Please don’t judge me. I am not perfect; I make mistakes and sometimes fall down, but I am trying. I am working to put the past behind me while holding onto the cross. His grace and mercy are gifts I don’t deserve, but He has given them to me anyway. I have stumbled and failed Him, but He remains faithful. He said, “My Child, I won’t give up on you.”

At one point, when I was in a pit, I kept trying to climb up, but my sins held me down. The things that easily ensnared me weighed heavily upon me. I felt the judgment of others, as they looked down on me in disgust and questioned how long it would take for me to rise again. In that moment, I lost all hope of getting back up. I was battered with sins, guilt, hurt, and pain.

Then I looked up and saw the Lord, who had been stretching His hands out to me all along. I asked Him, “Lord, why are You wasting time on me? I will never meet Your expectations. Look how deeply I have fallen and the things I am ashamed of.”

Then, He looked at me with the most beautiful face and said, “Child, I’m never going to let go of you. My hands will remain stretched as long as you need them. You are my most wonderful creation, and I won’t let you go. I will wash you and cleanse you. I will make you whole; your sins I will remember no more, and your shame I will take away. I will dress you in my glory and establish your feet. I love you, child.”

Looking up with tears in my eyes, I raised my hands high toward Him, and He lifted me up. He took me into His arms without regard for how broken I felt, dried my tears, washed me in the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, clothed me with mercy, cleansed me with compassion, fed me with forgiveness, restored me with grace, crowned me with glory, and comforted me.

I then asked Him, “What manner of God are You?”

In His mighty and soothing voice, He answered, “I am that I am, the Crown of Glory, the Diadem of Beauty, the Great High Priest, the Merciful God, the defender of the helpless, the Advocate, the Almighty, Ancient of Days, Anointed One, Author of Life. My names are endless, but right now, I AM YOUR FATHER.”

Stay blessed.