Whatever is Pure
Finally, brothers, whatever
is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable
- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -
think about these things.
Phil 4:8 NIV
Annual Special Youth Edition
I am impressed by the passion, depth and faith expressed in the following and I hope that you will be as inspired as I was as I put this issue together.
After a bit of research, I discovered that several of these budding poets and writers attend "The Potter's School" and I would like to extend my thanks to their instructors at Potter's School for pointing their students in my direction. I have been blessed to receive submissions from homeschoolers and other online students as well. To protect all these young writers from spam, I won't be including their personal email addresses. However, I would respectfully direct you to their school if you need any further information. Please note each article listed below is copyrighted to each individual author.
*As this is an annual special edition, Submissions are closed for class assigned submission requests. Submissions based on online or physical classroom assignments will NOT be accepted until March 15 - April 25, 2012. Any such classroom assignment submissions sent in before or after this time frame will not be accepted. However, I gratefully accept most devotionals, testimonies or poetry that are not part of a classroom requirement project, regardless of age or gender at any time throughout the year.
The Rescuer
Character study from "Hinds’ Feet on High Places"
Much-Afraid tries desperately to conquer her enemies—Fear, Pride, Self-Pity and many others. However, without the help of the Shepherd, she fails miserably. The beautifully written allegory—Hinds’ Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard—deeply illustrates the relationship we need to obtain in order to reach His Kingdom. Whenever Much-Afraid needed help, the Shepherd was always at her side in a moment. Nothing ever delayed coming to her aid. In the same way, one should cry out and call to Yahweh for help in times of distress.
Before Much-Afraid started her journey, she was a constant target of her relatives. They pushed her against her will and tried to force her to marry Pride himself. She had just recently met the Shepherd and he had told her to come follow him when he called. But Much-Afraid was too fear-stricken by all her relatives crowding around her, so she soon fainted. After she woke up very soon after, she “sprang from the bed and shouted through the window as loudly as her fear permitted...” (44). Mrs. Valiant came to Much-Afraid’s aid and shouted at everyone to get out of the house.
During the journey, Much-Afraid had been assigned two handmaidens by the Shepherd, Sorrow and Suffering to help her along the way. At first, she dreaded holding hands with them, but later she realized that they were her powerful companions. “Much-Afraid shuddered. The choice seemed terrible. Fear she knew only too well, but Sorrow and Suffering had always seemed to her the two most terrifying things which she could encounter” (67). These two helpers greatly aided Much-Afraid on her journey. While they had made great progress, Much-Afraid’s relatives still lurked by. One time this happened, both Sorrow and Suffering picked up stones and started hurling them at their enemies. Much-Afraid was amazed at their brave attitudes and followed their actions cheerfully. In this way, her handmaidens came to her aid many times throughout the journey.
In the desert, the Shepherd brought Much-Afraid to see the lessons of the pottery, the granary, and the furnace. After she had beheld and pondered the lessons which the Shepherd showed her, she met Acceptance-with-Joy. This flower gave her some comfort and, in a way, came to the aid of her aching heart. “Somehow the answer of the little golden flower which grew all alone in the waste of the desert stole into her heart and echoed there faintly but sweetly, filling her with comfort” (91). The flower was an indirect gift to Much-Afraid from the Shepherd who knew her condition. He therefore came to her aid.
After reading this book, the one point which seems to stand out the most is when different people come to the aid of Much-Afraid. Despite her annoying relatives, Much-Afraid is able to pull through the trials. But only with the Shepherd’s help, Sorrow and Suffering’s assistance, and the flowers along the way, including Acceptance-with-Joy could she persevered and not turned back. Whenever Much-Afraid needed help, she could always count on the Shepherd coming the instant she called Him. One should recognize that we can call on Yahweh anytime for His assistance. These are the reasons why, this allegory, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, amazingly portrays the real relationship one should have with Yahweh, the King.
© 2011 Zachary Bruno
Contact Zachary for permission before using his article in any printed, electronic or internet based medium.
