SHE STANDS

After she extends her long arm of servanthood

SLASH! Blood.

She withdraws quickly,recoiling in pain
severely stinging
She had laid out
her body naked. out.
on the floor.
To be given
to those who need it.
Who hunger for it.
A simple sacrifice
of profound proportions.
She saw the angry faces
the hurt the lost
the BROKEN.
and gave.
'Is it worth it?' she mutters
inside her head.
As her arms now shortened by the pain, hold her knees
close to her chest.
'Can I do it?'
Tears slowly pouring out
in bittersweet streams
'Spend my life, open, naked, bare,
bleeding'
It felt so good at first
To be used of Him.
but after many turned cheeks
and bruised heartbeats
she is on the edge, the slippery slope

Her mind drifts to a time ....
of mountaintops & go-getter thoughts
Of invincibility
Of "I will take up my cross and follow Him"
"Nothing will hurt me...'
"Nothing will detour me.."
"Make me doubt."

Times have changed.

Many days of crossbearing
makes the soul feel heavy.
But the voice of hope
yanks at her soul.

She remembers Him...
His cross...His sacrifice.

She kneels.

Pouring her heart out.
All is well again.
She stands.

Clothed in humility and gratitude.

She smiles a sigh of weightlessness.

The pain is gone.
No blood to be found.

She lives to face another day.

To bare her cross and
Lay down her naked life.

So others my find the sweet surrender.

She stands.