I Choose...

In a world where anonymity instills false power;
In a world consumed by the Joneses mentality;
In a world overcome by hate, rape, evil, and loss;
In a world where children are misled, mistreated, and misunderstood;

In a world where diagnoses are made for money;
In a world that is all about sales, worth, and stock;
In a world “made for man, by man”;
In a world concerned with self;

In a world where teenagers fear for their future children;
In a world seemingly heading for decay;
In a world in which intimacy, courtship, and love has been redefined;
In a world directed by feelings;

In a world full of torn homes;
In a world where the “solution” is adultery or divorce;
In a world mesmerized by sex and pornography;
In a world with broken families, where sons and daughters don’t have answers;

In a world that actively casts stones;
In a world with legalized murders; 
In a world that contains those dying to die;
In a world where “coping” means numbing;

In a world made up of religion;
In a world of separation;
In a world of politics and diplomats;
In a world where there is no hope;

I choose to believe in the power of song;
I choose to believe in the motivation of human contact and touch;
I choose literature, real, paper… print;
I choose to die to myself;

I choose to trust instead of feel;
I choose life;
I choose fellowship with the body, the entire body, not just the ones I deem appropriate;
I choose to try to do my best at all times;

I choose to let go-of shame, guilt, anger, bitterness;
I choose to minister to others, no matter the cost; 
I choose to pray;
I choose to worship;

I choose to lead by example, rather than force;
I choose to own up to my mistakes and faults;
I choose to embrace my quirks;
I choose to find the good in myself rather than dwell on the bad;

I choose to fight for what I believe in;
I choose to be stubborn about my values;
I choose to laugh, because if I don’t, someone else will;
I choose to jump, because it’s worth it;

I choose my Jesus;
I choose to make a conscience effort to represent Him daily;
I choose to be weird, different, happy;
I choose hope.