Blessing What Has Felt Disgraced

Today, I place upon the altar,
my heart, my past, my mind.
I place on the altar
all the parts of me
that I feel need God's Blessing,
all the places within me
that have felt disgraced.

My heart because it had
felt as though it should
want nothing from the world,
that it was not allowed to hold
wishes, dreams, or desires.
My heart because it had
been warned against the
audacity of hope and fairness.

My past because it had
given me the burdens of shame,
of guilt, and of constant anxiety.
My past because it had
caused me to believe
that I deserved nothing,
that everything good
came with a price.

My mind because it has
been a dark and winding labyrinth;
easy to get lost within its imposing walls.
My mind because it has
carried countless believable lies
about who I am.

I allow God to Bless that
which I've placed upon the altar,
and as his Divine Blessings
wash over my heart, my past, my mind,
may they each be freed from
the lies and falsehoods
they have carried.

And from this moment forward,
I shall internally declare
that I belong here.
When applying for a job,
or applying to a school,
I shall remind myself,
I deserve to be here
because I belong here.