April Newsletter – In Full

The Fall

A Short Story by Alyssa L

In the beginning, the King established the Kingdom of Eden. He gained subjects from the wandering souls of the land, gathering them to himself and promising a new life. Together, they built villages from the timber of great trees and stacked stone upon stone until great cities rose up from the ground. Under the King’s rule the people prospered and the land was peaceful. Eden became the first paradise.
Every child in the land knew this founding story by heart, having heard it a hundred times over. But for the King’s daughter, it had been a thousand and one. Eve’s father loved to speak of far off lands and the erudition of sages. Over tea and in the candlelight before bedtime, he would share the wisdom he accumulated over his years, his words painting pictures onto the walls and etching curiosity into Eve’s mind. Everyone knew of the great wealth of knowledge the King had, but none truly knew the depths of it.
Eve adjusted the hem of her forest green dress to rest more comfortably, the gilded embroidery of vines and flowers shimmering in the dappled light. It had been a gift from her father on her eighteenth birthday and, even after some time, it was still her favorite. The sleeves fell past her knees and the skirt swayed like a lively canopy in a brisk spring wind. She sat in her most beloved place in the entire Kingdom; the garden of the Palace of Eden, the most beautiful area in the land.
The crisp, cool breeze brushed against her skin like a kiss and rustled her skirt like an embrace. The soft, floral scents of the flowers and rich soil permeated the air, making her smile.
The bright blooming flowers were as numerous and unique as snowflakes, their petals shining in the mottled sunlight in colors of scarlet red, blush pink, deep violet, and ocean blue. Great trees towered overhead, draping deep shadows over the yard. Their leaves flashed like emeralds and waved cheerfully as if happy to see her. Aquamarine pools of water sat among the twisting roots,
lilypads and lotuses dotting the surface. Koi fish, as large as she, swam gracefully beneath the water, scales flashing in gold, red, orange, white and black. Squirrels and tiny birds scampered across the worn dirt pathways, their joyous chirping and chittering filling the air. But here, in the center of the garden was the best place of all; where the greatest oak tree towered, bright red fruits dripping from its branches like the rubies of Eve’s own circlet. Beneath its shade was a small mountain of stones, a cascade of crystalline water gushing from it. She
knelt in front of the waterfall, the soft trickling of the water and melodious chirping of birds nearly putting her to sleep.
Despite being exactly where she wanted to be, Eve could not help but feel morose. Her father was away, attending to an important affair he claimed he could not tell her about. In addition, her betrothed, Adam, had intended to meet with her today, but was called away to a military meeting instead. And so she sat in the garden alone. She asked to join them, but they both refused with the same dismissal she was so used to hearing; “It would not be wise.” Eve tried not to feel disappointed, though it always went like this. She had begun to wonder what wisdom they possessed that she appeared to be lacking.
But today, it might have been just as well. She felt unusually uneasy, a chill going down her spine despite the warmth of the day. She thought she heard soft footsteps making their way down the path, the tiniest rustle of cloth brushing against low-hanging branches. But every time she looked over her shoulder, the courtyard remained empty. Maybe, in her moment of loneliness, her mind had created something to keep her company.
Soon it became too much, and she decided maybe it would be best to return to the palace walls. She stood to her feet and began hurrying down the path, her golden bracelets jingling together on her wrists.
Eve rushed around a bend and gasped, nearly running into a dark figure that had been standing just out of view. “Please forgive me,” she said in surprise, taking a few steps backward.
“I did not see you there, sir.”
“There is nothing to fret over, my dear,” a deep, melodic voice answered. “It is quite
alright.”
Eve peered closer at the stranger, who appeared like an ink stain in the brightly colored garden. His robe was dark as storm clouds and trimmed with deep crimson, the gold stitching glinting like embers from a fire. The cloak obscured every part of him, the hem reaching the ground and the hood drowning his face in shadows. How peculiar, Eve thought to herself. I have never seen anyone like this man before.
“I am Eve,” she introduced herself politely. “Is there any way I can be of service?”
Maybe he was an ambassador from another kingdom and had gotten lost in the yard. That would explain his strange garb. “If you are looking for someone within the palace, I could help you in finding them.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Eve,” the figure said pleasantly. “But no, I do not need your help. I assure you, I am no stranger to these grounds.”
“You…have been here before?” Eve asked hesitantly. Surely she would recognise him or have an idea of his identity if that was truly the case.
“Yes, long, long ago,” the stranger said wistfully, his hooded face tilting as if taking in the scenery. “But that was all before you were born.”
“Ah, I see.” That could explain it. “Well if there is nothing more you need…”
“My dear,” the man began, extending one hand towards her. “I have travelled alone for quite some time, and I am afraid it has made me feel quite, shall we say, isolated. Would you mind keeping me company while I am here, in this grand Palace of Eden? I promise this will not take up too much of your time. I only wish to make conversation.” His words were smooth and sweet as honey to Eve’s ears, calming her nerves and banishing her doubts. Though she failed to
notice how silent the birds had gone. She considered it for a moment. She had nothing else to attend to at the moment and both her father and Adam were away. Had she not just been wishing for a companion moments ago?
“I accept,” Eve responded with a respectful bow. “I would not want you to find our
hospitality lacking. But, if I may ask, what is your name, kind stranger?”
“Ah, where are my manners?” The strange figure bowed, his cloak billowing around him.
“I am Lucifer. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Princess Eve.”

