The Gauntlet

The journey of life is never easy
Each new road a vision of light
But as the path stretched out ahead
Darkness came and brought the night.

At first the path was clear and open
The only obstacle where earth and sky meet;
Then without warning, the curtains fell
And revealed the cramped and narrow street.

Walls of bars on either side
Not unlike a dungeon find
The way behind completely blocked
And dark and mist arise to blind.

The attack begins with little jabs
An idle ouch and rub the spot
But as I tried to take each step
A desperate battle became my lot.

Spears with poisoned razor tips
That slash and stab with lighting’s strike
Leaving shallow bleeding wounds
More to prolong than kill outright.

My mind in fragments lost at sea
My body weak from mortal blight
My heart curled in a fetal ball
My eyes grow dim with fading sight.

With determined hope and shallow breath
To broken and bloody for else to do
I simply breathe out, “Father God,”
“No matter what, I’m trusting you.”

Becki Franklin
02/25/09

The Leap

Jesus, how can I express
This love within my heart;
A grateful, overwhelming flood
That pierces like a dart.

Your Grace a gift I have not earned
Your Mercy, I've no right,
And yet You sacrificed Your life
To Bring me to the light.

I do not love because I'm good,
But because You showed me how.
You gave Your life upon the cross
To save me then and now.

How great a love, a King should die
To set His people free.
You took our sins upon Yourself
And paid death's final fee.

Breath of God who lives within
And shows my soul the way,
Lead me to the heart of God
And help me to obey.

Oh Father God, who reigns above
And sent Your son to die;
Make me a servant of Your hands
So I will lift You high.

With joy I raise up holy hands
To call you Sovereign Lord.
For when I took my leap of faith
I did not fall, but soared.

Rebecca
03/09/08

Psalm for a Broken Heart

When dreams dissolve and hope disappears,
When there is only lonely echoes of a reality that isn't,
When you finally hit the bottom of an endless tumbling fall,
When all the possibilities sink into the dark and heavy night,
When my heart is full of tears and my vision loses sight,
Then, as I lie here in the muck of my life,
Broken and torn with my heart's blood pouring out
Leaving me weak and dieing...

I shall lift my eyes to the only one
Who can bring me comfort and share my tears.

I am lost, but not alone.
I am sad, but not without hope.
I am broken, but not to death.
I am bleeding, but never empty.

For my God is Mighty and He reigns forever.
Not only in Heaven, but in every mundane day of life on earth.
Jehovah is my Father and His power is absolute.
He is in control and He never leaves my side.
Even when I can not feel Him He is here.

He is with me in my loneliness, and in my pain,
In my loss, and in my brokenness,
And standing with me as I face the darkness.
He pours out His light into the empty places of my soul
Until His Spirit fills me up and overflows.
Then, the empty broken pieces no longer have control.
For earthly loneliness doesn't matter in the presence of His LOVE!

Rebecca Spring 2008

Caution - graphic and disturbing poetry

And for those who ask, No, this is not about a cat or dog.

Broken

Aggressive in it's joy
The dog flings and bites
The small screaming kitten
Until something else
Becomes more interesting.
Abandoned in the dirt
It breathes shallow breaths
As blood seeps into the ground around it.
No more sounds
From the rag-doll broken body
Not even the energy left
To try and escape.
The light slowly dims
From helpless staring eyes
And with a silent farewell
Its soul leaves its shattered heart behind.

Rebecca