Reflections
By Marion Spellman, Ph.D.

Her eyes looked so empty, her face bore no smile
She had not laughed, nor known real joy for awhile.
Her feelings drew inward, her outlook was gray,
It got harder just to get out of bed every day.

Her strength was diminished, her energy died,
She couldn't stay focused although she would try.
She even sought counseling, attempting to find
answers to give the needed peace in her mind.

The words echoed loudly, in her heart, in her thoughts,
"Ill never betray you - I'll never be bought,
by this world's earthly pleasures, its greed or its lust."
Yet being betrayed, she was left with no trust.

This crossroad demanded a decision to make,
would she let this destroy her and keep her awake
each night as she suffered lost hope and despair -
Or would she give it to Jesus through fastings and prayer?

"The Book" she'd neglected with the coveted key
is where she was drawn in her search to be free.
It had answers and power to deal with her life
and helped her to realized the cause of this strife.

Well, she opened the Bible - the one on the shelf -
and to her surprise, what she saw was herself.
The root was alarming, it had started to sprout
to deep seeds of bitterness, of anger and doubt.

She related to Joseph who was likewise betrayed
by his very own brothers in the same home he had stayed.
They plotted and stripped him and left him for dead
But he just wouldn't hate them - he forgave them instead.

And the prodigal son, yes she'd read of him too,
how he squandered his money with not even a clue
of how selfish he was - how ungrateful and mean,
thinking of only himself - other's needs left unseen.

But with all said and done, when the son did return,
the Father just loved him. What a lesson she'd learned!
Dad threw him a party and gave him a ring,
he held nothing against him - not one single thing!

But the One who touched and inspired her most,
was King Jesus Himself and The Sweet Holy Ghost.
She witnessed forgiveness in its highest degree,
It brought tears to her eyes as she fell to her knees.

She asked Him to cleanse her, to make her brand new,
to please take this anger and this bitterness, too.
It had even aged her body - it left wrinkles and lines,
caused serious problems, without symptoms or signs.

She made up her mind, and right then laid it down
at the foot of the cross, so she could claim her new crown.
She had much work to do; there were souls to be won,
And time was too short to dwell on what's done.

Now this encounter is by no means brand new,
It's for all who will listen - and not just for a few.
The truth of the matter is He is waiting for you
To do in your life, what He said He will do.