I haven’t done a great job promoting the arts at The Bridge
It is strange because I love art…music, design, painting, poetry…
I was very close to going to art school
For whatever reason, as we have been working to address the needs of The Bridge it is fallen by the side a bit…and it is something I want to correct
In large degree the church community has leaned more toward the business community than the arts community. There are several reasons why, but many lack proper founding. The church, and the things we do as a community, and within our community are more closely relatable to “art forms” than excel spread sheets.
Equally, the drive to create from nothing, to collect variables and form them into shape and texture provides more healer for the artist and those who observe it than any business model could accomplish.
I am hoping to begin to give art its proper place in our community. We have alot of people who call The Bridge home who came to our neighborhood intending to be trained at The University of Cincinnati in some type of art form, so it would truly be a proper extension of The Bridge.
I came across this poem from someone who calls The Bridge their church home and wanted to share it with you. I hope it blesses you as it blessed me
I have felt dark, alone and unloved
Even though I knew in my head You were there.
You were angry and annoyed
By my failures, inconsistency and hypocrisy.
I wasn’t good enough for you… I didn’t please You.
I repented and repented and repented,
until I didn’t know what else to repent of.
Day after day,
I wouldn’t look at You
because I felt like You didn’t want to see me.
And I thought if I did look
and You weren’t looking back
I would hurt all the more.
There were vague memories in my head
of times past where I remembered knowing You,
seeing You,
and feeling Your presence in my life.
Where did those times go?
Did they really happen,
and why not anymore?
I tried to trust what You told me,
but somehow it seemed weak,
not strong enough to save me.
I wanted to be no more.
But You.
You found me.
And I realized You never left me,
You never stopped looking at me,
You are helping me to remember.
And You are showing me what a good Father is.
I am trying to face the root of all my hurt,
Now that I know it is not you causing it
“for my good”.
It was a lie, and now I know it.
And am trying not to believe it.
I feel the softening of my heart
and You teaching me about yourself,
something I remember being my prayer
a long while ago.
Your words are becoming alive again
and parts of me are waking up
and growing up.
I am still the same person
with the same hurts and failures,
but what is changing
is my understanding of You,
and Your grace,
and the healing that comes from
truly being loved.
