Me Too

By Dorothy Elowise Carter

Me Too is a collective work of poems and short writings written by the author as she was inspired by God. They were given to her to help her make sense of the many issues in her life, such as childhood molestation, spousal abuse, and low self-esteem, amid other issues and disappointments. She is remarkably candid about her shortcomings and mistakes in life and shares with the reader how God strengthened her to overcome. However, even more remarkable, she is also candid about some of her present struggles as well and her hope in God for complete healing in these areas in her life. In doing this, she is in accordance with the scripture James 5:16, which reads, Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Therefore, as you read about her shortcomings, pray for her healing as she is praying for you to be healed as well. Yes, the inspirations in this book were given to the author to help her heal and overcome; however, this book was written to help you overcome and heal. Therefore, as you read these pages, allow the Holy Spirit to do his work.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503592889

Dorothy Elowise Carter

Mrs. Dorothy Elowise Carter-Tate is a woman who has lived a diversified life. She recognizes that life functions in seasons and is learning to move from season to season. For the first thirteen years of her adult life, she was a stay-at-home mother and wife. When that season was over, she went back to school and became a registered nurse. The majority of her nursing career has been in psych and, presently, geriatrics. She still practices nursing; however, she has not practiced full-time for over ten years. She serves in the church as teacher and licensed evangelist. One of her special gifts is working with children and adolescents. She was the founder and director of two children’s churches, one in Tennessee and one in Louisiana. She is also a gospel singer, songwriter, and playwright and has produced and directed a number of productions for the churches she has been a member of over the years. From the years 2007 to 2010, she traveled abroad to Spain, Italy, and Germany with a gospel group from New Orleans, Louisiana, singing traditional gospel music. She also worked as a gospel DJ and talk show host at a local radio station in her hometown, Hammond, Louisiana. Her hobbies are gardening, swimming, and playing Scrabble. Presently, she is working on a psychology degree and plans to counsel abused women and children.

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Copyright © 2015 by Dorothy Carter-Tate.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by the Zondervan Corporation.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/06/2015

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

708778

Author’s contact information:

Dorothy Elowise Carter

P.O. Box 273

Hammond, La 70404

[e-mail]

CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

SECTION ONE

Poems

Inspirational

The Message of Love

Oh God, the Pain!

Such a Gift as Life

How Is My Credit Today?

I Know I’m Yours

Oh Why

Who Is This Person?

What I Needed

Hey, You

Lay Your Head in the Bosom of Jesus

Let Me Live before I Die

What Is Man

Dead Tones

God of Everything or God of Nothing

An Awful Thing

I Understand

Help Me to See

Hallelujah, I’m Sane

I Choose the Path that Leads to God

I Come Boldly in Faith

I Don’t Like What I See

I Have a Mind to Serve Thee

I Know Something You Don’t Know

I Know You Are Saving Me

I Must

I Must Decline

I Must Find You

I Need to Hear from You

I Refuse

I See Him Running

I’m Glad I Created Her

In the Storm

It Doesn’t Bother Me

It’s All for a Reason

It’s Me, Lord

It’s You I Need

Light My Fire

Living Testimony

Lord, I Need You

Make Me

Lord, I Want to Be Like That

Let My Love Be Strong

Make Me a Vessel

My Love Is True

No Time to Waste

So Bring It On

Tell It Like It Is

Thank You for Your Gifts

This Time

When Will It End?

Usher Me In

I Will Wait

A Place of Darkness

A Child’s Prayer

Lord, Restore My Health

You Are My Shining Light

POEMS

Romance

The Touch

The Pursuit

I Am Ready to Love

Only You

It Takes Three

Pillow Talk

Questions

POEMS

Death

Death

Please, May I Cry?

Raven

Starlight

SECTION TWO

Short Writings

Lord, I’m So Tired

In Everything Give Thanks

Bite The Bullet

Stay Away From The Os

Fashioned For The Kingdom

The Thing I Am Most Ashamed Of But Glad About

Give Me The Mind Of Christ

Marriage Privileges

I’m Not The Only One

I’m On My Way

A Strange Dream

That We May Have To Give To Others

Try A Little Compassion, Not Judgment

Who’s Not The Victim?

