A journey in creativity and faith

Tag: grace (Page 3 of 4)

Out of Darkness

 

A power drill in my mind, building castles out of my thoughts.
The flesh is hungry, arms stretching out, and aspiring, planning, building highways
A plate with sweet fruits at my nose, my thought, my feeling
My ego weaving blankets out of moments and impulses, and they will vanish in a sewer
The flesh is dead, the shell is empty.
I can’t hide on the moon, on the couch, in the night, in sweets,
in the sunset, under my blanket, in nothingness or at the end of the world.

I have to get out and turn around. I’m broken, I can’t repair myself.
The high heels sink in the dirt. I stumble and the dress is no longer pink, but mud-colored
I fall on my knees and huddle as if the mud is a womb. I have to return to the light.

He must become greater, I must become less

I wake up to the sound of silence
And the song of a lark
The air tickles my cheeks
I open my eyes and see
A never-ending river of clear water
My feet hit something
Handcuffs on the ground
I meet a man, who is sitting on a rock
I ask him “Do you know whose those chains are?
“They’re yours” he answers, “Do you want them back?”
I shake my head
“Do you have faith?” He asks
I nod
He looks at the horizon
“All things are possible for Father”, he says
He arises and walks towards me

flod

 

The Spirit of Love

The mud of rotten flesh seduces
Lying shadows build castles in the air
the castles are prisons
sinners are prisoners…..How is it possible for sinners to learn to love?

A slave of the law

I grew up with the commandments of love. My parents taught me the values of helping and loving other people, but in many ways, it was impossible for me to follow the commandments of love. I believed there was a God, but that was I all I knew. I didn’t love myself and it was hard for me to love other people, because I didn’t know Jesus.

When I was 17 years-old, I met Jesus and became a Christian, but for many years, I did the evil, which I didn’t want to do. “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19). I often read my Bible, but I couldn’t understand why Paul all the time said I was not allowed to sin. I mourned that it was impossible for me to stop sinning. How was I a new person and how had my old person died? (Ephesians 4) How could I live in the Spirit, and what were the fruits of the Spirit? I tried, I tried and I tried, but I failed. I tried by my own strength and thoughts to love my neighbor, and I never succeeded. Why?

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.  Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal 5:2-6)

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When strength is made perfect in tears of weakness

When the frost hit my village and the sky darkened, the homework yelled, Facebook laughed, the laundry fought against music and flickering TV, when the e-mails were a mess between screaming “mommyyyy”s, I was exhausted. When my hunger was angry, my thoughts were happy and tired, my feelings were annoyed with my fatigue and sadness, I became tired. Pictures of threats, criticism, war victims, drug addicts, doomsday prophecies, starving babies and sick fanatics made me tired.

The fact that I couldn’t comfort, encourage, heal or give faith, joy, hope, peace and love to the people, who were grieving, starving, poor, confused, lost, stressed and depressed, made me tired. My eyes were tired and shed a tear of powerlessness which said: “Am I too tired to live?”

Photo credits Volkan Olmez

Come”, the silence said.

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Because of His blood

Behold the Lamb of God
Praise Him and give Him glory
You were far away, but He found you
and showed you His wounds
Because of His blood
you are released from the chains of your sins
and the chains of the law
Because of His blood
you are alive
Because of His blood
you are a new man
Because of His blood
His grace is sufficient for you
Because of His blood
the curtain of the temple was torn in two
and you can come boldly to the Father
Because of His blood
you are no longer a stranger or a foreigner
You are brought near to Him
Because of His blood
He lives inside you
Because of His blood
you are a fellow citizen with the saints
Because of His blood
you can rest in the green pastures
Because of His blood
you shall fear no evil
Because of His blood
your cup runs over with the oil of His goodness and mercy
Because of His blood
You will dwell in the house of the Father forever
Jesus is the cornerstone

You have peace
because of His blood

Cross

A message stronger than any worry about Christmas preparations

In November, I started to panic about the upcoming December. I spent the first part of December being nervous and stressed about living up to all expectations and traditions. I wish to be a joyful wife and mother who produces beautiful Christmas decorations and bakes delicious cookies. But I fear, I stall, I fail. It’s the 18th of December and I’m not prepared for Christmas, not at all.

What is the meaning of the stress and materialism we lie under the Christmas tree every year? Do we believe we need to stress and strive for perfection so our families can love us? What really makes our children happy?

The reason for the season

I’m taking a break from my worries and look at a  photo of a nativity. Baby Jesus, the reason for season.

Jesus is the gift

What can we do to live up to Jesus’ expectations? What can we do to be loved and saved?

NOTHING

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