Honoring Christ Most of All
God’s Holy Word instructs us, as Christians, the way we must communicate. First Corinthians 10:31 declares, “Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Here God instructs us that in all that we do, including our communication with others and Him, should be accomplished for His glory. This includes our tone of voice, what we say, and our motives. Sometimes it may prove impossible to always please God in our speech because of our sinful nature, however. With this all in mind, we should communicate to honor God, witness to others, and to build one another up in the faith.
Most importantly, we as Christians must communicate to honor Christ. Placing Him first in our lives, we should pray and commune with Him daily. Matthew 6:6 provides us with an example of how we pray: “When you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” The principle behind this is that we should commune with God not to receive glory from men, but to humbly pour our hearts before Him. We must desire to communicate with God, by reading His Word and praying His Word back to Him. If Christians contradict this, then their hearts must not have genuinely changed.
Secondly, we must boldly stand for the truth and witness to others. After Jesus had risen from the dead, he told his disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). It may not mean everyone will preach on the street corners and or become a pastor, but this can include the little things in life such as a living as a stay-at-home mother, teaching Sunday school, witnessing to our friends about Christ with redemptive teaching, and so on. Another way would include distributing Bibles, and translating His Word into different languages. Countless people have never seen a Bible before, maybe even somebody who lives next door. Others around us who watch us everyday should behold a shining example in us and might have a desire to learn more about our Savior.
Thirdly, God desires for us to encourage one another. Jude 1:20 stands out to me, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” Whenever a fellow Christian has a need or lies in bed sick, we should pray for him and encourage him. Maybe this could mean visiting an elderly widow in church who rests in a wheel chair, and presenting her spring flowers to brighten her day with a smile. In this way I would communicate Christian love and encouragement to her. Also, Christians can assemble together and have fellowships and prayer meetings to encourage one anther as well. Truly God meant that building each other in the faith is an important role for Christians.
God’s Word provides us with many examples we ought to follow for Christian communication. Christians desire to have a testimony where they honor Christ in their prayer-life with God, witness to the lost, and keep others built up in the faith with encouragement when times prove difficult. One of my memory verses sums this up well. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” In this way we speak kindly, and always be ready to witness to others and honor Christ most of all.
© 2011 Elizabeth Bailey
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Love Your Neighbour
At the edge of town where the clouds kissed the mountain-side, there lived a little boy named Thomas. He dwelt in a log and stone house with his father, mother and little sister, who was only three years old. Laughter and sunshine filled his happy life. Doing chores around his father’s shop and helping with his little sister, Thomas was also a responsible big boy approaching his eighth birthday. For the special day, Thomas’ father had promised a shiny, new hatchet. To crown the excitement, Thomas was allowed to spend the day fishing with his best friend Willy at the river. Thomas felt very grown-up and important.
The sun rose bright and cheerful when Thomas woke up on the day just before his birthday. In spite of the storm in the night, he chuckled with glee at the plans for the following day. As he slid into his clothing, he heard urgent voices in the kitchen. He followed his nose down the stairs towards the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen.
Just as he entered, the neighbour exited the back door and his father and mother stood there looking at each other. "Well, Frank Greenwood's roof leaks, and that storm last night did some serious damage. I guess I better help him out," said Thomas' father. "Today I must finish an order for a new table. The miller requested that it be ready for the morning. Tomorrow, I’m organizing a work party at the Greenwoods. Thomas, I will need you to help me haul lumber."
"What about my birthday?" Thomas fumed with an uncharacteristic scowl on his face. "Tomorrow is Saturday, and that won't come again for a whole week!" "I'm not sure, son, we will have to figure that out later. We can't leave the neighbours in the lurch." With that, Thomas' father went to his shop to finish the miller's table.
Frowning, Thomas gulped down pancakes topped with cherry preserves while his mother got breakfast for his little sister. Gathering his books, Thomas hurried off to school. In spite of the early-morning sunshine, grey clouds rumbled across the sky. With deeply rutted brows, Thomas pondered what to do about the situation. He decided to conspire with Willy about what to do. Willy always had good ideas.
One block from school, Thomas met Willy and poured out the whole story. Willy, although sympathetic, agreed with Thomas’ father. “Well,” said Willy, “it’s pretty mean to leave someone all alone with their problems. Besides, the food is always awesome at those work parties! My Dad is going too, so I’ll see you there and we’ll still have fun!”
