The library and the tape measure...

My ears heard a fragment of a sentence, my heart saw a door open - crossing the threshold revealed a room with shelves from floor to ceiling, books upon books lined up next to each other, titles printed...my heart grew heavy - this was not my library, but I recognized some of the titles.
Each book was about shame. Each book had its own cover.
Overwhelmed by sadness at the amount of books my eyes scanned across some titles...

I was neglected.                                      

I was mobbed.                              

I was manipulated
I never measured up.
I was rejected.                                  

I messed up.                                            

I was used.                                    
I was different.

I was behind.                                                                                                    
I was poor.

I was exposed.                                          
I was abused.                                
I was unheard.

I was belittled.

I was oppressed.                                      
I was unloved.                              

I was never chosen.

I was compared.
I was invisible.





             
                Each book belonged to someone, penned from the heart with tears of sorrow...
                                                 
                                                 - what title does your book have -

Shame, shame, shame - oh the damage it does to our self-image. The loneliness, the hiding and closed door to 'rooms' of the heart, out of fear and self protection, and the never-ending list of ways we try to shed this cloak clinging to our soul.

Could we but scrub long enough, cut a vein bleed it out, starve it to death, scream loud enough to drown out its whisper, run far enough to escape its shadow, or maybe time is the key ...

                  - but we can't can we, because we have all tried, and tried again, and again...

Have we not all heard the phrase; "Time heals all wounds"!
May I just pull away the nice sound of this and reveal that there is no truth in that - none whatsoever. Time is a measurement,  pure and simple, it has no feelings, no powers to heal or mend.
Time has no keys either. (Jesus has them, remember..)

Time is an invisible tape measure running alongside us - what will you give this credit for?

There's only one bath with power to wash away shame, once for all and ever!
Only heaven holds the key to unlock the shackles of shame - rendering you free to be, to soar, to run, to live in the power of transparency and intimacy...

The key is truth, the bath is love!!
The truth of God, your heavenly Father and Creator - let Him pour into your heart the truth of who you are, who He created you to be.
The bath of the Father's and Jesus's love for you - this love for you made Jesus leave heaven....leave heaven, walk in your world, know suffering, rejection and heartache, and sacrifice himself for you, me - the human race - to make us his, make us belong, become children of God, chosen, loved, favored, heard, seen and rejoiced over!!

This truth is what sets prisoners free, this love is what washes away any shame - and enables freedom to ring through your whole being, body, soul and spirit!

God is good and his love endures forever, and to him belong all glory, honor and praise forever and ever.
Can I get a hallelujah and amen...

-b