Job is a man of righteousness, and yet he is suffering! His life has fallen to shreds. He has lost everything. Have you ever gone through “hell?” Pain, raw, intense. Grief, agonizing and unrelenting. Paralyzing. Job is caught in the middle of grief and depression and sorrow. It is one of the reasons I find […]
The Ever Offensive Cross
What do you think about when you think of the cross? Do you think of church? Christians? Jewelry? Does it mean anything to you? Perhaps it feels like a pretentious symbol to you, offensive in its religiosity. Maybe it is a sacred image, symbolizing peace, and hope. Maybe you think of Jesus. But what is […]
Come to the Garden
Come to the Garden A Poem, By Joy Aletheia Stevens ~ Step into the Garden near, And breathe the fullness of the air. Come with awe and hope, and a little fear, And see the site that you’ll find there. ~ Let your gaze fall on gaping hole, Empty in the earth, And to your knees, […]
Easter Unprepared
It’s happened again! Easter week is here, and I’m caught pretty much unprepared! Every year I tell myself I’m not going to do this, not going to just leave Easter for the last minute. Every year it seems to sneak up on me before I know it! All of a sudden I’m seeing blog posts […]
Why Would God Choose Me?
And the Lord said to Moses, “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them.” Deuteronomy 31:16 Oh Israel. Beautiful Israel. If you’ve ever read the Old […]
Do I Know God?
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 This verse. It’s hard. This verse. It lays out a truth that we’d rather skip over so very often. Because just because we think we know […]
Most Incredible of Thoughts
Most Incredible of Thoughts A Poem, By Joy Aletheia Stevens ~ There is a thought, To big to contemplate, To enormous to be sought, Too magnanimous to formulate. ~ This thought cannot be grasped, Most certainly can’t be hidden. It cannot be asked, No suitable answer given. ~ Though it most certainly can be touched. […]
Finding the Secret Place
Do you know your secret place? The secret place deep inside yourself? Some people don’t even want to look in this place. They want to bury it. It holds pain and anger and things of which they would rather forget. There secret place does not hold peace. So they fill themselves with distraction. Fill their […]
Took Me Home
Took Me Home A Poem, By Joy Aletheia Stevens ~ How could I be so very blessed I don’t understand, this I confess That You would take me as Your very own Like a foundling child without a home ~ You found me in an abandoned place And Your hand caressed my tear soaked face […]
Just Breathe
Breathe In. Breathe in His Strength. Breathe Out. Breathe out my weakness. Breathe In. Breathe in His Glory. Breathe Out. Breathe out my shame. Breathe In. Breathe Out. Breathe In Him. Breathe Out Me. In. Out. In. Out. Such a glorious exchange! Take in His Constancy, His Holiness, His Rightness. Take in Himself. Let everything […]