It Hit Me Hard

  Hello All!

Today in my English III class we discussed a poem written by a puritan woman in 1666 upon the burning of her house, and the loss of everything she owned. I am not going to lie, I was very surprised that they allowed us to read this poem for one reason: it was about a woman's faith in Christ. And considering that we had a deep discussion on it, I was thoroughly shocked. This poem really came at the right time, considering the hardships I am undergoing, because this woman wakes up to her house being burnt down, and what is this first thing she does?
She Prays.
She says "And to my God my heart did cry, to strengthen me in my distress, And not to leave me succourless."
This first thing she prays about is for God to strengthen her, and to be here with her.To me that was an outstanding profession of faith. She was like Job, she did not curse the name of the LORD, and even more amazingly, she did not ask why, or doubt or question, she says "And when I could no longer look, I blest his grace that gave and took, That laid my goods now in the dust. Yea, so it was, and so 'twas just, it was his own; it was not mine." She praises God! She praises God because she realized that she had been putting her faith into things that would fade and crumble anyway. She accepts the situation simply because God had put it in her life! And the bonus was that it made her stronger! She scolds herself for loving the world and man-made things! Things that we don't think twice about before loving it. Yes, God had to burn her house down in order to give her this revelation, but she realized it, and she learned and moved forward from it. And this last part makes me want to cry, because the severity of its truth is heart deep.



                       "Raise up thy thoughts above the sky, That dunghill mists away may fly. Thou hast a house on High Erect fram'd by that mighty architect, with glory richly furnished Stands permanent, though this be fled. It was purchased and paid for too By him who hath enough to do. A price so vast as is unknown Yet by his gift is made thine own. There's wealth enough; I need no more Farewell my pelf, farewell my store. The world no longer let me love, my wealth and treasure lies above." If we want to love God and belong to him, then we need to fall out of love with the world, and fall back in love, or just flat out in love with him... The world no longer let me love-- love the world no longer, because our wealth and treasure is in heaven with Christ our LORD.
 The second I finished reading this God spoke to me, "A woman of faith, my woman of faith." I wonder what happened to Anne Bradstreet, the woman who had endless faith, I guess I will have to wait until I meet her someday, where I KNOW she will be. reading this poem has defiantly effected me, and I am glad God chose to speak to me.... oh great, now I am going to be rhyming all day. Farewell! See you soon! God bless you all!