“A Sheep’s Psalm”

wrote this for AWAKE's kickoff 1/6/2011

The biggest, baddest dude on the planet is my shepherd
He was. He is. He will forever be
He was. He is. He will forever be
My provider
My leader
My protector
He leads me down a path of righteousness and tends to my heart
In my weakness of mind, He guides me
He’s a watchman, forever dedicated to my life
He holds eternity in the etches of his palm, then sketches the perfect plan for me
Oh Lord, You are my shepherd and I shall not want
It is my assurance that You fail not
You know what I need and You are quick to provide
You influence my surrounds and surround me with safety
Though, sometimes I am timid, fearful - You are strong, courageous
If I back track, You fall back to push me forward
And like a backpack, You carry my burdens and push me toward, Yourself
And, all I have to do... is let you.
See, in order to let You be, I just have to let go of me
You are my shepherd and You abandon not
I could run from Your presence and yet, You follow me
Being a creature of habit, if I get puffed up, You hollow me
You tend to me like rusted silver - worn, but easily restored
You fight for me
And when I stumble in darkness, You light for me
Come close to me. And speak.
The power of Your words are filled with grace, mercy, love and life
Let them, fall on my ears and break my heart
There's something about knowing that You are my shepherd of every second and of every day that causes me to weep
May Your staff guide me and keep me in Your presence and, sweep me away
This is my assurance that You fail not
You are my shepherd and I shall not want

Just Because

Today, I experienced you from above. Your palette of color speaking to me like instructions on how to understand beauty. What a realm you dwell in going beyond what my eyes can see - understand. You are still speaking as I watch the eye of our earthly light fall behind pillows of peace... I feel peace; inhaling the breath you gave, give me. Besides being the architect of my mind, Your grandeur astounds even the most genius of thoughts - under construction. When I get lost in You, I am truly found. No GPS, just Your direction. Just, Your perfection; just, Your words. Cover me. They, uncover me; they discover me. You are a lover to me, beyond my scars and weight and heavi-ness. You are the steadi-est person, thing, being in my life. It's, in You that I find my strength, my courage, my passion, my vision, my armor. You don't exist to harm or, to destroy or to belittle or to be a middle-man. You are thee man, existing to love us. Just, because.

by

Purity

something i wrote to perform for the young adults at AWAKE...
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Purity
by Terri Simmons

Let’s focus on the heat of the moment
your arousal’s got you so open, you don’t care if you’ve blown it.
The essence of purity? It’s like you’ve never known it.
The lessons on chastity? You couldn’t buy it back, even if you owned it.
Sex? You’re now in position to condone it.
His cologne, her perfume, it’s got you mesmerized – but it’s torment.
You’re loins are on fire, your embers - no longer dormant.
Let’s face it; you wanna have sex – and the images in your head
rush, like a torrent… river.
Like a muddied terrain, you’ve been dirtied and unclean and weakened and ashamed, at all the filth your eyes have seen, your, hands have touched, much, the body parts of your ex, having unruly affections about the, sanctity of sex, your, passions are aroused - “I want him, he wants me”, we, both think it’s necessary to explore im-purity, we, want to be
intimate but our relationship’s not legitimate, it’s, counterfeit
because we forfeit… purity.

This is the will of God for you, the mighty will of God for you
That you practice holiness and purity in, all you do
That you choose honor over passion, Chastity over action,
in fact, put your arousal on the alter, offer it to the Lord
you can’t afford to be physical, your body should not be explored - outside of marriage…
because that’s not pure
instead, you’re luring destruction to yourself
allowing satan to destroy the value and wealth
in which you were created, in His image…
which is, pure.

This is the will of God for you, the mighty will of God for you
That you practice holiness and purity in, all you do
If you, feel your flesh being aroused, don’t lament
Just change your view of sexual content, and here’s a hint
Pull out God’s word, it’s a blueprint, and it’ll put a dint in your flesh
Don’t, allow this culture to mesh with your belief that ‘waiting’ is beneath, you.

