Prayers and Poetry.

This is the first piece of my spoken word poetry that I actually performed in front of people. Afterward, some of them asked me for the words and I said I'd post it on here. It's still in the making, and I'd love your feedback. Perhaps I will perform it, and others, someday. Happy November, all!

Dear God, thank you for sun

And thank you for rain

Thank you for the growth that comes with pain

And that moment of healing when only beauty remains.

Thank you for scabs that turn to scars and don’t hurt anymore

And thank you for metaphors about windows and doors

That make us want to get out of our chairs and say yes to the world.

Thank you for beds at the end of days we wish could be erased

For grace

And for mace, not that we would use it, but it makes us feel safe

       on those nights when we walk home alone.

For the ability to hear smiles over the phone.

And for bodies that cry out to You from the depths of our bones.

For brains that send messages to the rest of our parts

That tell us how to feel, when to stop and when to start.

And thank you for the messages that say “feel joy right now.”

For our hearts that pump blood up through our bodies and all the way down

To our toes, to our nose, and even our elbows.

For hearts so strong that we made them our symbol for love.

And for love so true we can never be deprived of it.

Thank you for love.

Because forget the hokey pokey, love is what it’s all about.

And thank you for those times we start to doubt,

Because waiting on the shore of our sea of fears is true understanding coming out.

Thank you for the beauty of blue skies

And for the people in our lives so wise we can see the truth in their eyes.

Thank you for making mornings worth it just for the sunrise.

For jobs that start early and for the ones that go late,

Even at times when we want to say things like I hate

       everything.

Thank you for always reminding us that isn’t true,

And helping us find ways to love what we do

Because we know there are people who do much more for much less,

And we should never, for one second, forget that we're blessed.

For the people who have shaped who we are.

Who inspire us and motivate us to go far.

Thank you for making us whole always

For the promise of better days and for glimpses of glory in broken clouds’ sun rays.

Thank you for forgiveness, and the ability to forgive.

For redemption, salvation, restoration- the death of abomination

For knowing we'll never die, but through You can only ever truly live.