Thomas knew Willy was right, but he growled something un-intelligible and stomped into the classroom. Slogging through the day, he barely passed the spelling quiz and failed to remember his multiplication. He ignored Willy for the rest of school.
The rain poured down in buckets as he trudged home in despair, taking as long a route as possible. After agonizing over what to do, Thomas finally came up with a scheme. He would wait until everybody was asleep. Snatching some warm coals from the fire, his fishing rod, and as many pies as he could carry, he planned to sneak to his hideout by the river and build a snapping fire, feast on pie all night, and fish all day tomorrow with or without Willy. Pleased with his cunning, Thomas sprinted the rest of the way home.
While the family ate dinner that night, Thomas felt a tinge of guilt at eluding tomorrow's work. Normally, he was best friends with his father. Tonight, however, he was on his own. "Tomorrow morning, I will deliver the table to the miller," his father was saying. "On the way back I will pick up a load of lumber for the Simpsons."
"Father, why do you always work?" asked Thomas?
"Well, Son, first of all I must feed you, your mother and your sister. People like the miller pay me to make them furniture. I use that money to buy food. It gives me enormous satisfaction to see a happy customer receive a piece of well-made furniture. Like you I would love to spend all my time fishing, but people like the Greenwoods just came here from back east and need help. It matters a lot to me to give my son a special birthday. However, I can't let the Greenwoods soak and freeze because of their ignorance in wood working. We must sacrifice the day tomorrow to provide assistance to those in need." His father continued, "Thomas, God sent his Son to die on the cross for our sins. He made the ultimate sacrifice, taking our place and paying the death penalty so that we may have eternal life. The Bible says, 'Freely you have received, freely give.' How can we not help the Greenwoods when God has given us so much?"
Thomas mulled over this as he lay in bed that night. He nearly sneaked out the door to grab some pie and leave for the river, but his father’s words played in his head. Recalling how Willy had cheerfully helped the teacher clean the black board, Thomas realized Willy understood how to serve others. In the same way, Thomas' father never seemed happier than when his saw was humming through wood, or his hammer whistling through the air. Thomas slunk towards the door. “How can we not help the Greenwoods when God has given us so much?” his father had said. But then he couldn’t fish tomorrow! Tears squeezed out of Thomas’ eyes as he flopped back in bed. He knew he had the wrong attitude. With a sigh, he prayed to his Heavenly Father to help him work hard and be kind to others. Even if it meant giving up his wonderful plans for tomorrow, Thomas made up his mind to help his parents and the Greenwoods in any way he could.
© 2011 Reuben Takenaka
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What can compare?
God is so amazing and good
To measure up to Him is impossible, no one could
His grace and justice, patience and love
Hearing and answering every prayer up above
His amazing grace, truly a gorgeous sound
Blessings to all from Him rain down and abound
© 2011 Lauren
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My Hero: Jesus Christ
My hero, Jesus Christ, has walked the Earth long before us. Around 6 to 4 BC, God sent an angel to Israel to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter. The angel notified Mary that by God's magnificent power, she would conceive and bear a son. When Joseph learned that she was pregnant, the angel instructed him to marry her. Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem to register for a census, an official list of the population. While they were there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She laid him in a manger because there was no room at the Inn.
I picked Jesus as my hero because He educated as to us how to stay godly people and He created many miracles. During His middle ages, He was in Israel He traveled around and taught sermons to the locals. His most well-known sermon taught to love your enemies, do not judge others, trust God, do not remain anxious about tomorrow, and care for others as you would have them care for you. God also gave Jesus power over disease, nature, and even death. One day while Jesus was on a road near Jericho, a crowd was following him. He heard a blind man cry out, "Jesus, have mercy on me!" And Jesus gave him back his sight, and the crowd began to glorify God.
Accused of wickedness, Jesus was arrested by Jewish leaders who wanted to eradicate him. Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion; He was beaten by Roman soldiers, whipped, unclothed, and placed on a cross. He was crucified between two robbers, and they all died. On the third day in the tomb, He resurrected and the soldiers fled! I believe that Jesus was the best thing that has ever walked the Earth, and resides in the heavens today. He can heal all your pains, predicaments, heartaches, and anything in between. Jesus will always remain my most cherished hero.
