I BUT YET

i heard
i listened
i turned to my way
a hardness
a vow
a promise to myself
i left
i forgot
i tried my best to
but home is a funny word
always tugging at your heart
playing games with your mind
i resisted
i ignored
i didn't answer when called
a sadness
a hurt
a place where ache burned
yet forgiveness came
always reminding me of the cost
playing truth from the cross
i cried
i wept
i let bitterness melt away
a life
a love
a promise from God

Angel Barreto

THE CALL

to be called by your name
personal
individual
to be called by your name
by God Himself
to be invited
to be wanted
to be desired
to be chosen
by the Father
God is a personal God
knowing you by name
knowing you by intent
knowing you before you were born
when God says I want you
when God says I choose you
do you listen
do you ignore
do you believe He has chosen you
to be His son
to be His daughter
to be His minister of reconciliation
called by name
called for a purpose
called for His glory
do you ignore Him
do you value His call
do you pretend He is not there
to be invited
to be reconciled
to be chosen
will you receive Him
will you answer His knock
will you live in His deliverance
will you live in His calling
will you live in His grace
will you believe in His love
for He has called you by name

Angel Barreto

JUST YOU JUST ME

i asked You to show up God
i prayed for Your presence
all along was it me who needed
to come abandoned
to come unadorned
just me just You
just me just my heart
just me just alone
You and me Lord
just You and me
i asked for Your power to be known
i prayed for Your mercy and grace
all along i just needed to believe
You are already there
You are already providing
You are already present
in my life
just me just You
just me dwelling in Your word
just me being still
just me knowing You are God
just You just me Lord
just me just my heart

Angel Barreto

SAVE ME SOMEHOW

i woke up to the sound of crying
with no one here in this house
but me
i turned over in the tears
wanting to cry out
grieving in my grieving You Lord
living in my working this salvation out
i walked into the goodbyes
not intending to really go
with no intention of leaving
i turned away from You
i said i confessed
wanting to be cleansed
from this static of sin
this habit of comforting myself
my way again
in my way again
i can't and i don't
i try and i fail
i want and i desire
the flesh and the Spirit
these hands betray me
these eyes hurt from running
these tears burn from falling
into the pillow of my sleep
i woke to the sound of mourning
with no solution to be dreamt
but i know today will be different  somehow
if i would let You save me somehow
if i could trust You somehow
You will save me somehow

Angel Barreto

HOME AGAIN

here within these walls
i walk and i sleep
here in the midst of your memories
i live and i breath
in the home my mother raised me
in the place i yearned to be free from
how i wanted to run from
i find myself living
i find myself praying
for understanding
for Your peace Lord
for Your comfort
in my grief
in my soul
in my living
day to night to day again
this getting used to this world without you
here within this yard
i water and i prune
here in the midst of beauty
i ponder the loneliness and presence of you of me
in the house of my mother
a child has come home to grieve
here within the heartache
i know you are in His glory
as i am home again
as i learn to live again
here with these walls
here within His peace

Angel Barreto

I AM

because You have loved me
i am beautiful
i am beloved
i am who I am
i am Yours
by Your love
by Your grace
by Your blood
i am redeemed
i am reconciled
i am Your bride
no spot
no blemish
no wrinkle
no blame
in You
by You
for You
i am beautiful in You
i am beautiful in You
i am so much more of who I am
in You
i am what You created me to be
for You
by You
in You
i am yes I am beautiful
i am a man
i am a woman
i am a child
i am yes I am
You are the I AM
You are the Almighty God
You are Savior and the Lamb
and I am Yours 

Angel Barreto

SOMETIMES

Sometimes
I can’t see myself as you do Lord
Sometimes
I can’t believe that you could love me
Sometimes
I just want to believe
How I want to believe
I watch the things I do unfold
As if someone else somewhere else is doing them
And I get so disappointed at the person
To realize that it is me
That it is all me
I try to live the straight and narrow
But these memories keep haunting
The places I want to be free from
When will I be released
From this sin and doubt
When will I be free
To live as the child of God I have become
That I have become
Sometimes
I lose sight of the truth you have given us
Sometimes
I get lost in the darkness of this world
Sometimes
I just need to hold on tighter
To the very rock that is my foundation
To the very words of life you have given us
Sometimes
I just need to submit to you
Sometimes
Lord I just need to draw closer
Sometimes
I just need to trust you Lord
Sometimes all the time

Angel Barreto