Because of Who You Are, Inside

I was so ready to cut tonight. Like, looking for a blade close. I decided that I was going to try one more thing to distract myself.  So, I found the box of notes my friend Martha put together for me for my birthday (we call it the love box. lol). I opened it and read all of the notes inside. They all reminded me of how loved I am and how much joy I bring to people. The last thing I read was a poem written by my dear friend Joe. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I shared it with you.

"Know One" by Joe F.

The skies are opened
and the light has broken
and I am seeing,
O God I am seeing
so much is unloved

Freedom breathed spoken words
Silence chained voices never heard
the soft cry, the chilling awe
When doors swung through your heart
and beauty grasped the child you are
and held you with its arms
no longer hurt, no longer silenced
no longer far
from Him

You can never forget and you can never erase
But you can walk forward from the past you have faced
Who you are and who you've become
is something so much fuller than when you first begun

Life is feeble
Memory is short
But nothing will be shared by no one
everything will be filled with knowing the One.

Dawn will break and rain will fall
Darkness will tumble and loneliness will bawl
Joy will open its arms and love will embrace
Because beauty is more than what we can see
It's evident, so evident in your eyes
Because of who you are
Inside.

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Rereading Joe's poem tonight kept me from cutting. I've only cut twice in the last 5 months...that's freakin huge. I used to cut DAILY. That's 2 times in almost 160 days. I'm not letting the devil have me. I'm God's.

Be strong and courageous...do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. -Joshua 1:9