© 2011 Emily
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In Wisdom There Is Life
Communication is the key to success. Without communication our lives would become almost impossible. Even the simplest job such as painting a wall with friends involves communication. First communication would be necessary to organize when the painting would happen, then it would be used to purchase the necessary equipment and paint. Last it would be used to keep the job running smoothly and effectively. If communication is such a big part of our lives surely the Bible would have something to say about it. It does. In fact whole chapters are devoted to our words. The Bible can act as guidelines for our speech. By following the guidelines for speech set up in the Bible a person can learn when to talk what to say and how to say it.
When should we talk? This is obviously a good question. Talking when we shouldn’t can get us in trouble, but so can not talking when we should. According to the Bible, in Proverbs 1:5, the wise listen and add to their understanding. Well that makes sense. If someone doesn’t pay attention during a class it will have negative impacts on his understanding of the concepts when it comes to a test. In Job chapter 2 after job has lost everything, his three friends come to comfort him? Unlike how someone would normally comfort another they say nothing and sit with him for seven days of lamenting. Only after those seven days if lamenting do they speak, but then they find out that they should not have done so. God tells the three friends that He is angry with them. For, although they tried to comfort Job, they spoke wrongly of him. This is just one of the many examples that sometimes silence is the wisest choice.
If someone is grieving what should we say? If we say the wrong thing they will only suffer more. Fortunately the Bible has guidelines for this also. In Proverbs 2:11, it says that discretion will guide you and protect you. Using discretion in our words will shield you from creating enemies. In Proverbs 10:19 another guideline for our speech is set up. It says, “When words are many sin is not absent.” This simple line will greatly benefit anyone who applies it to their life. If we can remember not to let our tongues wander than we can be sure to keep from speaking evil of others. In Proverbs 10:21 it says that our lips should be used to nourish many. Our speech should benefit those who are near. These few simple guidelines will help us live better lives and might help save us from making enemies.
Even if we say the right thing how can we be sure that it will be accepted? A good guideline to follow can be found in Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” If our speech is always kind we will not make enemies and we will be more effective at communicating. An offensive word can turn even a friend into an enemy. Proverbs 15:1 reveals that a gentle answer turns away wrath. Our words should be patient. In verse 18 of chapter 15 in proverbs it tells us that a patient man calms a quarrel. If we can use our words to stop a fight between our companions, then we have done well.
As in all areas of our lives if we follow the Bible’s guidelines for our speech we will succeed. If we remember the things the Bible has taught us we will be able to use our communication to help gain people to Christ. As long as we remember to speak only when we should, to keep our words few, to say what is right and appropriate, and to speak in a way that it will be accepted then we will have mastered the art of communication. As told in proverbs 10:31, “The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom.” Our goal in life should be to become as wise as possible, for in wisdom there is life.
© 2011 John
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The Message On The Wall
It wasn't what you would typically expect to find hanging on a wall in the ladies' room of a department store. There was no nasty, explicit, un-repeatable message scribbled in pencil with an unsteady hand. In fact, it wasn't even written at all. It was typed. About ten lines of various lengh, leading to one simple message, typed in small print on a tiny business card.
But there it was. Someone, whether she was married to the leader of a church, in a crisis herself, or just a thoughtful person trying to do something, anything, to help someone else, left this card:
You can get to Heaven without a job,
Without ever owning a home,
Without expensive clothes,
With no money in the bank,
No shoes on your feet,
Never earning a college degree,
Without getting married,
Or having power and influence,
You can get to Heaven without a million other things.
You cannot get to Heaven without Christ.
That was the message. No rhyming words, or church logos, or even an illustration. Just that plain, simple, pure message. It was directly in the line of vision of anyone that dried their hands, being tacked to the wall beside the paper towel dispenser. If you could read, you could not avoid it.
Those words are true. In the Bible, Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can enter the kingdom of God except through Me."
No matter what happens in our lives, if we have faith in God and His son Jesus Christ, we are saved. We know where we'll go when we're gone, what to expect when this world ends, and what really matters in life. Faith. Hope. Love.