Inside the Palace of Eden, the marble walls towered around the two companions, veins of gold flowing through it like rivers across the land. The beveled stained glass windows refracted the sunlight, throwing dazzling displays across the walls and reflective tiled floors. Tapestries hung decoratively, their brightly colored threads telling the story of the Kingdom’s founding.
The two pairs of footsteps echoed through the chambers as they made their way to the heart of the castle. Lucifer had a great many things to tell her. Stories of far off lands, ancient ruins, and hidden secrets. Speaking to him, Eve was strongly reminded of her own father and the tales he often told. But these were darker, filled with mystery and peril, the kind of stories that left her holding her breath, waiting for the end. The newcomer had her attention completely
enraptured, so much so she did not realize their destination until they arrived.
Eve and Lucifer stopped at the great iron and pearl doors leading to the throne room, their immense size making them appear like ants. The doors were emblazoned with burnished suns that gleamed with their own radiance.
She glanced around, confused. “The King is not available at the moment,” she spoke up.
“I am not here for the King,” Lucifer responded calmly. “Come with me, Eve. There is
something I want to show you.” He strode forward through the doorway, undaunted by its grandeur.
Eve hesitated. “We should not intrude on the King’s throne room while he is away…”
She looked around for the usual guards but, like all the halls they had passed through, the chamber was empty. Lucifer turned to her, leaning in close. “I assure you, my dear, I am permitted.” He held out his hand and, from the folds of his cloak, drew out a sparkling white gem, its luster that of pure starlight. It shone with an otherworldly beauty, its clean-cut surface perfectly reflecting the glow from the windows.
Eve gasped, the sound echoing through the corridor. It was a smaller peer for the stone set upon the crown of the King. “How do you have this?” She asked in wonder.
“It is as I told you before,” he answered. “A very long time ago, I too walked these halls.”
Was it her imagination, or had his tone darkened?
“Now follow me, and I will show you what even your father keeps from you.”
Eve felt her chest tighten. What could her own father possibly have kept from her? And why? Hopelessly curious, Eve followed the strange guest into the colossal chamber. The walls were made entirely out of stained glass windows, brilliant rays painting the hall in every blazing color. Huge marble columns held up the distant ceiling, which shifted to match the heavens above. Polished, mirror-like tiles and a scarlet pathway led down the center of the hall to the dais, where the grand throne perched. The seat was a grand oak chair trimmed with white lace and inlaid with precious metals.
And resting on the seat, shining like a solitary star, was the King’s crown. A twisting
band of blazing gold set with a pure white gem that burned like the sun in the heat of the day. It was said to contain the immense wisdom the King possessed, and any who wore it would be like him, endlessly wise and knowledgeable. And for that reason, it was forbidden for any but the King to wear the headpiece, not even the princess.
“You may have any precious stone in the Kingdom that pleases you,” he told her once.
“But you must never wear my crown. It is for none but the king.”
“Ah, the King’s jewel,” Lucifer announced, his voice hollow as it echoed. “The envy of
man.”
Eve turned to face him, but was startled to see that his hood had fallen back. Golden curls tumbled over his brow, his fair skin unblemished as freshly fallen snow. His eyes were bright and gleamed like stars in the night. He was a far cry from the ragged old traveler she had been imagining.
“Such a beautiful gem. Priceless.” Lucifer approached the dais, lifting his hands as
though in reverence. “A shame he has denied you any of your own.”
“That is not true,” she protested. “I may have any jewel in the land, but I may not touch his crown. None shall hold it but the King. There would be great consequences otherwise!”
He scoffed. “Consequences? For whom my dear? I tell you, there would be consequences for none but your father! If you were to wear this crown, you would be like the King himself. Eyes open to all the knowledge and wisdom of the land! Have you not always wondered just what the King has not told you? Have you not wished to know all that he knows? I say to you, you can! You have only to go forward and take it!”
Eve looked back to the jewel, sitting like a choice fruit hanging from a tree. Was Lucifer not voicing the very thoughts she often had? Had she not wondered what it would be like? Had she not thought about what it would mean to wear this very band? To know all that the King knew? Was this not what she wanted?
Eve approached the throne, adrenaline humming in her veins. Her mind felt foggy and distant, like she was waking from a long sleep. She reached for the circlet, her hands trembling. When her fingers brushed the gold, she felt a jolt shoot through her like lightning. Then she was lifting it over her head, eyes glassy as the gem burning into them.
“Eve!” She heard a strong, rich voice shout from behind her. She whirled around in a panic and watched a tall figure march into the throne room, his features twisted in confusion.

