To Let Love In

I let your love in, I have the scar
I felt the razor against my heart
I thought we were both in all the way
But you caught it by the handle
And I caught it by the blade

You said "goodbye, it's not the end
And if you need me, I'm still your friend"
Well, that's easy for you to say
Cause you caught it by the handle
And I caught it by the blade 
(ashley monroe the blade)

As many of you know I am a teacher, coach, mentor, and mother to the masses. Over the last week I have spent countless hours not only in thoughts of my own world, but in the lives of several beautiful young ladies who struggle with insecurities and societal deemed inadequacies. This world we live in today is cruel and filled with so many unfair and unjust rulings that it is hard to stay a float when the water level is rapidly rising with one bad situation after the next. 

As I sat in thought of my past, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for all of the different tantalizing, gut wrenching, heart breaking, life shattering moments I have encountered at a young age. 

Now let me explain, several of the things I have seen or encountered in my life I would never pray for any human being to endure. The thing about it though is I am quickly reminded as I wipe tears out of her eyes that he makes beauty out of ashes. Although I can't take the pain out of the girl's heart who has to see the boy who force-ably took her innocence away, walk freely through the halls of school, "because there is nothing more we can do," the emptiness from the girl who was told she was loved and the right one only to be replaced by someone else, the scars from the abusive words screamed at her, the shame from the single teenage soon to be mother, the emotion of worthless from the girl whose parents only remind her that she wasn't planned and is just an expense, or the loneliness for the one who has nothing left to come home to, I can be an ear to listen and shoulder to cry on. I will be the complete patience and understanding that they need at that season in life.

So as we stood in the Texas heat on the sun beaten black top, I listened. I listened to the pain through her eyes and held her close through her tears. I am not sure what made her gravitate towards me and know that I was one to confide in, but I am glad she did. In that moment I was able to share my story. A story of trials that have resulted in triumphs. I was able to walk through her story with confidence knowing that the words of encouragement were going to be just what she needed to hear, because they were words I too once needed. There are people in this world who are fortunate to have never had to experience loss of love and life changing, heart wrenching tragedies in life. There are people who go through something everyday with hopes and prayers to never see the sun again, and then there are people who make a choice to change their direction because they know the scars are merely beautiful evidence of life. 

Letting love in takes more courage and vulnerability then almost anything on this earth. It requires an individual to lay it all on the line and say to someone, "here is the most precious thing I have; my heart. This organ that provides this body with life, I am willing to trust you with it." Somewhere along the journey of life people forget just how fragile and vital a person's heart is and it becomes damaged. The beauty in that damage is that there is nothing that cannot be pieced back together, because you and I were made with purpose. "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." Psalm 139:13,14 states so eloquently. God knew what he was doing when he breathed the breath of life into Adam and gave you lungs filled with air waiting to exhale with words of encouragement and life. I know the blade is cold and the heart is frail, but don't let someone else's bad choices control your life's decisions. Instead let your scars tell a story and be the strength that someone else will need when you begin to show them their true beauty from the pile of ashes. Most importantly never forget to let love reign within the ashes.