Once again, this post is from a another guest author. Her name is Roxanne Hodge. Born in Kansas and raised as a military child, Roxanne Gail Hodge is a vintage soul with an honest abundance of empathy. Her walk with the Lord has been her solace through many life-changing crises. Her passions are writing thrillers, poetry, short stories, reading, retrospection, and painting. Follow her work at Aspire2accept@wordpress.com
The Power of Words
Is it acceptance, or is it giving up? Or is it peace, or is it complacency? Is it seeking experience, or is it dissatisfaction? Do we pursue truth, or do we want confirmation? Is it reality, or is it perception?
Words are fascinating. I’m not a student of languages, but I am familiar enough with the English language to understand the power of words. Changing one word in a thought can make the difference between positive implications or negativity. A word can elicit determination or passivism.
Resigning and acceptance are two words that may appear to have the same meaning but let’s consider the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition. So resignation is helplessness, “knowing” something is going to happen, and the inability to stop it. Whereas acceptance is understanding there are options but making the decision to allow a certain action or giving up a personal right to something.
My Story
I’ve spent the better part of my life resigned to what happened in my life. The act of resignation will eventually incite the blame game of bitterness, leading to frustration and finally hopelessness. Today, I want to subscribe to acceptance. The act of acceptance is a powerful statement, and at the end of the word is peace. Philippians 4:7 gives us the answer to ultimate peace.
Then, you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
The greatest acceptance we can make is for us to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. Romans 5:1 explains the peace at the end of acceptance; “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
My Words
This poem is one of the poems God gave me as I compiled a book of poetry called “Thistles and Blossoms” Finding my way to acceptance was a journey. The way was sometimes hazardous, but the peace I found was well worth the trip.
My Poem
Finding My Way to Acceptance This fight I have inside of me continues to go on. I look left; I look right; where do I belong? These familiar words echo in my mind coming from a distant time. Jesus Loves me this I know For the Bible tells me so. I Learned these words in my youth and believed they spoke the truth. One day when I was just a child What happened I could not reconcile. My baby brother died in mom’s arms. God did not keep him from all harm. I prayed to make the pain go away, Instead, I learned the proper words to say, “God had a reason for what He did, It was for good that he was dead.” I vaguely remember the fun I had. The times I was not feeling sad. I laughed and played, and I could run. We put on performances, now that was fun. As I grew older, I had a hunger which led me to an unknown danger. When I was not yet a teen, but in those years of in between. My innocence ended as a girl, when a tragic experience unfurled. The lesson I learned blocked out the sun. I could not believe what he had done. I yearned to be respected and cherished, but that night my purity perished. I wanted comfort, his touch was crushing. The tears in my soul came out gushing. I did not want to be seen at all, so, as I grew my world got small. I lived my life behind a camera’s eye, always looking for a place to hide. I trudged on through this existence of mine trying to convince everyone I was fine. I married a man I said I loved. He tried I suppose, I should not judge. God gave me two beautiful girls. My daughters are more precious than pearls. My youngest was three when my marriage ended, even though I knew it was not what God intended. I kept on keeping on my way, listening to what others had to say. I tried to do everything that was right so I could finally get out of the night. Instead, I became confused and desperate. My soul just could not seem to grasp “it.” But then I did not know what that “it” was and decided that I was a lost cause. Somehow the girls survived my failures and rose above with God’s help, and others. My daughters grew up and I grew older. I am still floundering but getting bolder. Through wiser people, friends, and specialists My outlook on life is not so desolate. I am strong enough to encourage and inspire and sometimes even understand my desires. The last step I must finally take if I am to learn what is at stake, is to accept God’s plan for me. All through our life; I know you will agree we face many challenges in between the calm. When we hurt, God sooths us with His balm. His promises are true and remains unchanged. He keeps us close we are never estranged. God unconditionally loves everyone. The love of the Father, Holy Ghost and Son Is higher than the spectrum of the universe. This love is so powerful the curse of man was reversed. With the sacrifice of His Beloved Son, the endless love of Theirs goes on. I finally learned what true acceptance is. I acknowledge that the depth of this love of His leads to a peace that passes all understanding The power of His love is what keeps me standing.
Peace and Grace to you
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian author, blogger, and speaker.
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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Our words have the ability to harm or to lead others closer to a relationship with Christ. I pray my words will be comforting and will help others find their way to the Lord.
I pray the same for myself too. I pray “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalms 19:14 NIV
https://www.bible.com/111/psa.19.14.niv. Grace and peace to you
The poem brought tears as I remembered my own childhood🌹
It is beautiful. Thanks for visiting. Grace and peace to you
Roxanne, thank you for your transparency and authenticity!
Thanks for commenting Ava. Grace and peace to you
I appreciate Roxanne’s willingness to share her painful story and am thankful that she was able to come to peace with her past through Jesus’ grace and her willingness to accept what can’t be changed and to move on.
Thanks Janice
Thank you for sharing your story. May God bless and comfort you and others through it.
Amen. Thanks Nancy
Thank you so much for sharing! Our testimonies vary, but they all point to God. Suffering seems to be one thing we can ALL relate to, but it’s such a comfort that God is there no matter what.
Yes it is. Amen
Thank you all for sharing. I’m honored to be one conduit of God’s to share the words He gives me with others. We all have a personal story. The author of our lives is God’s.
Thank you Roxanne. It was a wonderful story.
Powerful and grievous words by Roxanne Hodges. Thank you for sharing your contribution, sister. Your experience is one that many of us had at a young age, not understanding why he did it, or why God allowed it to happen. Thankfully, the Lord heals. Thank you for sharing the intimate hurts, such a common experience for us women. By the grace of God, a new day and a new world will dawn.
Thank you Melinda. Grace and peace to you
Roxanne’s poem touches every heart. We may not have the same experiences, but we need to learn many of the same lessons.
So true Linda. Thanks for commenting. Grace and peace to you
Indeed, and often times, the lessons are hard. But God is faithful.
Yvonne, thanks for sharing Roxanne with us. Such a vulnerable poem, Roxanne. May we always remember the power of words.
Thanks Karen. Grace and peace to you
I appreciate your comment Karen.