Adam. Just coming back from a royal mission, he wore his white dress shirt under a
mahogany red overcoat, the gold embellishments catching the light. His black riding boots treaded softly on the red pathway. His warm brown eye crinkled gently around the corners, not unlike her father’s. On his left ring finger sat a polished ivory band studded with rubies, a perfect pair for the one on Eve’s own hand.
Her betrothed. Come to her at the worst moment.
“What are you doing?” He cried, eyes roving over the gold headpiece clutched in her
trembling hands. His worried gaze met hers. “Surely the King has given you permission to handle his crown? That is why I now find you holding it to your brow?”
Eve turned her eyes to the floor, unable to meet Adam’s gaze. “I- I can explain…” She trailed off, unsure how to continue.
“Then do,” Adam said firmly. “For now it appears you are breaking one of our most
sacred laws.”
“Is it not obvious, son of the King?” Lucifer asked, making his presence known. He
stepped towards Adam, spreading his hands in welcome. “She is partaking in what should have been hers from the very beginning; the knowledge and wisdom of the King himself.” Adam backed away from the robed figure, horror crossing his face. “Eve, surely you are not listening to this man! What he is saying is treason!”
“Is it?” The traveler said smoothly. “She is taking what she deserves, can you not also?”
“What?” Adam whispered.
“Do you not also wish to know what the crown can tell you? Do you not also want what it can grant you?” Lucifer stalked closer as Adam’s eyes fell back on the sparkling gemstone.
“But it can give not only knowledge, but prestige. If you were to wear it, who is to say you will not be like the King himself? Renowned by all the world, your name echoing to the far corners of every land, held in the highest esteem? Have you not long wished to be his equal? There is no one to tell you that you cannot obtain all this and more! You can have it all at your fingertips!”
Eve saw Adam waver, his eyes downcast, his brow wrinkled in thought. His hands
clenching at his sides as if trying to grasp his own emotions. His breathing became irregular and when he looked back to the dais, his gaze fell on the circlet, refusing to look at Eve. He took a small, defeated step backwards.