The Face Of God

Christ Is The Example

Obesity

A Letter From The Uttermost

Love Is What Matters

Lord, More Than Anything

Lord, I Blew It Again

An Inside Change

SECTION THREE

Special Writings

Embrace Change

Trapped

SECTION FOUR

Bonus Features

Ezekiel 16

I’m A Good Mother, And I Enjoy My Kids

The Spring That Gives Everlasting Water (Satisfaction)

What Makes Great Men Great

One Day

God’s Majesty

I

DEDICATE THIS BOOK to my six children, Fredrick Jr., Altro, Carmen, Myla, Brad, and Chardoria, who have been so loving, patient, and forgiving to a mother who took them through so much on her journey of deliverance. I also dedicate it to my nephew Lawrence and his wife, Angie, who graciously provided me with the initial environment that God used to inspire me with many writings, and especially to my niece Tina, whom God used to give me the inspiration and nudge I needed to get started.

FOREWORD

T HIS BOOK IS not for the insouciant reader. It is for people just like me, who realize that they are wounded, sick pilgrims passing through a temporary location to get to a permanent home and need help from the Almighty God to get there.

PREFACE

Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. (Job 14:1)

T HE ABOVE VERSE is a declaration of the inevitable troubles that we all will face in this life. No one is exempt. With these troubles come a whole lot of pain, whether or not the troubles were self-inflicted or by some other means.

Because this world is infested with sin, God knows our pilgrimage will be difficult, to say the least, and, sometimes, almost unbearable. Nonetheless, he promises us that he will not leave us comfortless and without help. These comfort and help come through the Holy Spirit in many forms—the Bible, a pastor, a teacher, a friend, a stranger, a song, and even a book. Therefore, allow me to encourage you (Col. 3:16) through the pages of this book, Me Too.

Oftentimes our greatest pain comes from the feeling that we are alone in our sufferings and no one really cares or that no one else has gone through or is going through what we are going through. You can find comfort in knowing that it isn’t just you God has isolated to suffer, nor has he forgotten or abandoned you. He designed this book to help you understand that you are not the worst person in the world and that he did not create you just for suffering.

Many people actually feel that way. They feel that it is God’s will that the only thing they will ever have in life is relentless pain and suffering, with no hope of joy and peace. He wants you to know that nothing can be further from the truth and that he loves and cares for you and your happiness. I do too.

If you are one of these people, it is my prayer that as you read this book, it will help you to allow God to dispel such thoughts forever. You are not alone. You are not the only one experiencing what seems to be incessant pain; I too have been there. No, you are not the only one going through it—Me Too.

In addition, you may feel like you are the only one who has made the same crazy mistakes many times over, but you are not; so many others have, and I have too. That’s why I wrote this book, to share a small part of me and some of my struggles, hoping to encourage you.

However, more importantly, I wrote this book to share with you a profound truth, which is, God has promised us in his Word that he will deliver the righteous from all their troubles and afflictions (Ps. 34:17, 19). God is faithful, and his Word is true.

How do I know? I know because I have tried him over and over and found him to be and do all that he has promised. Not only did he deliver David but Me Too.

Remember that Jesus once suffered the most intense kind of suffering any man has ever experienced. He bore the weight of the sins of the whole world on that cross. No suffering exceeds that. However, Jesus is suffering no longer. Our loving, merciful Father delivered him, and now he is in heaven, reigning with him. That same loving Father wants to deliver you too, if you but dare to trust and obey him.

SECTION ONE

Poems

Inspirational

The Message of Love

When I think of your love and how you choose to reveal it,

My heart gets full, and I scarcely can take it in.

A world marred with sin—you could not come to tell me,

So inspiringly, you used the hand and pen of common men.

Years passed by, at last you sent your only begotten.

The undying message of love became flesh and blood.

He left his divine home and dwelt among sinful men.

His mission forever reveals the greatness of your love.

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Oh God, the Pain!

Oh God, the pain, the intensity of the pain,

I can hardly bear it!

To have another control you is not easy.

If perhaps I was born without the ability to think

Or without a will of my own, then maybe, Lord, then maybe.

But, God, I was born with the ability to think

Not just any thoughts but my very own distinct thoughts.

I was born with my own personality,

Not someone else’s but mine, mine from the time of conception.

I was born with a will, a will to be a person, an individual person.

I was born with a will to be a free person,

To choose what I think is best for me.

I did not have a choice in the matter.

These are God-given rights,

And every adult human being should have the freedom to exercise them.