Truthfully, I don't know what happened to that card, or even if it had much effect on others who read it. It was years ago that I saw it, yet I remember.
My guess is that, after a week or so, someone that could not understand and had not accepted the message, took down the card. It was most likely thrown in the overflowing waste-basket below. They were most likely outraged, and felt like in choosing another religion, they had been denied something. And they were right.
I also look at it like this: that card is still remembered. A single moment spent tacking a little piece of paper to a bathroom wall caused a memory that has lasted in my mind for years. I know those words are true. Whoever put the card on the wall believed them, cherished them, and tried to do good through them.
And what about the person that did away with the card? Where they ever saved? That I don't know. Only they, God, and maybe a few of their friends, will ever know. But think about this. They saw those words. They had to read those words. Instead of accepting the message, they became enraged and tossed them away. But they did read them. They had to think of them. And they too, may remember them.
Reading turns into thought, thought to wonder, and wondering, sometimes, to accepting. Even if recalling them in hatred, that woman thought about those words, turned them over in her mind, and they aroused something in her.
And if she, or anyone else that read that card, is still alive, then there is still time for them to listen, to hear, and to understand, the message on the wall.
© 2011 M.A.E
Spring Cleaning: God's Way!
Every winter, we look forward to the arrival of Spring, and the flowers, warmth, and sunshine that it comes with it. But when most people think of Spring, one of the first things that come to mind is Spring cleaning! That time of the year when we dust off our shelves, wash our windows, and get rid of our unneeded belongings. We give our houses a thorough cleaning to make it presentable, fresh, and new. Sometimes, we need to clean out our minds as well as our houses! Just as we clean our houses, we need to scrub and scour sinful thoughts from our minds. In Romans 12:2, Paul tells us, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” This verse urges us to clean our thoughts so that they will be acceptable and pleasing to the Lord. It may seem like a daunting task at first, but just like a house, if we clean our minds often, we will not have the problem of our sin building up and becoming messier and messier. I admit that I struggle with cleaning out my mind of sinful thoughts, but with the Lord's help, I know I can overcome this! So when Spring cleaning rolls around, think about if you should be cleaning your mind as well as your house.
© 2011 Andrea Schumacher
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Innocence
He says he loves me, and I want to believe
I do whatever he says; I don’t want him to leave
But I’m just added to his list, turns out it’s pretty long
I guess he’s done with me, but what have I done wrong?
Still very young and part of my innocence is gone
I get back up, but I don’t want to be alone
This one really loves, it will last this time, I swear
But soon he’s gone again, is this just a mask they all wear?
There goes another piece of my heart, to one who could care lessv
How did my innocence become such a torn up mess?
But third time’s the charm; this one won’t let me go
He holds me tight in his arms, no, this one I won’t blow
But another girl came along; I guess I’m not good enough
I guess that, “I love you” was just another bluff
I only have a shred of innocence left, but I can’t stop
Maybe this one will be the one that doesn’t flop
But you know how the story goes, it didn’t end well
Without any innocence, there’s nothing left to sell
Who could possibly want me now?
People have always told me that someone loves me, but how?
If only I could go back to that first day
And tell myself that the temporary acceptance is not worth the permanent price I had to pay
If only I could take my innocence back
But it’s gone now, distributed between guys whose love I now lack
So don’t give into the lies
Innocence is worth more than the brief love it can buy
So please, live with abstinence
And above all, keep your innocence
© 2011 Abi
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The Wisdom From Above
“Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice ‘To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than rubies, and all things one may desire cannot be compared with her’” -- Proverbs 8:1-11.
Have you ever read this passage and felt like Solomon when God asked him what He could give him? Have you ever felt like the most precious thing you could ever receive is wisdom, and if God was to ask you the same question He asked Solomon, you would give the same answer? This is how I felt after reading Proverbs 8 during my devotions one morning. After reading the rest of this chapter, I began researching by asking the question “what is wisdom?” One dictionary I looked at pictured wisdom as “A person’s ability to use their experience and good sense to make sensible and reasonable decisions or judgments.” I asked people on the street what they thought wisdom was; I read the quotes of people such as Winston Churchill and Benjamin Franklin that reflected their thoughts on wisdom. Most people thought wisdom was discernment, the product of experience, the need for knowledge, or knowledge itself. However, as good and beneficial as these things are, they can sometimes be used for a bad purpose. For this reason, I looked to see what God says wisdom is.
