It's Easy To Sin When You're Bleeding Within by Seth Harkins

It’s easy to sin when you’re bleeding within

And why I am the way I am is no mystery

My mind is not in proper order or in therapy

Deranged, confused, and sexually abused

My life’s been hanging on a string for so long, what do I got to lose

I took a look at myself and came to grips with what I found

It was the vision of a child, disturbed and broken down

No soul, no heart because I gave it away

No time for feeling sorry, I’ll grieve another day

And all those tears are stored in storm clouds

That hover above me and cover the ugly

They continue to haunt me when I feel low

They are the reason I hold on and never let go

This was part of a poem one of our girls wrote recently. She frequently brings new poems to the Kennel for me to read and it’s like a way she communicates the depth of her soul. She’s an amazing writer and when she channels that gift for good she writes some truly beautiful things. More often than not though, her poems are a window into the darkness of her life and while they are powerfully written, they can be hard to read.

Amidst all of the success that God has given us in the recent months and with all of the good news there has been to share, it’s important to remember that we are in a fight for these kids and that fight is ugly. Life is not always pretty and our kids by and large are immersed in a world that reeks of despair and oppression. For us that means opposition is always around the corner, especially in times of success.

Our numbers continue to grow, God is bringing amazing leaders to our ministry, and our team is gelling exceptionally well. I cannot explain the joy this has brought to our entire team and to my life personally. These have been prayers of mine from the beginning and to experience them being answered is amazing. I want to savor that. However, the task at hand remains daunting. The cries of poems and phone calls from some of the kids in our ministry are small windows into the silent suffering that almost all of our kids live with everyday often unseen from the outside. It’s a sobering reminder that all is not well and that we can in no way relax. In fact, success demands greater awareness.
The enemy has not and will not give up easily. The harder we push into the darkness, the harder it will push back. In many ways I feel that we have just begun to experience resistance and I am actually encouraged by that. This is why. Momentum is always met with opposition and the greater the momentum, the greater the opposition. That is a timeless truth of life with God and life in ministry. Whenever we have victories over sin or victories of faith in our personal lives, whenever the Kingdom of God advances, whenever ground is taken, and whenever the enemy is threatened, resistance is inevitable. But this should not be discouraging. If anything we should be energized by this because it means we’re doing our job. Idle laborers hold no threat to the enemy.
So that being said, we are grateful for the assurance that our work is going well and we look forward to leaning into whatever opposition comes our way. Trouble is on its way of that we can be sure, but as it says in Hebrews we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. God will always overcome and He is greater than all who come against us.
Despite our bangs and bruises, God continues to move. This past Sunday after our spring retreat we baptized our third student and first guy of the year, Arthur Henry. Arthur is currently a senior at Alchesay. Pray for him in this decision. He has a long road ahead of him and life can be very difficult at home. There’s no doubt that a battle awaits him and our team for his life. Pray that God will protect his faith as the Gospel takes root in his heart and that in time he will grow into maturity. I’m excited about all God is continuing to do, and so thankful for your faithfulness in this mission. This is a poem that one of our students Rico wrote recently and it sums up the hope we have no matter what happens in life.

Jesus gave His life for me,

He died for me.

Jesus gave His life for me,

He died for me.

Because of HIM, I'm fighting on the side of Victory,

He rose from the dead and so He lives on,

Let us all stand up and get our praise on,

Let's sing another song.

A song about His glory.

Let the trumpets sound,

Raise your voices and shout it out.

We're FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

He paid the price for me.

Because of Him, I'm fighting on the side of victory!

I'm FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

We're FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

LET THE TRUMPETS SOUND!

JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ME, HE DIED FOR ME,

HE PAID THE PRICE FOR ME.

BECAUSE OF HIM, I'M FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

We're FIGHTING ON THE SIDE OF VICTORY!

LET THE TRUMPETS SOUND!