Grace Sufficient

Thick darkness creeps in
While the night rests still
Slinks up the stairs
Around the corner to her bedroom

It reaches up while she sleeps
And with cold fingers
It finds its place deep in her brain
And closes its grasp

Confusion falls like a cloud
Feeling fades away
Until limbs lie numb and useless
She cries out for help

Husband holds her close
Tries to understand
But words won't form
The darkness has claimed her prisoner

With heart pounding
He carries his bride
Out into the heavy night
And races toward answers

Doctors and machines
Spin in a blur around her
And they name the darkness:
“Stroke”

Deep in its prison
She remains captive
Mind and body held
By heavy chains

She knows enough to know
That she is prisoner
And fear comes to join her in her cell
An unwelcome guest

Daughter comes in the morning
Searches through the bars and chains
Looking for the mother she loves
But cannot find her

Grief binds itself to the Daughter
Settles into the vacant spot
Left by what is lost
And begins to sing its dirge

It visits the Husband also
Sings him its dissonant song
Breaking his heart
And crumbling his strength

In the unknown fog
It binds them together
Father and Daughter
Wrapped in strange chords

They reach together
For Grace Sufficient
And He comes to them
As He always does

And through the gray tones
Sung by grief
He sings a new song
A melody of joy

Each day brings new hope with it
The prisoner breaking free
Little by little
Chain by heavy chain

Her mind is freed first
Husband and Daughter rejoice
They have found
The woman they love

Her body comes slowly
The chains pull so heavy
She works with courage
Against each gripping link

And while Grace Sufficient
Holds her in His arms
She claims victory
One slow day at a time