A Voice for the Innocent

The child within is forming still, her voice cannot be heard;

An addiction screams from deep within, your focus now is blurred.

This precious life has done no wrong, his innocence remains;

A victim of the circumstance, that pulses in your veins.

The choices made are yours alone, the blame I cannot take;

Such bitterness and spite you hold, now ripple in the wake.

Behind those bars your child is safe, from substances unknown;

I rest in peace and not in shame, for mercies God has shown.

A day will come I hope and pray, forgiveness you will give;

As for today I praise the Lord, two lives were meant to live.

Standing Strong Amidst the Storm

Looking back, I struggle to remember that one calm moment said to precede an ensuing storm. I can’t recall the exact date it hit and would be lying if I said there were no warning signs along the way. It’s crazy to think that one day you are sitting poolside with your kids, laughing beneath the warmth of the summer sun; and the next day your child is swept away by a gust of wind so strong that it leaves you not only stunned but virtually helpless and ultimately confused.

The torrential rains moved in quickly and my child was instantly caught up in the flood of drug abuse, addition, crime and a life of deceit. The direction this storm took literally destroyed everything in its path. Trust was broken into tiny fragments and strewn for miles. Relationships were severed by the onslaught of hurtful debris and hearts were crushed beyond recognition. Our surroundings were no longer familiar.

Over time, the eye of the storm steadily weakened but the damage had already been done. In a daze, we slowly pulled ourselves out from beneath the rubble and began the painful process of rebuilding.