Freely Given

Grace

Not earned

Freely given

For us to receive

Grace

Never deserved

Just freely given

For us to enjoy

Grace

Brings hope

And is freely given

To the guilty ones

Jo Anne Kennedy

March 2019

Taboo

I know that I am not supposed to feel like this

I shouldn’t feel closed off

Or as if I am in darkness

Or sinking into an abyss

I shouldn’t feel like this

As it is considered a failure

To show your symptoms

And be vulnerable

Depression is a taboo subject

In the Christian community

Why are you depressed

Is Jesus not good enough for you

Christian’s shouldn’t be depressed

With Jesus in their lives

His love for us

Should make us filled with joy

So why the sad face

Why the lack of despair

Why are you hiding away?

Can you not cheer up?

I despair of this

Because if you read the Bible

Just turn to the Psalms

And listen to David

He struggled with life

He retreated to the cave

He called out in angst

He felt left behind

So if it is ok for David

It is ok for me

Because God treasured him

And God cherishes me

Jo Anne Kennedy

March 2019

Abyss

I am sinking

Into a great abyss

Can’t hold on

I go deeper down

But sometimes

I am at the surface

But then a wave comes

And takes me off balance

Putting me in danger

Of falling deeper down

With no way out

And then sometimes

I see a lifebuoy

And when I try to reach it

It slips away

Out of my grasp

And I just drown

Jo Anne Kennedy

March 2019

Where Are You?

You saw me in tears

Yet you walked away

Which cut me up

I decided to leave

And you just let me

Never giving me a second thought

I was already upset

But your actions hurt

And left me feeling hollow

For weeks now I have felt

Like something was up

And you distanced yourself from me

My thoughts are why,

And what have I done

As you weren’t like this before

You say have a caring heart

And have compassion for others

But I am not seeing it

You know I am in pain

And that life has been hard

But where are you?

Jo Anne Kennedy

February 2019

My Rock

You are my rock

Nothing fazes you

Nothing causes you to tumble

You are strong

You hold me up

In the times of darkness

You are stable

You will never leave

And your love will never break

Jo Anne Kennedy

February 2019

Help Me

Help me to refocus

My eyes need to be on you

And not on the world

Help renew my mind

So my thoughts are of the truth

And not the lies I am being told

Help me ignore the lies

And see the truth in you

That I am loved and cherished

Help me see the goodness

And not focus on the bad

Because that can be harmful

Help me realise I am not alone

And it doesn’t matter what people think

As you are always by my side

Help  fill my heart with joy

And let my soul be at peace

As I can’t live torn up anymore

Help me focus on you

And not on myself

As that isn’t healthy

Help me leave behind my limitations

And realise that with you anything is possible

                                            And that you are in complete control

Jo Anne Kennedy

February 2019