Below you will find seven pieces from my book. To read more, go to my Transition Unleashed site which is dedicated specifically to the book.
And to see what people are saying about Transition, CLICK What People Are Saying
VISION
We’re surrounded by the profane
The obscene – there’s no escaping it!
We’ve seen too much
Done too much
We’ve become a generation – wiser but weaker
Dead in our conviction
We think up devices to destroy
We laugh at pain and suffering
Exploit the poor as a ploy…
Turn up our noses at anyone who has real Joy
We wish our enemies destruction
While stabbing our friends in their backs
We think ourselves to be free
When in fact – we live in a prison
We’ve seen too much
Done too much
Have too much – baggage
Psychological trauma – no spiritual root
No backbone
We are alone… in our misery
Surrounded by the obscene and the profane
In most things we see – hear – touch – smell
Even in what we want to be… our conviction is dead
Hearts growing colder while lying in bed
We are a generation – wiser but weaker…
Who will save us from the prison we have made for ourselves?
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, p. 187
“WHY?”
I could here it outside my window
I know others could hear it too.
How could they not hear it?
He was so loud.
“B#$%*! I’ll slap you so hard!”
Then came her voice “If you hit me again… Get off of me!”
I’m sure lights went off… Mine did.
I’m sure people stepped away from their windows
Fear overtook all of us
I struggled to reach for the phone… unsure… afraid.
But tired and angry about the situations where we… do… nothing.
Where I do nothing.
Where we are afraid to get involved…
Afraid to get hurt – afraid to die.
Afraid of the consequences…
While she has to go through this horror alone
While he gets to act out his rage unjustly…
It’s not enough to pray if those who can help don’t.
I wished I was invulnerable – Unbreakable.
Then I wouldn’t have hesitated to do something
I wouldn’t have thought twice
But, I was afraid to call the police – even though I was safely behind walls.
I was afraid of the spectacle they might cause
Afraid of the retaliation the man would bring… against her.
Maybe even against me if somehow he found out that I exposed him.
Why do we sit by and let injustice reign?
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, p. 151
CAGED SOUL
A caged soul will always try to break free. Because TRUE FREEDOM is why the soul was created. Against all odds and security the soul will run. Although it gets tired and injured time and again. Even when faced with death the caged soul that can taste freedom and smell its beautiful fragrance – although it can’t be seen as of yet – if the caged soul can do this and imagine the warmth of the Son’s rays on its face and the Spirit’s wind rushing across its back – it will face death head on being unafraid. Because the prospect of freedom has become real. And the result in life or in death will be the same…
The earth will fall away, along with the cage, as gravity can hold down no longer the once caged soul that is now Freedom.
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, p. 128
COUNTERFEIT
We often think we are free, when in fact we are still trapped in bondage to our negative emotions and bad habits. Fear, hatred and lust rule us often unawares. Worse still, we like it this way. For we think it is impossible to change and we give ourselves over to the darkness… and remain the same. Actually, erosion is a natural phenomenon that takes place when we don’t work to keep a thing in good condition. So remaining the same only leads to a state of being that is worse than at the beginning. And as long as we live here… in the darkness, we will never be free to truly see life for what it is.
We say we want to be free, yet we spend so much time and energy being negative and oppressive! We consume ourselves with what the world calls “freedom” – doing what we want no matter how it affects those around us – but this is bondage. We give up our morals and integrity to attain this society’s “freedom.” We spend our time scheming, lying, cheating, complaining and manipulating to get to the world’s top. And then when we arrive we wonder why the “top” is so lonely and cold. We think this world’s freedom is where we want to be – and on the surface it does look good: clothes, cars, money, attraction, fame, travel, elegance, power… these are the things that cause us to define ourselves by the standards of others, who seem to be free, yet can’t sleep at night. For Freedom does not live there.
In one way or another we are living a lie… until we choose to leave the counterfeit and choose to be Freedom.
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, p. 100
SUICIDE
“Why did you create me God? You did such a terrible job!”
For most of my life I hated the fact that I was brown skinned, too thin, wore glasses, not popular.
I hated that my dad was a preacher and I wanted a different mother. I wanted a different life altogether, yet
people envied me. I smiled on the outside, but inside I was dying. No, my life was not miserable. I did have two parents at home who loved me and I had friends… But inside I just couldn’t get with myself. I just couldn’t get
past myself. The longer I lived the more I didn’t know who I was.
I remember that night when I wanted death to come. Quick and painless, I thought. But a knife wouldn’t work.
It would be too painful and too long, so I pulled a trigger to a gun that only existed in my imagination. An ocean
of tears flowed as I waited at that blind curve – yes, this was reality. I waited for that speeding car to streak
toward me with no time to swerve. But no car came on that once busy street until now…. My anger cried out to
the night sky, unable to give my essence freedom. I felt alone… at the lowest point in my life. And all I wanted
was for the pain to end. I couldn’t see beyond the bend that was my life, which in my mind lead to swift failure
and destruction.
All my young life, I could help others with their issues… but I couldn’t free myself. Who would help me? Rage
became my silent friend as self-hate grew within. Unbearable pain had tainted my vision and death was the
escape to release my mind’s tension. But it would not come.
What if I had taken my life that night? Those who loved me would still be grieving…
But a new day dawns as the sun signifies new favor and forgiveness and understanding… available to me. So I
choose to relinquish my hold of the anger, my hold of the pain and hurt and I choose to yield to God’s flow of forgiveness, knowing that God can make crooked things straight. Now, each time I rise to see a new day I thank
God for creating me.
If you open your eyes and see in the midst of all your struggles, you will find someone greater than yourself
waiting for you to grab a hold onto. I know where you are. I’ve been down that road. But thanks to Christ, my
view is now changed. Life is too precious to throw away.
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, Pg. 9
What About Your Dreams?
What about your dreams?
Don’t you ever think about the future that’s filled with possibilities?
Have you ever pictured in your mind, the coming day’s light?
The day’s light shines on your dreams:
The light of recognition - the light of realization
What about your dreams?
Do you choose not to dream to avoid the off chance
That it might not come true?
Are you afraid of broken promises? Is this what you do?
What about your dreams?
Is it stupid to dream of a future when you’re trying
To make it through today?
When you’re just trying to overcome the struggles you must face.
With no dream for tomorrow can you really survive?
Something within you slowly dies…
With no joy in the morning will tonight draw you away?
What about your dreams?
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, Pg. 73
DO SOMETHING
Do something with me LORD…
Make me who You want me to be.
Transform my life…
So I will count for something.
Something bigger than me…
Something I’d be willing to die for.
More than just an ideal or a passionate plea…
Something more real than me.
Because if the truth be told…
I’d reather just stay bundled up in this blanket I’ve made
Filled with comfortable things and even my fears…
Selfish things to keep me from living.
I’d rather live in my own world of my own creation
Instead of being ALIVE in Yours.
This is why I need You to do something with me…
Something that will make my life worth living
Affecting all others:
Something that is bigger than me.
Do something with me LORD.
Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, Pg. 226