Empty Me

I lay myself on Your altar and say, “Here am I, Lord. Take me and use me. Make something out of me that is more than a pile of flesh. Inhabit me. Consume me. I am Yours. I surrender.

Once I was broken. Wounded by people. Cut by words said and unsaid. You healed me. You put the broken pieces back together. You mended me.

I confess there are still some areas of my heart that need mending. There are still some areas that are not whole. I don’t want to be a half-healed person.

I know You are not a halfway God. I know that You are faithful to Your Word. I know that You have started a good work in me and You will be faithful to complete it.

Empty me of my selfishness

Empty me of my pride

Empty me of the desire to have the last word, to prove I am right

Empty me of criticisms

You said, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Create in me a clean heart

I want to be pure

I don’t be full of hatred and bitterness

Anger and strife

Empty me of myself

So that You can dwell here

Empty me of my vanity

Empty me so I can clearly see

I want to see You fully 

Clothed in glory, strength, and power

I want to know Your wisdom

I want to comprehend Your ways

Know the depths of love

More than anything

Empty me so I can be filled

Empty me so I have something to give

Something of worth

Not riches or gold

Something that abides on the inside 

Forgiving Myself

Madison, I forgive you for wasting so much time

For going around in circles

Madison, I forgive you for fighting a battle that was never yours to begin with

Getting so wrapped in thoughts that you've neglected the present

You've been at a standstill

You've made yourself even more tired

I forgive you for being silent

You lost your voice for a time

You sank deeper in the mire

Fighting with yourself is utterly exhausting

Because you can't run away from yourself

Your thoughts are there

Your insecurities are there

There is no one there beating you up

You've done it to yourself

Madison, you are more than the lies the enemy tells

Madison, you hold the key to your freedom

Summon the strength within

The strength to fight the fight when life says, "Just quit."

You matter!
You are doing enough!

Believe in yourself
That is the difference between battles won and lost

Madison, there is more than what you see
There's more than what you feel

You can penetrate the noise
Rise up!

A Sudden Shift

A sudden shift

I pray for a sudden shift in your mind

I pray for a sudden shift in your heart

For so long you have labored under the burden

So many cares, so many hurts

Squeezing the life out of you

Stealing your joy

Robbing you of peace

You could find no tranquility

Try as you might

You couldn't escape

Though you changed your surroundings

Those thoughts lingered

Hanging like cobwebs in the corner of your mind

Looping on repeat

Taking you back in time

Taking you back to the bad memories

And words that should have never been said

Oh, what a sense of dread

What misery

Each time that unwelcome visitor came

He wedged himself into your innermost thoughts

You couldn't separate what was real 

You now believed that you didn't matter

You didn't exist anymore

You were always attached to someone

To that elusive dream they had

Now you are free

Instead of spreading your wings, you are like a baby learning to walk

Stand up. Stand tall.

You have something to offer

You have much to give

Find your voice

It may come out slowly at first, but soon it will ring loud and clear

Come toward the light

It is a new day

Let nothing or no one stand in your way

I know you are scared

You've been isolated so long

Put one foot in front of the other

Every step means you are getting stronger

I look at what you've accomplished in a short while

I smile

Because there is a phoenix rising from the ashes

Great good will come out of your pain