This is the will of God for you, the mighty will of God for you
That you practice holiness and purity in, all you do
Because Purity is more than physical, it’s powerful beyond belief
Even satan knows it, that’s why he’s the thief – coming to kill, steal and destroy
He wants to annoy you with thoughts of sexual tactics, to, pressure you with his word
He wants to blur your concept of everything that’s right
He doesn’t want you to know that purity is ultimately the presence of light, and that light is… Holy -
Only, He can do all that is in first Thessalonians four,
He’ll do that and more, if you let’em
Practice purity. Don’t let anything or anyone spoil your witness or reduce your power,
Don’t let your longings slay your appetite for life
so, live.

This is the will of God for you, the mighty will of God for you
That you practice holiness and purity in, all you do
For God has called us, ALL, to holiness.

by

Running

This is part 2 of "The Wilderness" poem that I wrote for our young adult meeting called, AWAKE. The focus was centered around allowing God to mold us in the place of transition and solitude. To stop running and to allow God to change us...
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“THE RUNNER POEM”
By Terri

I LIKE TO RUN FROM THINGS
AND SOMETIMES HIDE FROM THINGS
ESPECIALLY WHEN I’M ASKED TO LAY DOWN MY LIFE
OR, STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE
IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN MY FEAR SINGS

SINGS LOUDER THAN MY SURRENDER
LOUDER THAN MY OBEDIENCE
HENCE, LOUDER THAN SAYING YES TO YOUR WAYS
MY, EARS ARE DEAF AND DUMB TO YOU
BECAUSE, THE ONLY THING I HEAR
ARE THE WINGS ON MY SHOES TAKING FLIGHT
THAT‘S RIGHT, I - LIKE TO RUN FROM THINGS

BUT DON’T SAY IT TOO LOUDLY, I’VE GOT A REPUTATION TO UPHOLD
I’VE GOT TO KEEP WEARIN’ THIS MASK AND ACTIN’ ALL COOL
BUT ON THE INSIDE I’M COLD
TRUTH BE TOLD, I DETERMINE WHAT MY HAPPINESS BRINGS
…UNTIL LIFE GETS ROUGH. SO I GUESS EVEN THE TOUGH
RUN FROM THINGS

FORGET PACING, I’M SPRINTING TO FAR AWAY PLACES
I’M JUMPING OVER OPPORTUNITY AND HIDING IN
CORNERS AND SMALL SPACES
THIS RACE IS, KINDA LIKE A MARATHON, YEP
I’M TIGHTENING MY LACES, I’M RUNNING FROM
FEAR OF REJECTION AND HIDING FROM OTHER PEOPLES FACES
BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU
RUN, FROM THINGS

THERE’S NO EXCUSE FOR RUNNING
IT’S ALWAYS PURPOSEFUL AND WITH REASON
YOU’RE EITHER RUNNING TO SOMETHING OR AWAY FROM SOMETHING
YOU’RE EITHER RUNNING TO EMBRACE OR TO ESCAPE THE SEASON
INSTEAD OF LEAVIN’, GOD - WANTS - YOU - FOR - HIMSELF…

REMEMBER THAT EVEN IN YOUR TRANSITION
OR PLACE OF ISOLATION
GOD’S DELAYS CAN BE PAINFUL AND TRYING
BUT BE PATIENT, EXERCISE DEVOTION AND DIRECT YOUR CRYING
TO HIM AND STOP, RUNNING, AWAY…
IN HIM IS SUFFICIENCY AND DEEPER LEVELS OF DEPENDENCY
INTIMACY AND REVELATION
HIS DELAYS ARE EXCELLENT, HIS WAYS HONORABLE
HIS TIMING - CRUCIAL
JUST KNOW THAT IN YOUR TRANSITION OR,
PLACE OF ISOLATION - THE RETURN WILL BE FRUITFUL

