My Sanctuary

With tears and a broken heart, I sat alone in the church I grew up in.* It was just 15 years ago, but life was simpler, and I was innocent back then. Life is complicated now, and I needed time to myself to meditate and pray. Perhaps I will open up and share my heart, seeking counsel on a future day. It's quiet, a sanctuary with dimmed lights, and I sense the presence of God. My parents warned me that there would be days like this, but I did not imagine this hard. It's a silent presence, free of musical instruments, voices, or the sounds of others. My soul feels lost, my heart is disturbed, but here I find a refuge from my struggles. I'm being tested and tempted; and swimming up stream, I need God's strength to keep above waters. Without God I cannot navigate the coldness of life or keep from sinking too deep. So many kids finish high school and begin to drift and turn away from the way they were taught. They are influenced by their peers and college teachers, and start doing things they ought not. In my heart I know my folks are right, and I refuse to be mislead, even at the cost of being odd and alone. When I come to the sanctuary, initially I hear loud voices and the pulse beats of a thousand wrongs. But after a while, tears of joy, a sense of peace and security cover me like a warm winter blanket. So I'll keep coming to my childhood pews where I found Christ who toughens and beautifies like granite. 121620PSCtest, A Rhyme Story-Poem With Eyes Open, Mystic Rose Rose *Story Poem based on a photo.