Lucifer smiled with delight and turned back to the princess. “Now, my dear Eve,” he
said, “do not let this interruption discourage you. You have everything you want right in your hands! Even your betrothed will not stop you.”
Eve turned back to her crossroads, mind spinning. Even Adam wanted what the jewel could give him. Was it truly so wrong if she was not the only one who wished for this?
Eve lifted the headpiece high once more, her mind firmer set on her decision. And then the crown rested across her brow and ghastly laughter filled the hall.
Eve’s eyes clouded over and visions surged through her mind. Horrible visions. Visions of cities burning, of marauders marching through the streets and breaking down doors. She watched great battlefields where soldier attacked soldier and armies met each other like the crashing of waves, leaving the trampled grass gleaming with blood. She saw great famines and droughts that left the land barren and destitute, the inhabitants little more than skeletons with skin. She observed two brothers standing in a field as one turned on the other, leaving him
broken and lifeless. She witnessed hands clawing and fighting for a crown and beasts tearing each other apart for a throne. She saw a king’s sword fall and cut down the very innocents it was sworn to protect. She beheld the world in all its evil, plain as day and dark as night, full of hatred and malice. A terribly twisted and ugly place.
With a horrendous twist in her stomach, Eve wrenched the King’s band from her head and cast it away from her, staggering back from where it fell. She clutched her head, which began to throb painfully. She knew in her heart she had committed a grave sin, the likes of which she could never take back.
“Knowledge is bought at a price, my dear!” Lucifer howled with glee, his laughter
reverberating through the chamber, refracting off the walls, stabbing into Eve like knives. Through teary eyes, Eve looked at him, a terrible feeling growing within her. This had been his plan, had it not? How agonizing that she could see it so clearly now. After witnessing the deception and cruelty of the world, this stranger’s intentions had become so obvious. How could she have allowed him to mislead her so totally?
“Eve?” Adam whispered, taking a step towards her, arms reaching out. His face was a mask of terror and curiosity, eyes wide and searching. Eve stumbled towards him and he caught her when she nearly fell, wrapping her in a warm embrace. Even in his arms she could not help but think: Why? Why did you allow yourself to be misled? Why did you fall for the same lies I did? You knew the law, as I did. Why did you not stop me?
“What- What did you see?” Adam asked, too interested to resist.
Between sobs Eve told him all she had seen, the horrendous things she had witnessed. She watched as his expression decayed into that of terror and the beginnings of understanding.
“But…the knowledge of the King,” Adam began. “The power of the crown…”
“He lied to us Adam!” She cried, unable to hold back her anguish. “We were fooled, and we allowed our selfishness to get in the way of what we knew was right. Do you have any idea what it is we have done?” She broke down into tears, burying her face in his shoulder. Adam remained silent, but he held her tighter.
Approaching footsteps echoed through the hall, a trumpet blaring in the distance to signal the arrival of the King. With a start, Adam pulled Eve behind the throne and the two crouched there, terrified and trembling. What would the King do with them once he knew what they had done? They could not help but wonder. They had broken the law of the kingdom and disobeyed their father; Eve had violated the ancient law and had worn the King’s circlet, and Adam had stood by and
allowed her to commit the grave act. From this there was no going back, and they could both only hide in their shame.
Eve heard the sound of the royal procession enter the chamber, then all halt abruptly. She held her breath.
“Where is the one who donned my crown?” The strong voice of her father called out, smooth and rich. “Where are they that would violate the most ancient law of the Kingdom of Eden?” Then a long silence. “Where are you, Eve?” The King’s voice softened, dropping to a whisper. Quivering like reeds in the wind, Adam and Eve crawled out from their hiding place, gazes downcast. “Here I am, Father,” Eve murmured.
“My daughter, why would you hide yourself from me?” The King asked. “My son, what reason do you have to cower from me?”
“We- we heard you coming and…we were afraid,” Adam answered, a few tears streaking his cheeks.
“What reason have you to fear your own father? Have you placed the crown upon your head, the one I commanded you not to?” His voice became tight with sorrow and Eve knew there would be no deceiving him.
“I-” Adam hesitated, his voice shaking.
Eve knew how he felt; The guilt, the shame, the fear, the desperation to not face what they had done. Adam pulled his hand away from Eve’s “I did not touch your crown!” He declared. “It was your daughter who did it! When I came into the throne room she was lifting it to her brow. Afterward, she told me everything she had seen.”
Eve stared at her betrothed in shock. Had he truly just cast all of the blame on her? Had he really decided to abandon her at her lowest? The betrayal made her blood boil and her face burn hot. The King turned to his daughter. “What have you done, child?”
“I-I-” She could not make the words pass her mouth, could not confess her own sin.
Could not face the horrifying truth. “The…the stranger in the black cloak tricked me!” She found herself saying. Anything to pass the blame from herself, anything to ease the pain. “He promised me to be like you! To be wise! He said-”
“You know the law, child,” The King answered.
Eve could not meet her father’s gaze, could not look into the eyes that had shown her nothing but kindness, nothing but love. She had failed him, and there was no way to reverse it.
“And there shall be no exception to the law, not even you.” The King raised his voice, rage shaking through his words. “Come out, you vile serpent! Come and face your own judgement!”
From around a marble pillar, Lucifer strode out, his hood still thrown back and a wide, wolfish grin on his face. “What does the King decree?” He gloated boldly. “In what way shall you punish your own flesh and blood? Oh, how painful the day you must part with your most perfect creation!” He spat the words as if they were venom from a cobra’s fangs.
“You shall be cursed above all things!” The King declared. “You shall be an outcast from all the peoples of the world, and you shall be trampled into the dust for all the days of your life!
May your visage match that which is in your heart: nothing but blackness and deceit!”

