world.”
The steady hand helps her to her feet, and she continues to stumble across the sand.
The cheers of the crowd roar in her ears, she doesn’t understand.
Why must they take so much pleasure in her pain?
A small stone flung from somewhere above cuts her cheek, instantly her eyes ignite with anger.
What for?
The injustice of it all boils inside of her.
Why must they scream so loud?
Why were they so eager to see her blood?
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
The hot fury subsides as she grips her wounded back.
Suddenly, another roar joins the crowd.
She jerks as her eyes follow the young tigress running through the gates.
Her eyes glitter and she seemed to smile at her as another lion joins her.
Fear floods her chest, her heart begins to hammer loudly in her chest.
Her blood roars in her ears, drowning out all other sounds.
The tigress approached her, her eyes on the blood gushing through her
cloak.
She stumbles backward, her hand gripped steadily.
Suddenly the tigress’s golden eyes leave her and fasten onto the one who still held her hand.
The steady grip loosened.
“NO!”
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, Neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”
The final quiet words were stolen by the cold wind.
Her frozen blue eyes widen in horror as she watches the tigress devour her daddy.
Time seems to freeze as the golden eyes latch onto her.
Cold panic pours through her, she stumbles backwards.
An involuntary scream rips from her throat as she trips over the small stone flung at her only moments ago.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubles, neither let them be afraid.”
Familiar words, yet from whom?
Her daddy is dead, pieces of his body strewn on the once golden sand.
His lips can no longer whisper the comforting words.
“Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
Her heart slows, a warm light filling her eyes.
Her heavenly Father was there, His quiet whisper was resounding in her
small soul.
His promises melting the bitterness into a pool of love for those who still cried out for her blood.
The roar of the crowd increased as another tear splashed onto the crimson sand.
A calm smile spread across her face as she saw the claws rip through her leg.
Pain and heat exploded before her eyes, the scarlet blood spreading fast over the sand.
Lights flashed her eyes, pain racking through her small frame at the first bite.
The screams of the crowd deafened her, she smiled.
One tear glistened in her shining eyes.
“Forgive them, Father,” her lips whisper as everything slowly faded away.
“Forgive them, my Lord. They don’t know I’m only ten years old.”
She Was Only Ten Years Old
The footsteps come nearer, echoing off the cold bare stones.
The faces grow still, a small flicker of fear jumps to her eyes.
A warm hand steadily grips her cold one.
“He has not given us a spirit of fear.”
The soft words seem to calm her, the shivering stops.
A man appears at the door, his thin lips stretched into a mocking smirk.
Blood glistens at the end of his spear, not his own.
He smiles at them.
“Hear the crowds? They’re waiting for you.”
The shivering begins again; the ache in her chest sharpens until her breath catches.
Suddenly, his eyes meet hers. “My dear, you are yet so young. Does your God really demand your death? Nero would be happy to have you serving in his palace, your pretty face will surely please him. Come now, my child, don’t be foolish. Bow just once to our great emperor and I will give you life.”
Fear burns steadily in her blue eyes.
Her hand trembles slightly in the steady grip.
“For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, Of him will the Son of man also be ashamed
When he comes in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.”
The shivering stops and she squeezes the warm hand as her eyes steadily meet the guard’s.
He shrugs and wipes the blood again with a thin smirk.
“We’ll see how you’ll run when the lions take the first bite.”
His eyes glitter with something ugly as he laughs, a coarse and ugly sound.
“Get up, you stupid lunatics, the people await.”
As if to affirm his words, the crowds roar impatiently.
They stand together, the shivering begins again except now the steady hand is gone.
One by one, in total silence, they file through the door.
She tries to rush through but the cold iron of the guard’s spear pierces her skin.
The only answer to her quiet gasp is a chuckle.
Again the iron pierces her skin, except this time fresh blood glistens on the tip.
Her blue eyes fill with tears as she tries to escape the next prod.
“Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life”
Again the quiet words steady her and she raises her chin toward the light.