I, LIKE TO RUN TO THINGS
AND SOMETIMES CONQUER THINGS
ESPECIALLY WHEN I’M ASKED TO LAY DOWN MY LIFE
OR, STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN MY SOUL SINGS -

CRY OUT TO THE LORD WITH YOUR VOICE
AND HE, WILL, UNBURDEN YOUR HEART

The WILL-DER-NESS

Here's another spoken word poem. I wrote this one as a quick spoken word intro for our young adult ministry this past week. The theme was solitude and the wilderness. Enjoy.
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"The WILL-DER-NESS"
by Terri

WHEN WE THINK OF SOLITUDE
WE GET AN ATTITUDE, AND DON’T REALIZE
EVEN WITH GRATITUDE THAT IT’S FOR OUR
SURVIVAL

WE PUSH AND FIGHT THE SILENCE, AND
LIMITLESSNESS AND WE GET CARELESS
IN OUR MOMENT OF BEING DRAWN OUT
AND THE LONGER I FIGHT AND SHOUT
THE LONGER I DOUBT AND REBEL, THEN
THE LONGER I WILL EXPERIENCE THIS WILDERNESS
AT A SNAIL’S PACE

I’VE BEEN DRIVEN TO THE WILDERNESS
TO THE THICKET OF THE BUSH
AND, INSTEAD OF PUSHING I – AM- SURRENDERED
AND SETTLING FOR AN ACT OF DIVINE GRACE
REVELATION, NURTURE AND PREPARATION

IN THE WILDERNESS, I AM EXPECTING
AN INTENSE ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY
A, FURIOUS LOVE THAT CAN ONLY
COME – FROM – GOD

I TRUST IN HIM, AND MY SOUL SHALL MAKE ITS BOAST IN HIM

FOR ME, THE WILDERNESS IS IMPORTANT FOR
MY SURVIVAL, IT’S WHERE I GET MY NEXT ASSIGNMENT,
MY, EYES ARE OPENED, MY THIRST, QUENCHED
AND INSTEAD OF RUNNING WITH MY HEALS HIGH
I’VE, BEEN BENCHED
IT’S HALF-TIME AND GOD WANTS MY ATTENTION
HE EVEN MENTIONED, TO ME, THAT ONLY, HE
CAN GIVE MEAT IN THE DESERT

I’VE BEEN DRIVEN TO THE WILDERNESS
TO THE THICKET OF THE BUSH
SEARCHING FOR ANYTHING TO QUENCH MY DRY SOUL
ANYTHING TO ADD MOISTURE TO MY DESPERATE AND DUSTY
PATH – ANYTHING TO QUENCH THIS WRATH INSIDE OF ME
MY GROANING, MY YEARNING AND BURNING

ANYTHING

AND YET,
I’M REMEMBERING THAT EVEN IN A PLACE OF CHAOS
GOD DOES HIS BEST WORK

EVEN IN A PLACE OF CHAOS,
HE IS NEAR TO THE BROKEN-HEARTED
KISSING US WITH HIS WORD, WHILE,
OUR HEARTS ARE DEEPLY GUARDED
BY HIM…

I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES
AND AT ALL TIMES HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH

by

He Touched Me

something i wrote a while ago and came across the other day...

"He Touched Me"

he wants all of me
my bags, my fears, lies, sins, disguise
he wants it all

and after i touched Him
after i crawled and bawled
and screamed and scraped
i got to enter into His gates
because i touched Him

me, the woman with the issues
more issues than a subscription
with struggles that have become an addiction
me, the woman with the issues
the woman who's been abused
the one confused, battered and broken
the one judged by the out-spoken
i was transformed and changed
because i touched Him

i was an outcast because
i had done things
and i was bleeding
needing someone to stop my hemorrhage
someone to see my true image
spirit, soul and body
i've embodied my many issues
and i, touched Him

He saw me all along
He knew i was coming
to draw virtue from His garment
He knew i'd arrive on my knees
in thee most humbled of positions
and, as i transitioned from my knees to His lap
He began to tell me
who I am
He said

daughter of the Most High
I knew you before the ages
rise up and take your place
you don't belong in these cages
you were created in My image
anything less is outrageous
you are beautiful
you are esteemed
I have not forgotten you
you are redeemed
and you walk with My breath in your lungs

then He, touched me
He touched my identity crisis
He took death's license
and revoked every attack on my life
death is over
rejection, over
fear is over
shame is over
guilt, over
low-self esteem is over
abuse, over

Lord, because You have touched me
I am made new
my mind, my body, my spirit
all wrapped up and around and inside and through You

because You touched me.

Whom Love Pursued

Recently, I was featured on CBN.com/Interactive. I gave my testimony via spoken word. It's on YouTube.

WatchMan

WatchMan (Is. 62)
by Terri Simmons

I, will exalt You
I will not be silent, I will not keep quiet
giving You everything
my heart, my ways, my eyes, my hands
I'll exalt You with
my speech, my time, my mind, my actions
its not about personal satisfaction
it's about my agenda being tossed
and answering Your call for the lost
its about You being pleased with me
In You, I will abide
I'll give You my devotion, my pride
my life, and all the stuff inside
I'll surrender my dreams for Your dreams
my goals for obedience, Lord I'm here
I'm here to intercede and watch for Your coming
never slumbering, never ceasing, never stopping
on the frontline
keeping the enemy from breaching
Your kingdom
I, will exalt You with
waiting on the wall, looking for You
standing where no one wants to stand
linked, hand and hand with my brothers and sisters in the faith
alert and listening for Your breath,
waiting for a hint and waiting to be sent
a prayer warrior called for battle
rattle me with Your words, pursue me with Your message
and then I'll take the passage less traveled
taking no rest for myself and accepting it as wealth
when Your kingdom is glorified
and if You were to change my name
change it to Watchman because I want to be first
I thirst to be used by You
to be called by You, to take the truth and share it
to represent the truth and wear it
to not only speak Your cross but bare it
use me to sound the alarm
use me, like a lighthouse in a sea of darkness
and I will raise a banner for the nations
a Watchman on the wall
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*something i wrote and performed for a young adult conference called Tidewater I-62 "awakening a student prayer movement" (based on Is. 62)

"Awake Us"

I wrote/recorded/performed this for our young adult ministry called, AWAKE





http://awakenedramblings.blogspot.com/
http://awakenyourself.net/

Morning Poem

"morning"

you are like morning
a countless detail in the thread of life
somewhere between mediocre and magnificent is you
a breath of fresh air during sunrise
a reminder of that same air at dusk

you are like morning
new and clear in your convictions
there are no restrictions about who you are

the essence of your character is
like a fresh, blue wind
blue, because you’re royal
blue, because you’re loyal
blue, because your words are baby powder fresh
yes, you are like morning

you, are forever
like the smell of fresh rain
on a cloudy day
like, the ebullient heat from
a sun’s ray

and if you ever feel slightly fatigued
don’t worry, God will be with you
just follow and He'll lead
He’ll replenish your cup and
brush off your knees, He’ll lift you up
above roaring seas – because you are
morning.

thank you for dipping into wisdom’s pool
touching the humble hearts of many

thank you for representing our God
with your adjectives because it is clear
that God is a verb, in you

thank you for giving, for listening, for praying,
for laughing, for loving

thank you for being a friend,
dear, morning.

Morning Song.

Jesus, i love you. let your heart beat within me.
draw near so I can adore you. teach me
obedience so I can prosper. cause my
face to shine as I cling to your life and
your words. I arrest my will to radiate
your deepest beauty, your thoughts and
your life.

