Once I take “man” out of the equation,
all I have is God, sometimes I fail
to realize He is the most consistent
presence in my life I can’t rely on
a man to save my life.

Life doesn’t get easier after baptism; it’s not
a free pass to Disneyland or some other reward
that comes with having a credit card;
the struggle is officially official now;
the devil is harder at work now.

God is working on me, He’s got me covered
from head to toe but I’ve got a long way
to go in my journey, it’s tough, but it’s doable
with Him at the wheel, I’m in the passenger seat.

I am lost without God when I try to do things
my way I fall by the wayside — continually
searching for a place to rest my head I become
a wanderer I can always count on Him
to pull me out of the dirt He’s been
so good to me. Words cannot explain.

I am an expert in my head; my thoughts
flow smoothly; I’m well-versed,
but outside of my head, sometimes
I shut down verbally and emotionally
my fire is dying out
I’m down but not out.

The whining, complaining, and worrying are my
most common insecurities; they suck the joy
out of life; clinging to those excess pieces
of luggage became the norm, I’ve claimed
those deceptions as my security. But no more
entertaining lies; they’re getting the boot;
the final termination notices.

Temptations pop out left to right; letting go
of my old self has been challenging
—it’s laborious to walk away
from the world’s temporary and inviting pleasures;
I was sinking deeper and deeper
into the world without realizing how far
the bottom was, then one day The Holy Spirit
interceded on my behalf, warning me I was
at a critical stage in my life, and it was time
to deny myself and follow Jesus Christ, it took
many years, but I finally got baptized.

I’m ready for the challenge; there’s a lot
of me to overcome; fear has kept me
debilitated for a long time. It’s about
time I pulled over the car and jump
into the passenger seat so that
Jesus can take the wheel.

“I surrender all” I’ve been saying that
for a long time, Lord, teach me to let go
of my self-centered self and focus on You
—the only one deserving of glory;
it’s time to walk the walk.

People can look, laugh, or think
whatever they want; it’s not about them,
something has been holding me back
from worshipping. Lord, please untangle me
from that stronghold blocking my way, cover me
with courage as I tune out the world.

Please equip me with everything I need
to represent You, wash all my worries away
only You can heal my self-inflicted wounds;
from this day forward, I give You the lead.

I wake up many days, not knowing what to do;
worries consume my mind before I open
my eyes; even on my knees I’m lost
for words, I’m struggling to keep
my head afloat when in prayer.

There’s a tremendous pain in this teenage boy’s voice
it trembles when he laughs or tries to talk
to anyone, he plays with his hands
because his nerves are getting bad
he’s tired of everyone comparing him
to someone else, his self-esteem is going through
a dark stage, he keeps his distress to himself
he feels inadequate and suffers alone.