I have wrestled with shadows and dared to face the hidden corners of my soul.

I have been chained by fear, followed by sorrow, and wandered the barren road of solitude.

I have reached for absent hands, only to hold the hollow air they left behind. I have wept oceans, yet stood unmoving, alone, in defense of what I know is true.

My heart has been broken ~

yet even shattered, it beats on. It beats with defiance, steady in quiet love. My body tires ~

but my spirit refuses to yield. Even in the blackest night, my soul is flame. When I bleed, I mend.

When I cry, I rise with laughter’s echo. When silence closes in, I answer with a louder voice. When I fall, I rise taller. When the way disappears, I carve a new path into the unknown.

For I am strong. I am wise. I endure. I breathe. And with God’s presence lighting my steps ~

I am more than a survivor. I am a testament.

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