Secret Petition

I'd love to be with you a little longer
I want to sit long enough to burn
Jesus - be the peace I seek
break the piece of me that is anxious
burn me up like carbon paper, then
take those vapors and reconstruct me
Just, stay with me
wrap me with your love and teach me, to live.

~Terri
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Ever feel like the Lord is nowhere to be found? Ever feel as if your prayers are unheard sometimes; your tears unseen? Ever feel so desperate, so thirsty to hear from the Father, just a drink from Him would quench the dry places within you?

Don't stop pursing Him. God is faithful to His word. Psalm 37:3 says, "Trust (lean on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed."

When you're in your room, alone, be still and rest. Commit your way and heart to the Lord, daily. Let those secret petitions of your heart bring glory to God - even when you don't 'feel' like it. His peace will cover you like a soft blanket.

May His presence wash over you like a waterfall. May your soul be refreshed and purified as you seek Him. May your heart dwell in the palm of His hand - always.

Nothing else matters.

Whom Love Pursued

I was cleaning around the house this afternoon and came across an old spoken word piece I shared at a women's retreat on the beach about a year ago. At this retreat, I was asked to speak and share my testimony, and this is what I shared before I spoke to the women about the God in me. I totally forgot about this and am glad I found it. Enjoy...
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"Whom Love Pursued"

she, sits in distress, concerned and under arrest
she, sits in her pretty pink dress
afraid to tell her mom because she'd make a mess
of things
she's six and he, he cornered her
she's not even old enough to write legible
his, decibels rang in her ears - "touch it!"
she sits in distress, concerned and under arrest
her heart beats out of her chest
she's too young to be shaken from the nest
but satan's jest was to destroy her

her shackles grew stronger with age, she's enraged at the world
every night, curled, into the fetal position
her life transitions inexplicably
see, she be that girl with the absentee father and abused mother
satan's plan - to scorn her identity
"you're nothing!" he says. "you're worthless!" he clouts.
"people will think your crazy!" he laughs. "there's no God." he shouts

she loses herself sometimes - with pen and paper and words
because her journal was the only thing that understood
her adjectives, her nouns, her verbs

she posts a do-not-disturb sign on her heart
but, love knocks anyway
it pursued her without fail
it even showed her the blood on the nail it endured
this pursuit made her blush
her, deep cocoa skin turning pale
she received a letter from this love in the mail
addressed to: intimacy

what is this love? she thought
don't you know she's on the run?
do you really want one raped and abused?
confused and holding a loaded gun?

this loves pursuit grew stronger and stronger
she, could not resist it any longer
and when her spirit was limp from wailing and crying
she gave in to this love and committed to dying
every day, even... and now
her testimony is a testament
of this love she found years ago

no more bondage and no more chains
no more denying that Jesus Christ reigns
no more sexual abuse, no more addiction
no more mental handicap, no more affliction
no more negative words, no more trilogy
of generation after generation after generation
of not being what God called to be
more faith, more anointing, more fire
more passion, more pursuit of His desire
more prayer, more intercession, a deeper level of more
more Holy Spirit power from head to the floor
taking territory for His glory in war

that girl who was abused and raped
is walking in power, free.
that girl whom love pursued
was me.

by

god of the coffee bean

Saturday, I was 1 of 3 featured performers for an Arts Cafe' Jazz series night in Virginia Beach. The night was amazing! Below is one of the spoken word pieces I wrote and performed called, "Starbux." I had a lot of fun with this one, and I just wanted to share... Enjoy!

