All the chistles I've dulled carving idols of stone
That have crumbled like sand 'neath the waves
I have recklessly built all my dreams in the sand
Just to watch them all wash away
Through another day, another trial, another chance to reconcile
To One who sees past all I see
And reaching out my weary hand I pray that You'd understand
You're the only One who's faithful to me.

I have made a lot of mistakes, guys. I have made foolish decisions and done thoughtless things that have hurt people I love. This summer, God took my whole world away from me, and left me with only Him. It was the most painful and purifying experience of my life, and it has left me with the knowledge of how desperately needy I am. I am poor in spirit. I do really stupid things and make hasty decisions based soley on my emotions. For as long as I can remember, I did my best to sweep all of my mistakes where no one could see them, so that people would see the person I thought God wanted them to see. Does that make sense? I was afraid that if people knew my shortcomings, God would not be able to work through me.

Well, all of that is gone now. I am weak, I am needy, I am poor. I am desperately in need of God's grace, and without it, I wouldn't be here today. May I be laid transparent before all people, so that God's glory in His grace may shine like the day through me. May His glory be seen more clearly because of my weaknesses.

"To be alive is to be broken; to be broken is to stand in need of grace. It is only through grace that any of us could dare hope that we could become more like Christ." --Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel