Leave A Legacy In Words: Locked up in this prison, but not locked up in my mind

By Raymond Tapp

This book of poems was written with inspiration and from the heart. It came to pass as if God was speaking to me giving me the words to put on paper, the poems are spiritually discerned and written out of love. At times, I knew it was God speaking to me as you will find as you read these poems as well as in the books to follow. This book of poems was meant to inspire those that read them, whether they make you sad, happy, or encourage you. It was God who seen me through a five year serve out incarcerations. That is five years straight, from 1997 to the end of 2001. I have been out for 15 years and have not looked back. You have to be down and out, it is then that you will call out to God, "God help me". So, I am truly grateful that he did just that. I spent my time reading and writing a lot, also taking care of my physical body by working out and doing a lot of walking. As I walked, I had a little pocket version of the New Testament and I would read scriptures until I memorized them. One of the first scriptures I memorized was Proverbs 3:5-6. The scripture says "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not unto thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths". (King James Version) May you be inspired and blessed as you read these poems. God has blessed me and he wants me to share that it was Him that changes life. May you find comfort and peace as you read these poems. God Bless Ray Tapp

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781640285484

Book preview

Locked Up in This Prison

Locked up in this prison

But not locked up in my mind

Locked up in this prison

Put away to do my time.

Locked up in this prison

At times it’s not real kind

Locked up in this prison

Because alcohol made me blind.

Locked up in this prison

A place where the sun don’t shine

Locked up in this prison

Out of the valley I must climb.

Locked up in this prison

Where love I cannot find

Locked up in this prison

Every day’s the same ole grind.

Locked up in this prison

And now I walk the line

Locked up in this prison

But not locked up in my mind.

—Ray Tapp

Winds of Change

From a far and distant land

There comes a knowing

Within one’s heart saying,

Listen for the winds of change.

Someway, somehow, someday

Allow your heart to feel

The winds of change

Blow, wind, blow.

Only you can feel this wind

That beckons us not to stray

It blows deep within

Come, my child, this way.

Feel the love that you must share

Don’t think it something strange

Allow the wind to touch your heart

Welcome the winds of change.

—Ray Tapp

Beyond Tomorrow

There is much more than what’s in

Our past,

Yet we live looking back

Living off the memories that never seem

to last.

There is a time and a place

Beyond tomorrow,

A place of great comfort and everlasting peace,

A place where there’s no more pain, no more

sorrow.

A place eternal, a place of

Love,

A place of beauty no man can know,

A place in the heavens with our

Father above.

It’s our choice to live without

Sorrow,

We must choose the narrow road,

To our home in the skies

beyond tomorrow.

—Ray Tapp

His Presence

Silence of My Mind

In the deepest depths within my mind, a quiet place so

Uninhibited, I allow God to speak to me.

I can feel the spirit of God filling my heart with his love.

He says to me, I am love, I will give you peace, I will cause

You to be content and truly allow you happiness in this life.

I can sense his great power as I allow him entrance to my soul.

Jesus is my all in all; he’s the only true source of hope in this life.

In the silence of my mind as I read God’s Word, my

Inner man, my spirit, discerns God’s spirit, the Holy Spirit.

I am blessed with this knowing, the anointing

A sensation that overwhelms and lifts and energizes me.

Like nothing the world has to offer.

I am so tremendously thankful and grateful that one

Day God drew me into his loving arms and has given me a

Life of hope and peace and love and joy.

I would be on a journey to an endless nothingness road if I

Hadn’t allowed Jesus to come and live in my heart.

I thank God for that special day he gave me a new life.

Father God, I ask you, help me to please you in all that I say and do.

In your son Jesus Christ’s name I pray.

Amen.

—Ray Tapp

Heaven Bound

As I was walking today, enjoying the sun

I let my mind drift past the barbed wire fences

The guard towers I did not see

A sense of freedom came over me.

As I walked, I searched the sky

Picturing heaven far up above

A place where there’s freedom

A place where there’s love.

