New collection of poetry

Sacred Journey by By: Nicole Renee Jordan | Make Your Own Book

Modern Day Hadassah

I need to write while it’s still fresh in my mind. The fearlessness, the wholesomeness, the selflessness, the graciousness, the humbleness of a young slave girl. I just got done reading the first two books from the “Mark of the Lion Trilogy” by Francine Rivers.  The characters I have grown to love are real to me because I can see myself and others play their parts today. There was Julia a passionate, wide-eyed girl who started out innocent but quickly became the epitome of selfishness giving into every indulgence that would satisfy her needs and no one else’s. I would cringe inside as I read of her life spinning out of control with immorality. I wanted to scream at her “WAKE UP!” why are you giving away such beauty to things that will leave you empty, broken, and hopeless. But I found myself relating to this girl, it was like looking at myself knowing that I have lived like this girl at one time or another. Then there was Hadassah the young slave girl and a proclaimed Christian, she started out doubting her faith but by the end of the book I was changed by her walk. Last night as I turned that last page I found myself with new hope and a new love for Jesus. I want to be a modern day Hadassah, someone that is not afraid to speak the truth in love to anyone that challenges why I believe. I want to be able to forgive someone that hurts me without worrying about the risk, I want to be able to stand for what God has commanded of me because I’m so in love with Jesus that all I want to do is obey Him. Through this book I saw the roads of obedience and the road of self indulgence come to a close and I want obedience. I’m so thankful that He is our redeemer; he can restore us and make us whiter than snow. He has a good purpose for all those who believe.

I would recommend this trilogy to everyone! I never had a passion for traveling but after reading this book I want to travel to Rome, to Judea, to the Sea of Galilee. Even though this was just a book with characters I just know there were people like Hadassah, Julia, and the rest of the characters that walked before me. They endured the same struggles in a different time period and I find comfort knowing we are one body in Christ.

Psalm 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your holy spirit from me. 

Don't Give Up

He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. Psalm 40:2

Can he really lift me out of despair, out of the pit that I have buried myself in? Should I keep trying, when all I want to do is give up?

I had dreams and yet he is calling me to surrender them. I planned out how my life should go but He is leading me elsewhere. To get to him I need to let go of what I want the most, how can I let go? How do I trust?

I don’t have the answer but I know that to get there we can’t give up. I keep walking my own way and it quenches my thirst for a while but then the emptiness dwells in my soul again.  The times when I felt alive in my faith  are the times that I showed restraint, taking off the old and putting on the new. I felt sorrow for things I gave up but peace because He has something better. The road is shaky, uncomfortable, unknown but it’s okay because He knows. Don’t give up on your faith when you are in despair, it may be harder,  there may unhappiness, but by being faithful you will be made more Holy. “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” Keep walking by faith and don’t give up.