Behold the Cry

By: K. A. Saundra


A journey of the world has started,
The climbing of a rocky way.
Some may slip and fall to their knees,
But from there they start to pray.

                “Oh Lord. Please help me.
                I've stumbled and wandered astray.
                Please lift and hold and guide me
                Along a more excellent way.”

Behold the cry of one such girl
Who fell and lost her way.
She longed for the path she did not choose
For she chose the other way.

She dropped to her knees and clung to the mount
(Where in spirit she'd hung for days)
She held to the cliff with no ledge in sight
As she knelt by her bed to pray.

                “Oh Lord! Please help me!
                I've stumbled and wandered astray.
                Please lift and hold and guide me
                Along a more excellent way.”

Spying a hold a few feet up,
She stretched and grappled to reach;
But as she touched the cold hard stone
She slipped from tide of speech.

Arms from below strained to touch,
To grab and hold her down.
She could not move from grips so strong
So she cried an unearthly sound.

                “Oh Lord! Please help me!
                I've stumbled and wandered astray!
                Please lift and hold and guide me
                Along a more excellent way!

                “Lord, help in the task that I've been set,
                Please release me from their hold.
                My soul yearns to dwell in heaven
                While they drag me down below.

                “Lord, where are you?
                Why are you not here?
                I cannot hold much longer,
                And your presence is not near.”

An arm from heaven extended;
She slipped but grabbed the hand.
He pulled her up to be with him,
And she began to understand.

                “Oh Lord! I love you!
                You reached for me and showed the way.
                You guided me, the injured lamb,
                To this more excellent way!”

“My Child,” said the voice around her,
“Did you doubt that I would hear?
The cries of my children pierce my heart
When you cry, I'll drive away your fears.”


Kyra Ashcraft lives in Southern Florida where she dreams of becoming a writer. She is currently in the process of writing three different novels, all of which will be published under the pen name K. A. Saundra.

Wallflowers

by Kristina Haws
Have you ever been to a dance where it seemed like everyone was standing on the wall? Sometimes during the fast songs most everyone is out on the floor but when a slow song starts all the boys seem to disappear. I've had both of these experiences.

So why don't boys just ask you to dance? Do they not like you? Or are they just nervous?

Well whatever the reason is, there is a major shortage of male dancers. So what is the solution? I find that if I just go up to a boy and ask, I end up having a lot more fun.

I used to be pretty shy about just going up to some guy, especially the cute ones, and asking them to dance. But as I do more and more, I gain more confidence.

Once you have a partner it's a lot more fun if you have something to talk about. Once you've gotten past asking their name, age, grade, etc. you could ask if they like the song that's playing and then go on to asking their favorite kind of music. It usually helps the conversation if you're relaxed. Recently a guy I was dancing with said "I don't like this song". His statement kind of startled me, but for the rest of the dance I wasn't so nervous.

So maybe next time you're at a dance you'll feel more confident doing the asking.