Stella

My hero lives in a brown shuttered house

and smiles every time I arrive

She chases me with wooden spoons

Pretends she invented potato soup

Crushes on men with mustaches

Her candy dish is always full

She keeps my secrets

She worries

She forgives

She lets me be myself

Unapologetically be myself

She likes me

She gives me pennies for the wishing well

She sacrifices

She prays

She gives

She stands at the door of her brown shuttered house

to wave to me as I leave

Mother Theresa has nothing on my hero

Warriors

A leader of Warriors

You rise at dawn
Dress for battle

Helmet
Breastplate
Loin guards
Boots
Shield
Sword

You address your armies
Young and old

Equip them for the attacks that will surely come

The mission clear
The weapons of our warfare mighty

Salvation
Righteousness
Truth
Peace
Faith
God's Word

These materials make up the indestructible armor of strength
no enemy can overtake
no weapon can penatrate

Under your teachings we have gained
All we need to fight
All we need to overcome
All we need to win

An army of spiritual warriors blanket the earth
because of your love

The Answer

All the pieces of this broken heart

gathered one by one

by Holy nail-scarred hands

stained with the blood of mercy and redemption

Flesh torn

You hung

hammered by betrayal to a tree

that grew from the very ground You created

You traveled the earth

Wore the skin of a simple man

A walking vessel of Love

finding worth and purpose in the lowest of us

A slaughtered innocent

A willing sacrifice

Spit on and ridiculed

Mocked and humiliated

You took my pain

You took the pain of the entire human race

Of course, You understand my sorrow

Forgive me for forgetting

Jesus

Healer

Savior

From the ashes

I rise

No longer limping through life

crippled by the agony of the past

You made all things new

No longer incomplete or broken

viewing myself unworthy

You made me complete and whole

You were always the answer