Oh God, I know for peace’s sakes

There are many things one must give up.

Nevertheless, is one expected to give up their individuality?

Is one expected to willingly accept

Whatever course of life another chooses for them?

Should another tell you what to believe,

What to eat, what to like, or whom to like?

Is one expected to think thoughts or give up thoughts

Simply because another says it should be so?

Oh God, the pain, the intensity of the pain,

I can’t bear it much longer!

How long, Lord, how long must I tread this road?

I’ve walked this road for eleven years now.

How much longer, Lord, how much longer

Before my change comes?

Lord, is my deliverance nigh?

Oh God, give me the right frame of mind.

Give me the right attitude toward my situation.

Give me strength and patience.

Put love in my heart for those who despitefully misuse me.

Help me overcome their evil with genuine love and goodness.

Oh Lord, the pain, the intensity of the pain

They must be experiencing!

The helplessness, the bleakness one must be feeling.

For one simply cannot cause so much pain and misery upon others

Unless he himself is miserable, in pain, and displeased with self.

Oh God, which is the greater,

The pain one suffers that is caused by someone else

Or the pain of the one who causes the suffering?

Give us strength, dear God, give us strength.

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Such a Gift as Life

My mother went through great pains that I may be born.

Jesus went through even greater pains that I may be born again.

How dare I come into this world at such a great price and just be!

How dare I merely breathe and pass through!

I must thrive, not merely survive.

I must live abundantly the life that God created me to live!

That is the least I can do

To show my appreciation for such a gift as life.

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How Is My Credit Today?

Unto a creditor and a debtor

I liken our prayer relationship.

Did I obey you today?

Did I show some lost souls the way?

Did I really do my very best?

Do I really expect you to grant my request?

How is my credit today?

When I feel I haven’t done

All the things the Lord expects of me,

When I feel I don’t measure up

To be what he’d have me to be,

His promises I really can’t claim,

As I call upon his name.

When I go to the throne, I can’t boldly say,

Lord, here’s your child, hear me when I pray.

How is my credit today?

Sometimes I feel

That the Lord’s not always nigh.

Sometimes I doubt

That he even hears my cry.

This is the time I should embrace him,

But I could hardly face him.

Have mercy, hurry and remove this load!

Help me to get back on the road!

How is my credit today?

How many blessings have I lost

Because I did not obey?

Oh, how many have I lost,

Because I did not seek and choose your way?

I shudder to even think of it,

For I know there were many forfeited.

What I need is a stronger love for you.

Then all that you ask, I will gladly do.

How is my credit today?

I’m so glad you’re more merciful than man.

Unlike the creditor, you always give me another chance.

I’m so glad that if I confess my sins today,

You will wash them all away,

And I can start anew!

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I Know I’m Yours

Even though my life isn’t what it ought to be,

I know I’m yours because you’ve chosen me.

Even though I do things I should not do,

I know I’m yours because I’ve chosen you.

O Lord, have mercy on me, this wretched soul I am.

Sometimes, I just don’t do things right.

O Lord, have mercy on me, this wretched soul I am.

The struggle with sin is a real, real fight.

The mistakes I made today,

Help me overcome tomorrow.

And let me keep before me, Jesus is the way.

Even though sometimes I feel I can’t go on.

I know I’m yours because I’m holding on.

When torn and confused and I just don’t know what to do,

I know I’m yours because you bring me through.

Oh, thank you, Jesus, for the trials that send me through the fire,

For without them, I’ll never attain.

Oh, thank you, Jesus, for the trials that send me through the fire,

For when I come through, I am never the same.

The victories that are won today

Shall be my hope for tomorrow.

And they shall keep before me, Jesus makes a way.

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Oh Why

Why is it that only when my heart is heavy,

Burdened, and so weary

Do I feel the need to call upon you,

Oh why?

Why is it that only when I feel neglected,

Alone, and rejected

Do I feel the need to be near you,

Oh why?

And why is it that when I’m tired and don’t have much time

And I’m running to and fro, trying to meet deadlines,

Is it you that I always leave out?

Oh why?

Oh why, oh why can’t I enjoy your presence

As you do mine?

Not just when things are bad

But also when things are fine.

And why can’t I love your Word every day

And pray all times, always?

I want your friendship,

I want to walk right by your side,

Hand in hand, with you as my guide.

I want to know who you are.

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Who Is This