The Roller Coaster

Tall and sturdy he stands Like a tower visible from afar A lighthouse when storms strike He always shines bright Showing me the way home His arms are always ready to hold A skinned knee A broken heart Shoulders wet from catching tears He never turns one away His heart, two sizes too big Envelopes me No matter what I have done I know I’m safe Safe in the arms of my Daddy No matter what I have done I know I’m safe Safe in the love of my Daddy

The New Year came with a whisper as I enjoyed the end of the year and first few days of 2013 in Indonesia. Unlike the Philippines, Indonesia did not welcome the new year with fireworks that would make one think World War 3 had been declared. Instead I found myself in a church singing "Thank you Lord" with a large number of God's people. Though it was not my typical new year since I was without my dad and siblings, I was thankful for the opportunity to start the year saying "Thank You". I don't know if this is true in your case but as I reflected on the past year I realized thanksgiving did not take up most of my time. I was always rushing to and fro, worrying about this and that, and complaining when things didn't go my way. I spent so little time in the quietness of God's presence to just utter those two words that mean so much more. I spent so little time reflecting on God's blessings to encourage me and so much time trying fran...

I have never been exceptionally good at math. In high school I glided through math with the ease of a swimmer caught in the rapids. It was not a pretty nor graceful sight! I had to work very hard to get the final grade I got. If Math was the rapids, mental math was Niagara falls. Mental math was as excruciating to me as getting a brain tumor removed. I would literally go numb and my temples would start throbbing whenever someone asked me “What’s 65 added to 13?” (or any mathematical equation for that matter). “Uuhhmm, well... you know what, I have a terrible headache! Why don’t you just use your calculator, it’s much easier!”   I would always say.  Praise God for the most intelligent person who had the sense to invent the calculator! Needless to say my lack of speed when it came to mental math made me the laughing stock of my family.  “What’s 103 minus 65?” my dad would ask. “Uum wait! I can do it!” I would yell. “Never mind I got it, its 38.” H...

When your deepest, darkest desire Becomes your obsession What will you do? When its forbidden When the monster inside Struggles to get free What will you do To keep it hidden When your greatest enemy Is your beliefs Who draws the line In pursuit of your unquenchable appetite Where will you run When your desire overtakes you Where will you hide When the monster emerges To consume To devour To exhilarate To subdue As you wake from your desire Gape at the havoc you caused Your untamed monster Has slaughtered all you love Where will you run When your desire overtakes you Where will you hide When the monster emerges Run and you will be seized Your desire will consume Hide and you will be discovered Your monster will destroy Where will you run When your desire overtakes you Where will you hide When the monster emerges

You lead me into the desert Into a desolate wasteland Where nothing grows and no one’s present Where I find no shelter from the scorching heat No refuge from the cold Where I am stripped naked, bare and ashamed For I have run away from you my love I have given myself to another I have been unfaithful It is right that you bring me here It is right that you punish me Yet when our eyes meet instead of anger I see love Instead of fury I see understanding Instead of condemnation I see compassion I see a longing, a passion, a love so great that I am undone I cannot comprehend how you could love me in spite of all I have done How you could bear to look at my nakedness To gaze at my brokenness Yes you have led me to the desert And there you put your robe around me You cover my nakedness You wipe my shame You pull me into your arms You speak tenderly of your love Oh your sweet love is better than wine! You leave me intoxicated There in that d...