James 3:17, for example, describes a kind of wisdom that is very desirable: “But the wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” In the same book, chapter one, verse five, it says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” According to these verses, wisdom does not depend on a person’s knowledge, or experience, it refers to a pure, gentle, humble character, and high principles. This character is the wisdom that God gives to anyone who desires it and asks Him for it. It is available to everyone, young and old, people with the best of education and experience, or with hardly any education at all; the only requirement is that we humbly ask God for it.
The wisest man that ever lived was Solomon, king of Israel. His father, King David, had been a great king, and Solomon felt that he could not rule a kingdom as well as his father had; Solomon humbly asked God for wisdom, to be able to govern the people God put under him, and God gave Solomon wisdom in overwhelming abundance. Solomon became the wisest man on earth, with a supernatural discernment, and knowledge.
For further research, I chose to look at another person’s life, someone not as well-known as Solomon was. Sonya Carson was a black woman living in the south during the nineteen sixties. As a single mom with less than third grade education, Mrs. Carson was forced to keep two, sometimes three, hard, low paying jobs cleaning people’s houses. Mrs. Carson was heartbroken to see her two sons failing in school, facing a future of poverty and ignorance. In his book, “Gifted Hands”, Dr. Benjamin Carson described his mother’s desperation, and how she came to God and begged Him for wisdom, to show her how to help her sons have a better future. God gave her wisdom. Mrs. Carson booted the television, made her sons read two books a week, and write a report on each of them, even though she could not read what they wrote. Now, whenever Dr. Benjamin Carson speaks publicly, he always mentions that his mother’s ‘Wisdom Prayer’ started the whole chain reaction to his success; from failing grades, to the top of his class, to a full scholarship to Yale College, to the Michigan school of Medicine, to world renowned neurosurgeon.
In both of these examples, God gave Solomon and Sonya wisdom when they saw their need, and came to Him. Then He gave in abundance.
In my opinion, Dr. Benjamin Carson is now one of the smartest people living. However, according to first Corinthians 13:2, “And though I understand all mysteries, and all knowledge but have not love, I am nothing.” Knowledge without love may produce something good, but it does not last.
Solomon is best known for his wisdom, his building projects, and wealth. What happened to all those things? His buildings and wealth have rotted away and crumbled, or become archeological artifacts, history, but not the wisdom that he used out of love for people. We still have that wisdom, in the Bible, in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. That wisdom has not died.
Dr. Benjamin Carson has performed many unique and complicated brain surgeries; but he feels that his biggest and most important calling is to speak to young people; to encourage them to live for God and serve Him. He has a kind of love for people that makes him want to pass his wisdom on to them. When we ask for it, God gives us wisdom, but, while He does help us, we still need to make an effort to use it correctly, and in love, the main ingredient in the wisdom from above. In first Corinthians 13:8, it says that knowledge and understanding will someday come to an end, but love never will. In the same way, the wisdom that we use in love will never end.
© 2011 Hannah King
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The Road
I travel by myself to find
Direction, but my eyes prove blind.
Sight I own reveals indeed
I long for status, world full of greed.
He opens my eyes, I saw His Light.
Suddenly, my future no longer frights.
Lord, save my human, selfish heart
And place me in this world apart.
They murdered You, despite innocence.
But You chose to hang in my defense.
Paid my price, completed my debt.
I trust in You and never fret.
I concede to You my every goal,
And trust that You will keep my soul.
I have no strength, and so I fear
Your power wipes my every tear.
I love my Lord, my God I need.
His love expresses His Majesty.
He found me on a broken road,
Multiplied blessings overflow.
© 2011 Amanda H
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Second Chance
He crept up the hall, entering the door to his right and figuring out from there what to do. The darkness clouded his mind, and he tried to fight it off to no avail. Every step he took brought him into a sense of deeper darkness. Each wrong door seemed to make the light fade just that much more. Despite recognizing that place from his life, he could not remember the correct door of the three to open. In complete confusion he jumped forward and ripped the door on his left open only to find another room with three more doors.