Blood seeps through the once gray cloak her mother knit for her many months ago.
Finally they reach the light.
“Good-bye my little one.”
The whispered words are accompanied by the final hard prod, the cold iron is thrust into her side.
She stumbles but before her knees buckle, the guard pushes her through with a sneer.
“Your audience awaits you, my dear.”
The sudden light blinds her, she raises her sticky hand to her eyes and stumbles through the iron gates.
“But take heart, I have overcome the world.”
The steady hand helps her to her feet, and she continues to stumble across the sand.
The cheers of the crowd roar in her ears, she doesn’t understand.
Why must they take so much pleasure in her pain?
A small stone flung from somewhere above cuts her cheek, instantly her eyes ignite with anger.
What for?
The injustice of it all boils inside of her.
Why must they scream so loud?
Why were they so eager to see her blood?
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
The hot fury subsides as she grips her wounded back.
Suddenly, another roar joins the crowd.
She jerks as her eyes follow the young tigress running through the gates.
Her eyes glitter and she seemed to smile at her as another lion joins her.
Fear floods her chest, her heart begins to hammer loudly in her chest.
Her blood roars in her ears, drowning out all other sounds.
The tigress approached her, her eyes on the blood gushing through her
cloak.
She stumbles backward, her hand gripped steadily.
Suddenly the tigress’s golden eyes leave her and fasten onto the one who still held her hand.
The steady grip loosened.
“NO!”
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, Neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”
The final quiet words were stolen by the cold wind.
Her frozen blue eyes widen in horror as she watches the tigress devour her daddy.
Time seems to freeze as the golden eyes latch onto her.
Cold panic pours through her, she stumbles backwards.
An involuntary scream rips from her throat as she trips over the small stone flung at her only moments ago.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubles, neither let them be afraid.”
Familiar words, yet from whom?
Her daddy is dead, pieces of his body strewn on the once golden sand.
His lips can no longer whisper the comforting words.
“Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
Her heart slows, a warm light filling her eyes.
Her heavenly Father was there, His quiet whisper was resounding in her
small soul.
His promises melting the bitterness into a pool of love for those who still cried out for her blood.
The roar of the crowd increased as another tear splashed onto the crimson sand.
A calm smile spread across her face as she saw the claws rip through her leg.
Pain and heat exploded before her eyes, the scarlet blood spreading fast over the sand.
Lights flashed her eyes, pain racking through her small frame at the first bite.
The screams of the crowd deafened her, she smiled.
One tear glistened in her shining eyes.
“Forgive them, Father,” her lips whisper as everything slowly faded away.
“Forgive them, my Lord. They don’t know I’m only ten years old.”
Thursday, December 17, 2009
a good reminder to write in our hearts
This was taken from a Scripture reference book for counseling by John G. Kruis that my step sister let me read. It was very beneficial to me so I will share the Salvation excerpt with you :).
Salvation (Leading a Person to Christ)
Apart from Christ, we are helpless and sinful.
We are all sinners.
1. We are all born in sin.
Ps. 51:5. Surely I have been a sinner from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
2. We all, like sheep, have gone astray.
Isa. 53:6. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
3. All have sinned through Adam.
Rom. 5:12. Just as sin has entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
Rom. 5:19. Just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
4. Jews and Gentiles alike are sinners.
Rom. 3:9-12. What shall we conclude then? are we any better? Not at all! we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: "there is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Rom. 3:22-24. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
5. We are like lost sheep whom Jesus goes out to seek.
Luke 15:3-7.
6. We are like the prodigal son.
Luke 15:11-24.
7. Even our righteous acts are as filthy rags.
Isa. 64:6. All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
8. If you claim to be without sin you deceive yourself and even make God out to be a liar.
1 John 1:8-10. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. if we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
9. Apart from God's grace, our hearts are deceitful, beyond cure.
Jer. 17:9. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. who can understand it?