You see, this world is not my home

I’m not to set my mind on earthly things

But on things above, where there’s streets of gold

And God is love.

I’m so very grateful I’m heaven bound

Knowing when I leave this world

All pain and suffering I will leave behind

To be forever with the Lord.

One day from this prison I’ll be free

Free to go to any town

Yet today, I thank God

I’m heaven bound.

—Ray Tapp

Beside Still Waters

Come journey with me to a place of wonder

A solemn place to rest your soul

Join me beside still waters

Become one with him as your spirit flows.

Sense the majestic presence of the Holy Spirit

Deep within your inner man

Allow all of him to envelop you

As you enter in the promised land.

Everlasting joy from our Father above

Beckons mankind from heavens shore

Never-ending streams of life flowing gently

Peace and love forevermore.

Rest forever in eternity

All ye sons and daughters

Seek the one who saves and pardons

Above and beyond . . . beside still waters.

—Ray Tapp

Leave the Past Behind

When the burdens of past mistakes cloud our weary mind

Look forward to a brighter future and leave the past behind

There will always be another day when life seems so unkind

Keep your focus on the here and now and leave the past behind.

Our reactions of times past are often not real kind

If only we will let them go and leave the past behind

Realize there’s always hope and in searching we will find

We can live a life of love and leave the past behind.

So let go of the painful memories and your life will be just fine

Don’t let your yesterdays hinder you, leave the past behind

Fear God and press on to a far and better time

Allow peace to enter in as you leave the past behind.

Recall past mistakes that have caused you to be blind

Overcome your failure and leave the past behind

Understand and life is what you make it in this daily grind

There’s always hope for a brighter future when we leave the past behind.

—Ray Tapp

Prophets of Old

In the Bible we’re told as the stories unfold

of the prophets of old. How some were cold and

others were bold. Men put on hold while others

found gold. Some left to mold that were rejected

and sold while others found wealth in the mother

lode. We heard of some that glowed and some that

rowed. Yet another that stole.

Some did moan and others not their own. Some were

young while others full grown. They did each reap from

the seeds they’d sown. Some were prone while

others overthrown. Prophets that would scold and go

down the wrong road. Those in Spirit would flow

as others wandered to and fro. When God spoke, some

would go while others said no. God had a plan and to

them he did show. God let them know that they were

never alone and through one man’s seed a nation would grow.

God’s message to each of us is

You’ll reap what you sow and these are just

some of the ventures of the prophets of old.

—Ray Tapp

Another Day in Prison

It’s just another day

In a place I’m made to stay.

To be incarcerated in prison can be

A heavy load to bear, it takes digging down

Inside yourself, finding out you care.

Another day to find worth within one’s mind.

Allowing faith to present itself in a place

That’s not so kind.

One must become wise in the using of his time,

Realizing he is in a valley and out of it he must climb;

A man must take advantage of each and every

Day by growing closer to the Lord and learning of his ways.

Being a prison isn’t about being tough

It takes a man to reach his low to know he’s had enough.

Myself, I’m thankful for just another day,

Even though in prison I’m told I have to stay.

For I have come to realize the man I’ve found

In me, the good side that God intended me to be.

Another day means being thankful in a much

Higher degree, grateful for the mercy that

God has bestowed on me.

To say it’s just another day can only mean one thing,

One day closer to being with the king.

—Ray Tapp

Love

What is love, one might ask,

Is it given freely or is it a task?

Some say love is in how you feel,

But love could be in how you kneel.

The Bible says that God is love

That he sent his love in a form of a dove.

Now it’s up to you and I

To accept this love before we die.

Why should we go through this life?

Always striving to live without strife.

We need to look to our Father above

And begin to accept His spirit of love.

Love is gentle and always kind

This kind of love we all need to find.

Won’t you please give love a try,

God’s love promises an all-time high!

Hurry, don’t wait any longer,

God’s love will help you to be

Much, much stronger.

Thank God for his precious love

That special day he came down like a

Dove.

—Ray Tapp

Change

As I sit in this lonely room

With