Breathe God In, Breathe God Out: A Journey in Poetry

By Cedric A. Christian

Take a journey, if you will, a look into the life of a young man who woke up one morning with a state of discontent he could not avoid. Once upon a time, he felt secure in a world of career longevity, abundant income, being loved by family and friends surrounding him; then unexpectedly, something invaded his territory. He realized that he was not happy and truly did not know himself.
Behind the faade that all was well, there existed only a shell of a man. On the surface, he appeared at peace and to have everything he wanted; however, inside he reached an absence of fulfillment. That particular morning, he awakened to the self-examining question: How did I get here? Others have become familiar with the same question, especially after accelerating before the traffic light turns green. Is this a point at which youve arrived in your life?
Take a journey then, if you will, into this life of a man who would not settle for emptiness. He did not like where he was, and in that moment of being still, he finally sensed an incomparable tap on his shoulder. He discovered that the source of life was trying to get his attention.
As you open and accept this invitation into an account of ones life transformation, it is my hope that you too will discover something positively life changing. Let what has been written and left for you serve as a road mapfrom first page to last pageof finding answers to this lifes big questions. Who am I? Why am I here? What now? I offer you these poetic entries of one mans journey in hope that they encourage many to stand up and live. Breathe God in, breathe God out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514433690

Cedric A. Christian

CEDRIC A. CHRISTIAN is a native of Waukegan, Illinois, a town approximately forty miles north of downtown Chicago. While being raised there, at the age of three, he learned to read and has since become an avid reader and lover of literature. Following graduation from high school, Cedric continued investing his time into that same high school by becoming an employee there and successfully devoting over twenty-five years of service to the city’s education system and his care for others to its student body. Throughout that time, he has added to his love for reading a growing passion for writing. Cedric has become a serious writer of both prose and poetry. Since his late teenage years, his writing skills have developed from a growing passion to learn about being alive from the God of life. It is his desire to put this knowledge into action as best as possible and share this education with others. This book of poetry is a compilation of seeking answers to life’s spiritual questions, results of prayer times with God, personal experiences, and the blessings of observing others throughout their personal lessons. This kind of writing has become a powerful portion of encouragement along Cedric’s spiritual journey. Some of his close friends have read his poetry and expressed being profoundly touched by it. Due to this stage of his writing development, he comes forth with the need to make these literary works available to a wider audience. His prayer and hope are that, as you read these poems, you will be drawn closer to the Creator of all things, take the faithful challenge of knowing Him, and be blessed for doing so. Cedric currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida, and continues to chronicle the journey of life with God.

Book preview

Born of Flesh

Introduction

It was one week shy of his twenty-ninth birthday. Before then, twenty-eight years of living had been some kind of party. Or so Ammiel thought. Something about turning over a new calendar year of his life was causing heavy thoughts to appear in his mind. Birthdays never got his attention in that way previously.

By all standards of human maturity, Ammiel had a good life: he had a family that loved him, a job with the same company for several years that paid decent wages, and a host of friends that seemed to enjoy being with him. Things were about to change, and the change was going to be big. He could feel it in his bones.

In seven more days, he was going to turn twenty-nine; however, the sensation of an oncoming birthday was not with him as in times before. He could not quite put his finger on the sudden appearance of discomfort. That was the start of Ammiel taking a more sober look at his life. Was he truly as happy as he thought himself to be, or was he some self-made character in his own storybook of smiles and smooth pavements?

Family, work, and friends began to take on different shapes. He saw coworkers regarding their jobs solely as money for self and no longer as opportunities to encourage others. Friends were more concerned with temporary pleasures than spending time together. Finally, he had been so certain of having a safe haven away from all that to escape into—called family—but found that members in it too had scattered into their own worlds. He had never felt so alone.

The time had come: Ammiel could no longer avoid life’s mirror. He would see himself for the very first time. It wasn’t going to be easy because he had to look beyond the flesh he carried and into his inner existence—a path that would lead him to his true beginning. It was the ending of the Ammiel he once knew.

Life’s Mirror

This time he woke up with a strange sensation: it was not like mornings in the past.

Something about the private invasion made him wary, wondering how long it would last.

Lately life had been some kind of party—the kind to which the rest of the world was not invited.

Before leaving his residence for the day, he took his usual look in the mirror but left unexcited.

Work was not the same that day; colaborers seemed to no longer want to supply love service.

Certainly it wasn’t what he signed up for, and as the day went on, he grew a little more nervous.

He thought it could be shaken off when the time clock hit five while off-site with a friend or two, but that attempt failed.

(Later on, not even a breakaway into his natural family would do.)

Upon returning where his day began, life made a move and took hold of him all to itself.

It was time for an unhurried look at being alive (worse than the world against him was how it felt).

An examination commenced in progress; there was nowhere he could run and hide.

A different mirror had appeared, causing him to be still and gaze into his life.

He began to see that his outward appearance was not quite as important anymore.

Satisfaction would not come until he endured facing himself at his core.

He saw he was not who he was here to become (life has a unique way with light).

It took love to overwhelm his existence.

One cannot truly live without dressing in the mirror of life.

(James 1:21–25)

Shattered

I used to get up and take quick peeks into the mirror.

Whenever I went out, I thought nothing was wrong with me.

Today, life’s mirror reflects a truth much clearer.

Things have gotten ugly down here.

The devil is out to get me.

In the midst of this human race, I took a detour from the victory lane and ended up in a scary place; then, mercy found me and let grace fall as sweet rain.

The light came on: I saw me for the very first time.

My world was coming apart (its seams were tattered).

I looked much different from the image I had in mind.

It wasn’t the glass that faced my sight but I who was shattered.

It was hard to take; a cry for help came out of me.

Could someone tangible fill those shoes?

That’s when I realized what I needed, no other human could be.

I had a fatal case of the blues.

In the river of my tears, a knock appeared unlike any other heard before.

I didn’t feel the change of gears; before I knew it, I was drawn to open the door.

Just when I thought it safe to do life my way, love gave me my first time when nothing but God mattered.

At the brink of liberty, choices became more important that day, like facing the true me torn inside.

I was shattered.

(1 Peter 5:6–11; John 3:16–21; and Revelation 3:17–22)

Imprisoned

He ran with the wrong thought and ended stuck in a detour from life.

He felt he was escaping torment but found out even more what it was like.

Now, someone who doesn’t care has him under lock and key (thought it better to not listen to God) and screaming to be free.

We live now wherein people blindly grope for pleasure in the wind.

Imprisoned by lust, we tend to jump every time the devil says, Sin.

God says that he has made us better than sparrows that have no minds.

How long will we succumb to fatal seductions and become lost in their designs?

Jesus Christ has gone supreme lengths to perfect in us his state of being free, even if it means breaking us down to states of contrition and humility.

If it seems too hard to flee from what isn’t God, illusion confuses the mind.

The longer the kill, the more the itch will drive you mad (the enemy hasn’t much time).

Imprisonment becomes more than a state of mind; life taken lightly is a deadly game.

Being free comes with the territory of living righteously, causing a human being to undergo change.

This kind of action takes a soul willing to depart from the ball and chain of disobedience and doubt.

You want to be free?

For this, we must learn to fly north and not be overcome with settling down south.

(James 4:1–10; Ephesians 2:1–3; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Isaiah 57:15; and Colossians 3:1–17)

Leaving the Dirt Behind

I hear music in spite of