Lucifer’s body began to writhe with pain, smoke rising from his cloak. His brilliant eyes dimmed until they were black pits. His golden hair burned, turning gray as charcoal. His skin withered and wrinkled, tightening to his bones like that of a victim of famine. He let out a hideous hiss like a snake as large fangs pierced his mouth. Snarling and howling in agony, he ran from the hall, unspeakable curses falling from his foul lips. Horrified, Eve looked back to her father, who stood silently, all of his righteous anger gone. He turned to her, tears falling from his face, indescribable sorrow etched across his face.
“There is nothing more for you here,” he said softly. “Because you have done this, both of you shall share in the snake’s punishment and be cast from the Kingdom of Eden forever.” He turned away, as if he could not bear to watch them go.
Eve hung her head, feeling like a pit had opened beneath her feet to swallow her whole. She barely noticed the guards grab Adam and pull him from the chamber. She barely felt the cold hands of her father’s soldiers as they led her away, out of the palace and far from her home. The place she had once walked hand in hand with the one who loved her most. The one she had let down.
Banishment was incomparable to the knowledge that she had betrayed her father and driven so much distance between them, a chasm that she could never hope to cross on her own.

A hush hung over the throne room that night, the silence filled with sorrow and loss. It was as if too loud a sound would shatter the scene into pieces.
The sky outside was dark, storm clouds obscuring the moon and stars, leaving the only light in the chamber radiating from the flickering torches on the columns. In the darkness, it seemed like hideous laughter rang through the hall, an after-echo from hours prior.
The King’s high guard stood at attention around the dais, still as sentinels. The captain of the royal army stood off to the side, the sigil of a blazing bronze sword burning on his breastplate. A scribe stood next to him, clutching a scroll and quill to his chest. The heralds of the high court stood on the other side of the scarlet pathway, their long trumpets hanging low to the ground like wilted flowers. Noblemen of all stations stood in front of the platform, heads
bowed.
Atop his throne, wordless as a father grieving his child, sat the King. His face rested in his hands and his shoulders shook, quiet tears streamed down his weather-worn face and fell to the polished floor below. His golden robes draped around him like they had been woven from the very rays of the morning sun. His hair was gray with age and wisdom, disheveled by anguish.
His crown, that which was a reminder of his loss, perched on the arm of his chair.
Many in the court could not help but be in awe of this behavior. This King, the one whose visage was like that of the sun, brought to sorrowful tears by the loss of his loved ones. Many thought this was an affliction they alone faced, not one that could ever touch their King.
But his heart broke the same as theirs. When the silence became too deafening, the emptiness too unbearable, the grief too deep, a lone figure strode to the front of the crowd and stood before the throne. He appeared as a reflection to the King; the same earth-brown skin, the same strong, authoritative bearing, even the same eyes shining with an otherworldly brilliance, yet were still soft and warm with
compassion. But his hair was darker with youth and his face less worn by the sun.
His tunic was pure white like it had been spun from the very clouds in the heavens, a gold sash crossing his chest. Upon his head perched a dazzling crown, a perfect equal for the one resting on the King’s own seat. It burned with its own brilliant glory; a light in the dark.
Determination flashed in the depths of his gaze.
Wordlessly, he raised his hands to the circlet on his brow, lifting it off his head and
setting it down on the first step of the dais. The crowd dissolved into whispers of confusion and distress, many turning to their neighbors to see if they all witnessed the same scene. “What are you doing?” One of the noblemen yelled out.
The royal figure did not answer him, but instead turned his eyes up to the King.
The King sat up, no longer covering his face with his hands. He rested them on the arms of his chair, shaking. He looked at the man, eyes clear as glass. “My son…” he whispered, voice breaking.
“I will go to them, Father,” the Prince promised. “I will bring them back to where they belong.
The congregation before the throne erupted into cries of fear and anguish. A herald
released his trumpet and it clattered noisily to the floor. The scribe looked up from his ink-covered scroll, tears in his eyes. The captain of the army bowed his head.
“You cannot leave!” A court member shouted.

