I Have Lived a Life/You Were There

I have lived a life,
it has not always been correct,
it has not always been sweet,
it has not always been perfect;

but it has always been mine.

I have lived a life,
what more can be said?
I have made many mistakes,
I have had many regrets,
through it all I have tried,
through it all I did my best.

I have lived a life,
I have gambled and lost,
I have smiled and won,
I have laughed with angels,
I have cried with demons.

I have lived a life,
for better or worse,
for richer or poorer,
through good times and bad;

I have lived a life.

Within every victory,
inside every defeat,
there has been one constant,
one truth,
one answer to which
I have returned,
time after time.

Whether lying in dark, silent gyms,
waiting to run onto
electrified, football fields,
or driving blindly
down dark, winding roads,
barely able to hold on to the wheel,
with eyes blinded
from alcohol and drugs;

You were there.

When walking alone
through deserted,
snow covered streets,
where everything seemed
dead and lost;

You were there;

patiently waiting,
silently offering hope,
steadily dispensing love,
constantly providing truth;

gently guiding my path
back to You.

Now I must dig deep,
now I must face the final test,
now I must overcome
the last obstacle,
now I must turn to You
for the strength to see it through,
now I must put my trust in You,
within whom all things are possible.

Give me the words,
give me the strength,
give me the power,
give me the answers.

I have lived a life,
I have won,
I have lost,
now through You;

I am ready to live
a better one.
.
.