10. In the like of God's Holiness we see that we are very sinful. The is what happened to Isaiah.
Isa. 6:1-5. In the year that King Uzziah Died, I saw the LORD seated on a throne, High and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. and they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." at the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty".
..... more to come :)...
Friday, December 11, 2009
Though None go with me
what a movie...
I'm just speechless at the way this movie stays true to reality and how hard life really is. it's riveting, convicting, personal, and honest about how God provides comfort even in the worst circumstances. I don't want to just take this movie as a typical love story.. I believe there are many things a person can learn from it.
Father I pray that our generation will come to treasure your presence and seek you wholeheartedly, by the power of the Holy Spirit. that we and many others will say, "Your will Lord, not mine" and that they may experience true joy that is eternal.
that we may not take lightly the Call of the Lord to trust and obey.
thank You Lord for each gift that you richly provide us. let us not presume to think we have the luxury of wasting our lives for man-centeredness, only to miss the whole point of life.
"a guilty, weak, and helpless worm, on thy kind arms I fall. Be thou my strength and righteousness, My Jesus, my all."
Amy
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
The Cross of Christ Is...
Eternal
Breathtaking in its beauty
Humbling
Breaking in its revelation of reality
Perfect
The clay shaped anew by its Maker
Perfection bearing the corruption of another
The slaves redeemed by their Master
A mystery beyond comprehension
The object of eternal praise
Captivating
The Son slaughtered by His Father
The day the universe was ripped in two
The crucifix, the epitome of history
The victory of mercy
Righteous judgment poured out on the only Righteous
The source of all genuine life
Magnificent in its purpose
The Bridegroom purchasing His Bride
Transcendent over nations and tongues and cultures
The ultimate exaltation of the only True and Worthy
Heaven's clearest picture of love
The shattering of sin's chains
Satan's final defeat
The ransom of the unworthy
God saying "I love you"
...So much more than stammering lips can pronounce
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Why There Aren't Any American Jobs
John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock
(MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6 am.
While his coffeepot
(MADE IN CHINA )
Was perking, he shaved with his Electric razor
(MADE IN HONG KONG )
He put on a Dress shirt
(MADE IN SRI LANKA ),
Designer jeans
(MADE IN SINGAPORE )
And Tennis shoes
(MADE IN KOREA)
After cooking his breakfast in his new Electric skillet
(MADE IN INDIA )
He sat down with his Calculator
(MADE IN MEXICO )
To see how much he could spend today.
After setting his Watch
(MADE IN TAIWAN )
To the radio
(MADE IN INDIA )
He got in his car
(MADE IN GERMANY )
Filled it with GAS
(from Saudi Arabia )
And continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.
At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day
Checking his Computer
(made in MALAYSIA ),
John decided to relax for a while.
He put on his sandals
(MADE IN BRAZIL ),
Poured himself a glass of Wine
(MADE IN FRANCE )
And turned on his TV
(MADE IN INDONESIA ),
And then wondered why he can’t find a good paying job in AMERICA
(MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6 am.
While his coffeepot
(MADE IN CHINA )
Was perking, he shaved with his Electric razor
(MADE IN HONG KONG )
He put on a Dress shirt
(MADE IN SRI LANKA ),
Designer jeans
(MADE IN SINGAPORE )
And Tennis shoes
(MADE IN KOREA)
After cooking his breakfast in his new Electric skillet
(MADE IN INDIA )
He sat down with his Calculator
(MADE IN MEXICO )
To see how much he could spend today.
After setting his Watch
(MADE IN TAIWAN )
To the radio
(MADE IN INDIA )
He got in his car
(MADE IN GERMANY )
Filled it with GAS
(from Saudi Arabia )
And continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.
At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day
Checking his Computer
(made in MALAYSIA ),
John decided to relax for a while.
He put on his sandals
(MADE IN BRAZIL ),
Poured himself a glass of Wine
(MADE IN FRANCE )
And turned on his TV
(MADE IN INDONESIA ),
And then wondered why he can’t find a good paying job in AMERICA
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