“Shall this Kingdom lose you as well?” Another one argued.
“The condemned already made their decision! Let them deal with their consequences alone!”
“Why should you face their punishment?”
“Because they are lost, but hope for them is not,” the Prince responded, facing the mass.
“Do you accept this? This insurmountable distance that has come between us and the people we love? Because I do not. And I will not so long as there is something that can be done.”
“Surely you understand what this would mean for you,” the King began. “To follow them to places where the light does not touch, you yourself will face the darkness.”
“I know full well what I must face,” the Prince responded, smiling sadly. “I am aware of the sacrifice I must make. But there is no other who can, and no one else who is able to rescue them from themselves. They cannot do it alone. So I will go to them and show them the way home. No matter the cost.”
“Why must it be this way?” The King whispered, gaze rising to the heavens.
“Because we love them, Father,” the Prince said. “And I will bleed before I see them
separated from us forever.”
“Go, my son,” the King declared, rising from his throne to descend the steps. He stopped in front of the man, resting his hands on his shoulders. “Bring them back to us.”
The black clouds that had covered the moon parted, and silver moonlight spilled through the windows, stars twinkling beyond the glass. The triumphant laughter that had echoed through the chamber faded away, silent as if in defeat.
The Prince smiled, tears running down his face. He unwrapped the sash from his
shoulders and pulled off his snow-white tunic. He folded the garments and placed them in a neat pile on the dais steps, resting his radiant crown on top of them. “These are to remain here,” he announced. “I shall return for them in time. And when I do, I shall not be alone.”

End

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Keep Going

A Short Sermon by Elizabeth S

Tonight I wanted to talk about something we all deal with, whether we realize it or not—and that’s resilience. It really comes down to this: what do you do when things get hard? When you’re tired, when you feel like quitting, when life doesn’t go the way you planned?

I want to tell you about something I did recently. I hiked the Grand Canyon. And I’m not even going to lie—it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

But what people don’t always see is everything that came before that hike. I didn’t just wake up one day and decide, “Yeah, I’ll go hike the Grand Canyon.” I had to train. I had to go on practice hikes. I had to push myself when I didn’t feel like it. There were days I was so very tired, days I didn’t want to go, days I thought, “Why am I even doing this?”

But I kept going.

And then when I actually got to the Grand Canyon, it still wasn’t easy.  We started are morning at 4 am until the day got really hot. My legs were burning up. I got exhausted. There were moments where I wanted to stop and just be done.

But I had a choice: quit, or keep going.

And that’s what resilience is. It’s not about never struggling—it’s about what you do in the struggle.

The Bible talks about this in James 1:2-4, where it says to consider it joy when you face trials, because those trials produce perseverance. And perseverance finishes its work so that you can become mature and complete.

There’s also Romans 5:3-4, which says that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance in character ; and character hope. That means what you’re going through right now could actually be shaping who you’re becoming.

Just like how my training hikes were preparing me for the real thing, they also helped me with the challenges I faced in life and gave me the clarity on how to prepare for them too by strengthening my endurance —even when something didn’t click completely for me to understand it.

Maybe for you, resilience looks like continuing to try in school even when it’s frustrating. Maybe it’s dealing with stuff at home that’s hard. Maybe it’s friendships, or feeling left out, or just feeling tired mentally and emotionally.

Whatever it is—you’re not alone in that.

But here’s the thing: growth doesn’t happen when everything is easy. It happens when you choose to keep going even when it’s not.

There’s another verse, Galatians 6:9, that says, “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

And Hebrews 12:1 says to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” It doesn’t say sprint. It doesn’t say it’ll be easy. It says run with perseverance.

