Everyday Thanks

I always pray that God gives me the right words to say before writing a poem and He never fails me. I hope that you enjoy the poem and the explanation that follows.

 

It seems the world is finding it harder to give thanks.

With banks foreclosing on homes daily, there’s much angst.

And the lengths we go to just to raise children we can’t spank

Because God forbid that their little butts turns a bit pink.

We’re trying our best and doing the most just to get by,

And keep our families together instead of saying goodbye.

We have kids raising kids, countless sons without a father

To teach them to be a man and respect our broken daughters.

Women who’ve never known a man living in his true role,

Getting lost between the lies, popping bottles, and working poles.

Objectified as goods instead of a beating heart

That thinks, and breathes, and bleeds, and cries within the dark

From a boy who’s not a man, just a dysfunctional adult

Because he was raised by Lil Wayne, Two Chains, and Rick Ross.

But to all the little boys and girls who cry inside

There’s only One from which I know that you don’t have to hide.

He’s a wonderful counselor in Whom you can confide.

He gives you beauty for the ashes of life, He’s bonafide

And sincere in His calling to give you life and set you free.

Matter of fact, He’s guaranteed to give you life abundantly.

Pressed down, shaken together, in a cup that’s running over.

Infinite compared to the luck you get from four-leaf clovers.

I invite you to try Him today, just when you think your life is over,

And spend time with Him daily while He lifts burdens off your shoulders.

I stand before you today, a living testimony

To God’s mercy and grace. He is my one and only.

He has my back like no other and in my front He leads the way.

I have much to give thanks for, and I do it everyday.

 

There’s a lot going on in this world today, but the truth is every single generation has felt that way without fail. We always think that the end is coming soon because of all the negative things that surround us daily. But the world keeps on turning. I urge you not to lose hope in God and His abilities. We all go through things for a season and there is always someone out there who couldn’t imagine the hell that we’ve endured just by living every day. And even still we can always find someone who is going through something much worse than we are. In John 16:33 NKJV, the Bible says “…In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

 Sometimes tragedy causes us to question whether God is listening or if He’s even real. We make the mistake of thinking that God should wipe away all pain and hurt once we are saved or that if God is all powerful this world should be perfect. That is not the case. God is ever present, He is always there, but the Bible says in Romans 8:28 NKJV “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” When you love God, you trust in Him, you give your heart to Him. Whatever you are going through, no matter what it is, the Bible says ALL THINGS work together for good. Not just some things, but all things. You have got to trust that in everything that you go through, God will bring you out better than you were before, either in this life or the next, but preferably the former.

God has a plan for everything. You must not forget that. Even when I was dead wrong and breaking the law, God had a plan for my life. All it took was for me to give my life to Him and things started to change. I stuck in there with Him and I must admit sometimes it’s a minute by minute commitment. I still go astray even today, but I always end up back home in His hands because I know He has the answers. That He loves me, understands me, more than anyone in this world ever could.

When I was released from prison I wanted a job so much that I’d cry for hours after an interview that went bad. It took four years for me to become gainfully employed. You can’t imagine what I went through from that day to this one, but I trusted in God. Instead of ending up back in prison like some do, God kept me. Even while I was in prison and when I had gotten in trouble I trusted God to transform my mind because it definitely needed a major overhaul.

We as women, and men as well, we go through so many twisted things in life at the hands of others that we tend to gravitate toward ungodly things. Then we end up thinking that God could never change us, renew our minds, and straighten what is perverse. In my poem I talk about God giving beauty for ashes. Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV says “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prisons to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.”

Whatever you mourn the loss of in your life, the things you lack, the hurts, the pain you feel … You can give all of that to God, trust in Him, wait on Him. I promise you He will give you beauty for your ashes. He has done a lot of that for me already. I have much to thank Him for and like a lot of people, I still wait. I’m still trusting Him for a husband. I thank Him now for the man I have to come, because if he’s anything like this healing, this love from my family and friends, or this job that I have now, I know that this man will be awesome! So, I urge you to try Him, those who already believe and those who struggle with the fact that there is a God. He will make your path in life straight, Proverbs 3:5-6.

Other scriptures that were referenced in this writing: Wonderful Counselor Isaiah 9:6, set you free John 8:36, life abundantly John 10:10, pressed down… Luke 6:36 & Psalm 23:5, lift burdens Matthew 11:29-30.

~ Gabriel