by Natasha Austin

Created on: March 11, 2009

I walked in the valley of my life, afraid and unsure,
As gray skies covered me from direction to direction,
And black mountains encompassed me.
The land was pitch, a nasty muck,
And there seemed no end to the despair.
I hoped for salvation in the land.

As hope built within,
There flowed a thin stream at my feet,
Nourishing a single stark-white lily, silently growing beside it,
And daylight from an invisible sun glowed all around.
Then I saw Him come in white,
Walking leisurely my way, with His bent staff,
As if seeing no despair anywhere,
For then there was none.

And I suddenly discovered that the closer HHe came, the more light shone,
For it came from His eyes,
And grass grew, because He brings life in His stride.
And my heart leapt to know Him, even as He knew me.

We met at the stream flowing blue and clear,
With its lonely bright blossom.
I heard Him say, "Cry no more; for this is My joy,
To be with you right where you are -
To bring you light and love."

I took His scarred hand in mine and knew
The valley was no longer the desolate waste of my own making,
But the place of joy where I'd first received Him,
Where He came, and changed my world.

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