"Starbux"

6am, and I am in search of you
mouth dry, heart pounding - sounding like a drumline
I make a b-line like a tornado towards the kitchen
I pull out the canister, hyped about smelling your roasted flavor
ready to savor what I'm addicted to e-v-e-r-y morning
But, wait! Somethings not right!
The coffee canister is empty - but I thought I filled it last night!
I'm a 6am-early morning-coffee-drama-queen
The worst I've seen, and now this drama is about to lose its star actress
and so, I leave the kitchen and put on my best dress
I hop in my car ready to express - my love to Starbux
And to my surprise, the Starbux 'open' sign beamed brighter than the McArches across the street
Oh! I could not wait to jump out of my car
The, pitter-patter of little feet
Ready to meet, my first cup of the day
I, rush inside all starry-eyed, staring at the menu
"Oh, what to do! Oh what to do!" I exclaimed
Giving Starbux way too much fame
Jumping up and down, worshiping the name of "the god of the coffee bean"
Doesn't matter if its Seattle Coffee, Starbux or Gloria Jean
I was making one, big, hug, unbelievably embarrassing scene - right there in Starbux
Good morning...
Rewind
6 am, and I am desperate, hungry and in search of You
Mouth dry, heart pounding, sounding like a drumline
I, make a b-line like a tornado towards Your word
I pull out my Bible - hyped about giving You glory
Couldn't wait to wake up this morning to read and study your story
I'm addicted to You
I, need Your spirit in my blood stream
No, early morning haettas - no Starbux or Gloria Jean
No fits and rants about coffee - no feining for the caffeine
You mean more to me than an early morning drip from "the god of the coffee bean"
Because, if I can wake up early to get my coffee
surely, I can wake up early to worship You
I can put on my best dress for you
I can exclaim your name and get hyped about your fame
I can jump up and down and worship the giver and not the gift
and surely, I mean surely... even if I wake up late
I'm almost positive that "the god of the coffee bean" and even Starbux, can wait.
Good morning.

Awake

...something i wrote and performed for the young adult ministry at my church.

"Awake"

Awaken us oh God and enlarge our tents
Holy is your name above the firmament
Awaken us oh God and pour out your fire
Burn within us your purpose and desire
Awaken us oh Lord and loose life’s chains
Burn the core of me so only YOU remain
You rule the swelling of the sea when it waves over me
Keeping my spirit, soul and mind where it needs to be
All wrapped up in your identity
Awaken your truth, and shake us with your testaments
We’re walking out of darkness and conquering all pestilence
And, awaken those of us who may be sleeping…
And reaping the consequences…
Keep teaching us your purpose
Keep feeding us your bread
Dramatically and radically change our lives
Do exactly what you’ve said
Awaken my soul – strengthen your spirit within me
Awaken your song – wherever your praise is needed, Lord send me
And, awake us to repentance…
Your mercy saving us from death’s sentence
You are Awesome, You are Mighty, You are Praise
You are Worship, You are Love, You are Hal-le-lujah
You aren’t anything less – but righteousness
Awaken us to a life of passion

by me,

May Your...

May Your vision never leave me
May Your words sink and dwell
May You visit me with parables,
like the Woman at the Well
May Your glory flow within me
to the point where I can't tell - where it ends
May you never exhaust listening,
to my never ending prayers
May the stairs I tread keep going up
May my fellowship with You never be interrupted
May Your light burn my efforts to take my own breath
I wanna give You all I am until there's nothing left
I wanna be with you because without You, it hurts
I wanna memorize your word--not because I have to, but because it works
I want my bloodstream to mix with your living Being
I want fresh eyes to compliment what I am seeing
And if my vessel must be broken,
then I'll take the fragments and use them as tokens
And with the Holy Spirit I'll get dressed
I'll get equipped and built up to enter Your rest
May Your vision never leave me
May your words sink and dwell
May you visit me with parables,
like the Woman at the Well.

Amazing Love

they stained your hands

with your own blood

they crushed your bones with

mighty blows of envy and hate

not realizing that your royal blood

was being spilled, and

spoiled to the ground

they persecuted you, the lamb

the holy sacrifice, the dove of life and

perhaps if they knew you

then they wouldn't be afraid

to love your sacrifice

perhaps, if they knew you

they would've torn their robes

and soaked up your blood

perhaps if they knew you

they would've died, too