Whispers arose from all around him; raspy voices commanding him, at first quietly, to take the door on his right. Screaming in frustration, he began to choose the doors at random, but each time he came out in what seemed exactly the same room as before. Despair settled in, along with an outrage at the fact he should know the way.
You should never have come. Although he could tell that the thoughts and voices did not belong to him, he could not help but listen. They will die because of your ignorance. An image flashed before his eyes of his younger sister and brother chained to the wall right in front of him, both dead with empty eyes staring at him. The voices returned in full fury, this time coming from the corpses’ cold lips. Save us, brother…why did you let this happen? He fell to his knees in torment, as the voices continued to shower him in pure hatred. You killed them. It was your fault.
“Leave me!” Pounding the wall with his fist in anger, he clenched his eyes shut until the horror faded from his vision. Standing up with his eyes still shut tight, he groped along the wall till he found a door knob. However, instead of entering yet another room, he turned; opened his eyes, and ran back to the door he just came through. Feeling around in desperation he found the door no longer existed, leaving him no choice but to press onward. He could not turn back just as much as he could not turn back time.
The wages of sin is death…
The voices continued to whisper from all around him. He began to realize that each time he opened another door, his hands became increasingly numb. From the darkness surrounding him, he could feel the voices start to close in on him. You could have prevented their deaths…
No longer could he distinguish his thoughts from theirs. No longer could he even feel his hands; they became as worthless as his past. He shook his hands, hitting them against a wall, until some feeling returned to them. Something steadily dripped off of them, and, since he could not see anymore, he allowed the liquid to fall in his mouth. Tasting the bitterness of blood, he himself spat it out in disgust of himself, and returned his hands to the task of finding another door. He opened his mouth to speak out against the voices, but found his own voice quieted in the void. Instead, he heard the darkness that much clearer. This was your doing. Then, this was my doing. It’s my fault. I let them die; this is their blood on my hands, not my own.
Their thoughts became his, as he pressed deeper into the darkness, trying to find a way out and back into the light. Room after room, door after door—he continued forward. All light seemed to fade as memories and visions plagued his mind. His sister and brother leaving for a hike through the city, him jogging to catch up and go with them only to see them shot down by someone standing in front of them. You caused this. Suddenly, his position in the memory shifted places. In an instant, he stood in front of his siblings—his best friends—holding the same gun and pulling the trigger that brought them to the asphalt face down in a pool of blood.
NO! He dropped to his knees once again, putting his hand on the bloodstained wall in front of him. The darkness grew so thick now that he could barely move through it. Breathing it in became painful as he tried his hardest to hold on. Give up on yourself. You already gave up on them. Even though he knew that the thought existed only to cut him, it cut him nonetheless. The image of them chained to the wall returned to his treacherous mind’s eye, his brother and sister lying in the same room as him in their blood, their bullet-riddled bodies—with holes exactly where he placed them in his vision.
NO! He screamed in his mind a second time, as his mouth completely betrayed him. It wasn’t my fault, and there was no way I could have saved them!
Go ahead, tell everyone that. But you can’t hide the truth from yourself. The wages of your sin, boy, is death. Your future is only death. In his mind, he suddenly remembered something from his childhood—“the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” As if the voices recognized where the thought came from, they withdrew for the moment.
The voices became silent now, yet somehow he could still feel their echoes of destruction. He became emboldened, reaching out, attempting to break free from their hold. His arm went limp and he felt suffocated under the darkness. Terrified, he tried to move anything at all, yet found himself ensnared in a web of lies. Sucking in and out the scarce air he could find, he used the only ability he had left for him in order to call out for help—his thoughts, also beginning to become consumed by deceitful tongues if he did nothing to prevent it. In full tears now he began to hear a different voice, one he had not known since his childhood.
“Would you like to be forgiven?” The voice came to him muffled, but when he focused harder on listening to it instead of the darkness and his fears, he heard it a second time.
