Fig Leaves

O Lord,

The same story has played out,

since Adam and Eve,

of sin bringing shame, fear, and death.

Fear of you, fear of being truly seen and known,

hiding behind fig leaves of my making,

deceiving myself

with distractions and fantasies to numb sad realities.

But God…

so very rich in mercy,

you loved me with your great and wonderful love.

I was spiritually dead and empty,

isolated, separated from you because of my sins,

but you brought me to life

together with Yeshua.

You saved me by the riches of your grace,

favor and mercy I never deserved,

never to be cast away in judgement,

but to be so close to you,

seated in Yeshua, at your right hand.

I’ll always turn to you with all of me,

trusting in your amazing love and mercy.

Messiah and Lord,

my Savior and Friend,

Amen.

Feminine Way

^{Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.}

You saw me,

underneath the tomboy slouch and martial arts dreams

shadow boxing with my father’s billionaire ambitions,

shutting down soft, armoring vulnerable,

a scorner of sensitive and gentle beings,

growing up at odds with me,

fighting my skin and rejecting meek

ashamed of the blossoming

lost, so utterly lost within

trying on designer identities given by the world

an object in bondage, labeled, used, manipulated,

the young fight’s gone, those voices had lied

broken, I was broken,

and then you came.

Reminding me, remembering me

delighting in me, enjoying me

your gentle, sensitive kindness

awakening the feminine I’d oppressed

always knowing she wasn’t safe.

Holy Spirit, Abba, and Yeshua

Now in your hands I place my life, my spirit

discovering love and casting off shame,

at last safe, secure, seen and known

because I’m just a girl, learning to be loved

trusting your hope and tender grace

to be your woman of chayil

courageous in faith and strong in heart,

beautiful in meek submission to your glorious grace

Amen.