For Those Who Want To Dive

What I lack would persuade you

If only it came so readily upon your sight

But it stands with me on the high dive,

Unwilling to jump…

And so I stand in front of you

Stumped and internally frustrated

Where risk and reward meet I find myself tucked in the corner

Reaching high for the prize

But pulling back as sight moves forward

You see, one question would make the difference

It would tear down the walls,

Break the ice as it were

Thus creating a masterpiece called opportunity

But the dive is high,

The water deeper still and opportunity is rapidly melting away

With every second passing the puddle becomes bigger

I’m begging you to please give me more time

Don’t walk away just yet

Sixty seconds left on the clock and time starts now

-The water is waiting to be tested

Get rid of your inhibitions

And give risk a taste

*But what if time is invested

And it turned out to be a waste

I don't want to go from shallow to deep

Only to find it that it was shark infested

I don't want to get hurt or barely come out alive

-This isn't life or death

It’s only a dive

You’re more than capable

And more than prepared to handle this next step

*I’m going to jump but what if I sink to the bottom?

You’re not catching me when I fall

And gravity can be very unforgiving

What if my form looks ugly because I stalled for too long?

I’m not so sure about this

-Calm down...

Focus...

Pray for peace to give your mind some clarity

Do what comes naturally

Opportunity is still intact

And in all actuality

Fear is more bark than bite.

Faith is on your side

So forge ahead to the edge of the diving board

And as I said before,

Free yourself of those inhibitions

You can do this

*Well then…

Here goes nothing…

For the Average Man

Man up...

Recognize your responsibility

And live up to them

Expect pressure to be overwhelming

Stress to be suffocating

And difficulties to be only the beginning

Don't be some sissified male

Giving in to temptation and sin with the

Same ease as opening a door

Put aside your masculine pride

And embrace your identity as

A soon to be immaculate bride

A prodigal son

A friend who is forgiven by the one who was forsaken

Let this old life go

It is done

Wake up...

From your dream of complacency

Sleeping in your bed of fickleness

And keeping your body lukewarm with

A blanket of apathy

This life is no illusion

Reality is confusing

But don't be delusional or naive to think

That your life is not worth living

You're only fooling yourself

If you believe that standing on the sidelines is better than fighting on the front lines.

Just sit down junior

Don't stand up unless you're going to step up.

Have some backbone

Live with integrity and character

Look past the fear from circumstance

With a faith founded on truth

And a hope based on love

You can pretend to be a man

With your solo acts of selfishness

Screaming for attention

Simultaneously scared of sensitivity

No one is stopping you

Because the real men are walking in the opposite direction.

You can join us when you're done behaving like a brat and become a child at heart.

For Those Who Want to Climb the Mountain

The mountain stands

Proud and tall

Ready to be moved,

To crumble and to fall

I've climbed it before

To elevate my ego

But it was all in vain

I couldn't handle the terrain while fighting 

the gravity of ambition and the slippery slope of sin

Never again shall I climb this mountain

Because this mountain is not for the genuine or honest man

It's a haunting realization of what a worldly man looks like

Proud and tall

Ready to be moved,

To crumble and to fall

This glorified hill

Majestic in stature and

Even appealing to the eye

It may be taller than the lilies in the grass

But as mighty as it may stand

And boast of the land in owns

It can easily be surpassed by an even more majestic sky

Eclipsed by the lightest of clouds

And moved by one mustard seed alone

Climb the mountain if you will

As I will not stop you

But don't humor the enemy

And do so out of duty

It's not a mountain of obligation

But a place of false identity

And unnecessary salvation

The ascent brings a sense of freedom from guilt

Yet, when it returns indefinitely

You'll find that you've been descending and

Heading towards eternity

But there's always another path

As Frost once said that "will make the difference"

It will separate the man from the child

The clean from the vile

The one who sings of deliverance and

The one who worships the idol

So why insist on the tough climb when

There's a path worth taking

Filled with people walking and talking at the same time

Let us scoff at this obstruction

For it holds no authority on masculinity

It's an obstacle in the way

That can easily be moved

Show me your faith

And an enemy to prove wrong

Because to truly be a man is not measured by

The width of his wealth or

The height of his name

Such things have no depth

Much of it is glorified

But it is only a hill

True masculinity calls upon us to be still,

To be eclipsed by a greater love and

Surpassed by a stronger purpose

For Those Feeling Defeated

My friend David still has a copy of a poem I wrote a few years ago.

I remember that he used it as a devotional tool for the A Capella choir one time when he was one of the chaplains.

After reading it over again, it encouraged me so much that I wanted to share with you.

Of course, I updated it a little to make it grammatically correct.

The only line I added was, "The Way, the Truth and the Life."

Other than that, everything is the same. 

May this bless your heart :)

Stay Strong

By: Houth Som

Stay strong

In circumstances

That may tempt you

Persuade you

To do what is wrong

Stay strong

This earthly place is 

Not where you belong

Someday you’ll be in paradise

With the maker of heaven and earth

One of matchless worth

The Way, the Truth and the Life

Stay strong

When living selflessly

You’re misunderstood

By those who conform

To the patterns of this world

Confused, they assume

What is good is what they can gain

Stay strong

The Lord will guide you

Past every hurt and pain

He will sustain you

Pick you up once again

Stay strong

In the shadow of His wings

So you can sing and dance

In worship to the Most High whose

Blessings flow from heaven

And outnumber all the raindrops that

Fall from the sky

Stay strong

For the worries of this place will

Diminish

Vanish

As you finish the race

It’s not long

Until you meet Him face to face

And hear the words,

“Well done my good and faithful servant.”

As you wait for these spoken words

Stay strong in His promise