TO: THREE LITTLE GIRLS 

 

BACK TO POEM LIST 

WHILE IN COLLEGE AND WORKING A SUMMER JOB IN A CHURCH IN OHIO, I BEFRIENDED MY BOSS'S THREE LITTLE GIRLS. SUNDAY AFTERNOONS I WAS INVITED TO THEIR HOME FOR NOON MEAL.  AS THE MOTHER CLEANED THE KITCHEN, AND THE FATHER WATCHED SPORTS, I PLAYED SOME BOARD GAMES WITH THE LITTLE GIRLS (THE OLDEST WAS AROUND TEN).  THEY WERE SWEET AND INNOCENT IN THEIR CHILDHOOD, BUT I COULD ALSO SEE THE OLDER MORE REBELLIOUS GIRLS IN THE CHURCH THAT THEY LOOKED UP TO.  THIS REALITY THAT THEY WOULD SOMEDAY BE LIKE THE OLDER GIRLS IN THAT CHURCH PROVOKED ME TO PRAY FOR THEM -- GOD GAVE ME THIS POEM WHICH I HAD ONE OF THE CHURCH SECRETARIES TYPE.  I GAVE THE GIRLS A COPY BEFORE I LEFT. 

 

AFTER CHURCH ON THURSDAY NIGHT 

WHEN ALL THE NOISE ABATED, 

MY HEART WAS BROKEN BY SOME TRUTHS 

THE HOLY GHOST RELATED. 

 

I TRIED TO READ MY BIBLE, YET 

GOD'S SPIRIT TOOK MY THOUGHTS; 

HE SHOWED ME SOME REALITIES 

THAT TIED MY HEART IN KNOTS. 

 

I LEFT THE ROOM AND GOT ALONE 

TO WEEP AND PRAY TO GOD, 

TO KEEP YOU OUT OF SATAN'S SNARE 

AS ON THROUGH LIFE YOU TROD. 

 

I WISH THERE WERE NO DEVIL 

TO LURE YOU BY HIS CHARM 

TO GIVE YOU THAT REBELLIOUS HEART 

AND CAUSE YOU SO MUCH HARM. 

 

SO SWEET AND PURE YOU ARE TODAY 

I HOPE YOU'LL BE TOMORROW, 

LEST YOU FALL FOR SATAN'S LIE 

AND FILL YOUR LIFE WITH SORROW. 

 

I'VE SEEN HOW SIN CAN WRECK A LIFE 

"REGRETS" ARE CRUEL AT BEST. 

OH, WHY NOT FOLLOW GOD INSTEAD, 

AND LIVE IN HIS SWEET REST. 

 

IF YOU'LL LISTEN TO MOM AND DAD 

AND DO WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES; 

ASK GOD'S SPIRIT TO HELP  YOU THROUGH 

AND HEAR WHAT THE PREACHER PREACHES; 

 

YOU'LL SAVE YOURSELF FROM SO MUCH GRIEF. 

YOU'LL FIND TRUE HAPPINESS THERE. 

GOD WILL ALWAYS TREAT YOU RIGHT; 

BUT THE DEVIL'S NEVER FAIR. 

 

LEARN TO STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT 

NOT FOR WHAT'S IN STYLE. 

SOMETIMES YOU'LL HAVE TO STAND ALONE, 

AND CRY INSTEAD OF SMILE. 

 

YOUR STAND WILL HELP ANOTHER LIFE 

WHOM SATAN WOULD DEVOUR; 

AND BY YOUR STRENGTH HE'LL SURVIVE 

TEMPTATIONS DEADLY POWER. 

 

THERE'S SUCH REWARDS IN LIVING 

THE WAY GOD SAYS IS RIGHT, 

BUT, THOUGH HE'S ALWAYS AT YOUR SIDE, 

IT STILL REQUIRES A FIGHT 

 

YET, ON IN LIFE YOU'LL REJOICE 

AND SHED FORTH TEARS OF JOY, 

AND THANK GOD FOR A HOLY LIFE 

THE DEVIL COULDN'T DESTROY. 

 

I HOPE I'LL SEE IN TWENTY YEARS 

YOUR LIVES STILL CLEAN AND PURE, 

AND PRAY THROUGH THIS ENCOURAGEMENT 

I'LL HELP YOU TO ENDURE. 

 

MARK BULLEN