For Our World

I'm going to be taking the next 2 weeks off from writing in my journal. I'm doing this not because of a lack of time, but because I want to focus more on how God is talking to me and my relationship with Jesus over the next 2 weeks as they lead to Palm/Passion Sunday and Easter. Writing in this journal honestly doesn't take away too much time, but it does require me to give of myself a little more than I take in from others, which I absolutely don't mind (in fact I seriously enjoy writing in this journal with every part that is me, so maybe this will be my Lenten journey). It's just for the next 2 weeks I want to be exclusive to God.

I'll leave you with a poem by one of my heroes, Mattie Stepanek. If you want to know more about Mattie just search his name, I believe you'll be amazed at what you find as much as I was. This poem was written after the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. It's a beautiful insight from an even more beautiful 14-year old.

See you after Easter.

For Our World

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment.
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment.
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment.
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice.
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment.
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.

September 11, 2001

© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek 1990 -2004
from Hope Through Heartsongs, Hyperion, 2002