To you who is lost.

    I say: "The Son of Man came to look for the lost and save them" Luke 19:10

To you who is broken.

    I tell you that "He heals those who have broken hearts." Psalm 147:3

For the one who has abandoned hope.

    I implore you to hold on. For "He watches over those who put hope in His faithful love." Psalm 33:18

To the soul that has not known love.

    Though I do not know your name, "Just as the Father loved me, I have loved you. Remain in my love." John 15:9

To the heart so full of hate and bitterness.

    Realize the reality of your rancor. "Those who hate their brothers and sisters are murderers." 1 John 3:15

For those minds clouded with doubt.

    Remember what Jesus said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:27

And finally, to the ones who have not yet heard the name 'Jesus,' I inform you now: 

    God loved the world so much that he sent his son, Jesus, as a sacrifice to shoulder all of the sins in our hearts. If you believe this to be true, that Jesus was crucified, died on the cross, and rose again, your soul will live on forever, beyond death, in the Kingdom of Heaven at the right side of Jesus himself. 

The blush of dawn intermingles with the radiance of the new day. It's flaming rays consume the sky, and declare that the sun has awoken.

__

The soldiers splashed out of the sea, eyes wild with fear. He stood firm in the sand, his own irises reflected determination as they met with those of the man he had once called brother. In his heart he heard a voice. A silent timber that engulfed him in warmth. He felt the smooth shaft of his staff in hand, and he could see the foreboding hue seeping from where he had placed it in the water. It reached out into the waves, stealing the presence of any other tint. Behind him his people stood on the shore, their expressions both of fear and astonishment. Before him were those who had drawn the blood of his people for the past four centuries. They were more than familiar with the pigment that stained their hands. 

Surely now, they will rightfully fear the power of God, and the retribution He would reign down upon them if Pharaoh did not set His people free.

(Inspired by Exodus 7:20)

Each day I must fight

In this dark world of pain

There are those that try

To lock me up with chain

One love reigns most high

It's great force floods my heart

A tide that shoves off each lie

He sees my scars as fair art

When my sight is pitch black

His warm voice takes hold

He lifts me up with the strength I lack

With Him by my side I can be bold

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

On January 11, 1996, my mother changed her last name. That was the beginning of twenty years and counting. 

On July 12, 2000, my parents gave me the name 'Jullene.' That was the beginning of much mispronunciation, repeating, and the reflexive response to any name beginning with 'Jul-'.

The morning of October 4, 2004, I learned the name of my baby brother and held him in my arms for the first time. That was the beginning of the sacred solidarity of my room, many many petty arguments, and the varying conditions of our nonverbal truce.

Names are essential parts of many turning points in my life, and the fact that they are always the beginning of something- for better or worse, this fact holds true in more areas besides my family. When a name becomes known, the potential it holds is so much more than anyone could ever know. 

Far too often I feel like the outcast. Yes, I am different from everybody else! Amen! Why should I be ashamed? Yet, there are days where I throw a pity party for myself. Alone of course, nobody seems to agree that I don't have any friends, so they don't bother showing up. Instead they pull me out and we celebrate being different together.

Despite this, the world just keeps dragging me down. You're so weird. Why on Earth did you say that? Like they care. In this situation there is only One that can yank me from this sad fiesta. He always reminds me that it's okay to be different, because He made me to be my unique self. I feel like He is constantly scolding me. "What power do your words have over who you will become? I created you as you are, my masterpiece. Are they more powerful than I am? Why are you swayed by the cruel things they say? I love you, even if they do not." When I feel alone, there is another entity inside my heart that stomps it down. Why should any of us feel alone? When the One that has been waiting for us to see Him since long before we first opened our eyes is right by our side, still waiting for us to know Him. God's love is far greater than any feeling of loneliness. This fact is what I hold on to for survival in this world full of mean words.