When I was hiking, I didn’t finish because it was easy. I finished because I kept putting one foot in front of the other. Step by step. Even when it hurt. Even when I was tired.

And honestly, that’s what following God can look like sometimes too. It’s not always this big, dramatic moment. Sometimes it’s just choosing Him again and again, even when life feels heavy.

Resilience isn’t about being the strongest person in the room. It’s about trusting God enough to keep going, even when you feel weak.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart… For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Even when things feel heavy now, they won’t last forever—and God is still working through them.

Because the truth is, we’re not meant to do it alone.

Isaiah 40:31 says that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

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Realization Through Revelation

A Poem by Jaydn CW

The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

People will claim that’s what character is, but what if I challenged it?

What if I told you that instead character is the category you fit into

That you built and sifted through

To pick out the pieces you thought were mismatched alongside others

Or clashed with the colors you saw as too dim

And others too bright so you decided

“Out of sight out of mind”.

What if I told you character is simply 

A figure made based on their environment

Rather than their fairytale tragedy,

Social myth of monogamy,

Struggle to live in this economy,

Until all you’re left with is a broken society you didn’t ask for

And don’t have time to parent

It has become apparent that all of these problems fall on you

So who do people turn to?

What attracts people to God?

Is it unconditional love, the personal thread through prayer?

Or is it the compliments from the cross on your neck, 

The praise for having a bible verse in your bio?

Is it the forgiving person people see through the wreck

Or is it the person kids blame as their reason when they buy ammo

And make their way to school to learn subjects through censorship

Rather than worship

But then the classroom is censored on the news

Because someone claimed “God made them do it”.

In our modern age of technology

Why do we reverse the potential of theology

To instead, boost our popularity by participation in charity only to maintain an image of sincerity whilst aligning ourselves with a known idol of serenity

But leaving out the beliefs and practices that come with it?

I concern myself with the slang of scripture and my outfit of the day is the armor of God.

The Helmet of Salvation.

It enlightens my wisdom inside and out, helps me see when my judgement is in doubt like Paul the Apostle and protects my faith if I should stumble.

The Breastplate of Righteousness.

It keeps me humble while giving me the strength of posture to stand up for not only myself but for others.

The Belt of Truth.

It will hold me up to my values of honesty by allowing me to speak open and potently about what the Lord has done for me.

The shoes of peace.

They conserve my feet for the day I hope I get the chance to walk on the holy ground of heaven and every shoe I step in can defend my assurance.

I am loyal to God from head to toe with the Sword of Spirit and Shield of Faith in my hands at all times keeping me alive and within the lines my Lord has set for me.

First Corinthians chapter thirteen verses four through six:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

“It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

These words are contrary to the ways of our youth

As love is seen through a glass of greed

The green hue of conformed sand

An hourglass of irony

Time ticking slowly

And that last grain of patience leads to what?

An ache in your gut that reminds you

How in times of confusion you feel like a mutt of religion

For being hesitant on conforming to the alleged traditions.

Sin of desire, and resentment in temptation

The Holy Spirit fills you will guilt for hope of redemption-

Just show you’re listening with comprehension as

Soul ascension granted in grace

All that is asked is forgiveness in the faith that he gives you at a personal pace

“Do as I say not as I do.”

Whether you start from the beginning of Genesis or follow through past the chapters of Hebrews,

Overcoming resist of Corinth, a library’s worth of knowledge in a paper labyrinth,

The word will guide you through desist and renew.

Being afraid to commit because all of a sudden that means you must be a

Minister or martyr to believe in a God who made you as you are.

You may think he’s instructing you to have a straight posture in the pews-

Accuse those with different views-

Judge whose labels get assigned based on what they pick and choose-

Refuse your past and blame your future on it instead

So when you’re around a Christian crowd you watch where you tread.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ask myself the same question I asked you.

As for what attracts me to God,

It’s vitality.

The spirit.

The resilience in the community.

The strength the Lord gives me,

The paths the Lord has helped me see,

The person the Lord has taught me to be.

Whether I’m reading scripture with friends I consider family,

Or worshipping with them in the presence of a musical performance,

Preaching gospel through melody and unity.

God is my peace, even if he isn’t always yours, he is mine.

And I hope that same tranquility, attracts you to God in time.