“All your life you have fought against what I love. All this time you fled from your past, not even looking towards the trap you were falling into. You fell into the trap laid out before you on your own accord, by your own means, but I am here to lift you back up again. Would you like to be forgiven?”
This voice is a lie, you cannot trust it. It let you down before. What is to say it will not once again? He could feel the darkness’ cry to shut out the new voice, giving him the strength he needed to do the exact opposite.
Yes, yes. I want to be forgiven! He recognized the voice now, and knew that only by recognizing his fault and laying it down before his savior could he survive and even more: he could truly live for the first time in his life. Time slowed as the darkness fought to regain control over him.
“Then rise, for you are forgiven. I have already paid the price for your life.” He felt strange, for he could finally feel his hands again after so long. Climbing to his feet as quickly as his legs allowed, he realized he could use more than only his thoughts to communicate once again. The darkness rose up in an attempt to destroy him, before he could fully recover. Time seemed to stand still as it reached out and tried to strangle the life from him.
“You have no power over me anymore; my savior has forgiven me.” The shadows before him drew back, in fearful anticipation at what would come next. However, he remained silent for a few seconds, and they once again gathered together to destroy him. They surrounded him, blocking all the light from his view. Slowly they tightened their grasp on him like a noose.
“Leave me.” He spoke with such a strong conviction that the darkness found no choice but to flee before him and the new Light found within him. It hid away in the corners of the room, trying to escape his sight. However, the Light flooded out from him, burning away the cloud of darkness. The walls that trapped him inside for so long now shattered like glass under the impact of a missile, splintering into oblivion, revealing a whole new world void of the evil darkness where death found it choking on itself.
There before him stood his Savior and two others. Once his eyes at last adjusted to the Light before him, the two standing before him materialized into his sister and brother, there to welcome him home at last.
© 2011 Nathan Wood
In order to protect the student's privacy, please contact the Potter's School to gain permission to use this article.
The Submissive Donkey
Despite the popular misconception that characterizes the donkey as stubborn, obstinate, and stupid, this small member of the horse family has developed a self-preservation sense that will only do things if it is safe. Many people consider the donkey as a mindless brute, with little or no intelligence. However, from specific passages in the Bible, one can learn a separate set of attributes to emulate. Donkeys, when mentioned in the Word of God, have three positive, noteworthy qualities. First, the donkey demonstrates a submissive spirit towards its Creator. Secondly, the donkey recognizes and responds to the presence and authority of God. Thirdly, as an all-purpose vehicle used for transportation, this animal carries the truth to people. Christians should behave similarly. From the Biblical example of the donkey, we can learn true servanthood.
Christians may discover the manner of submission from these specific instances of the donkey. Prophecy in the Old Testament states that Christ would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey. In fact, Matthew 21: 5 speaks of a donkey transporting Jesus; this animal displays a compliant attitude to the will of Christ. Rather than struggling against the Lord through the journey, the donkey willingly yields to His guidance. In addition, Numbers 22:23 states, “And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field” (BLB). Once again the donkey acknowledges the presence of the Lord and redirects Balaams path, while Balaam did not sense the angel of the Lords authority. Lastly, the donkey passively carries the truth of God to the unsaved world; as in the story of the birth of Christ in which Mary, pregnant with Jesus, rides a donkey to Bethlehem. This creature, divinely used for the furtherance of the gospel, displays a true servants life.
After meditating upon these three instances of the donkeys obedience, I have realized that I do fall short in obedience. In years past I have not tried to my best capability to serve others. However, I will make it a point to submit to God first and then my parents and all forms of authority. Also, in my life I must recognize the presence of these authoritative figures and respond with a servants heart. Finally, as the Great Commission says, I should go witness to and disciple others. Even if the worlds adjectives to describe the donkey consist of stubborn, obstinate, and stupid, Christians should emulate the specific characteristics of submitting and responding to the authority of God and spreading His truth.
© 2011 Brandon Radosevich
In order to protect the student's privacy, please contact the Potter's School to gain permission to use this article.
As of May 2012, "WHATEVER IS PURE" ARCHIVES will no longer be seeking submissions. As most authors and poets now have their own blogs, we noticed a significant drop in submissions over the past year and felt it was best to move on to other endeavors.
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