In Her Shadow

In her shadow, I knew the meaning of comfort The whisper of grace The joy of acceptance The miracle of a place Where silence knew deliverance And kindness knew the way To make my heart beat with hope, Breathing light into the safety I knew when I was with her In her shadow, I knew what it means to smile With an open heart, vulnerable and free From all the clutter – soundless Darkness, muddling my thoughts With worries, anxiety – panic Because I couldn’t feel worthy of The pleasure, the wonder, the feelings That brought me through the gray Dread, the humdrum beating echoing Inside my head when I felt so alone, Lonely like the captive, who knows only To listen for keys of redemption, Deliverance from the blackness that covers Moments with melancholy and blends Hues of apprehension, erasing Inspiration and adventure, destroying The miracle of tenderness, gentling… In her shadow, I knew light, love and laughter I knew the hope of forever’s answer With her, I knew love that would promise My heart that this was the way God intended me to feel, the way That life was meant to be, The way that love could wipe away Every despair, every fear – all my tears With a smile and a song from her, The one I knew as my mother, - her love Opened the door to kindness and caring, Stirred up the stars so my wishes were shared With the night, so brilliant and alive… In her shadow, I found myself, the me who believes In forever – eternity with the powerful Love that abides inside those how know Him – my heart’s best friend – the One who she always taught me could really free me From the prison of my own making, The prison of doubt, dread and discouragement – The prison of loneliness, lack and loss – The prison of feeling like I could never have Beautiful, inspirational – the grace that would Color my dreams in reality and whisper Faith over my heart and soul, silencing every Fear with the promise of a love that she revealed When she raised me to reach through the fear Into the place where He is my strength Where He is singing the music of love that is Forever alive, always inspiring and completely wise, Love that came to be because of His sacrifice On that tree where He became the answer For everyone who finds the way to believe In her shadow, I came to be certain that this love within me Is a love that knows the meaning of being God breathed – as a child of the living King I know what it is to love more than anything To give when I don’t even know the meaning of giving, To hope when desperate is more real to me, To love when I can’t find the feeling – but only the Believing that leads me to give a love that He stirred Up inside my chest, where my heart is beating To the rhythm found in the song He blessed In her shadow, There is music that never rests, Music that inspires, reassures, expects The heart to listen – because this music Rouses the soul to dance with the hope That comes from knowing her love Is a love that flows down from the source The One who created us both – To love without conditions or restrictions, To love like He loved, with conviction!