What if you knew, then what would you do?

If Love were a road, and you knew that road was full of potholes and dark tunnels and steep cliffs; that it would take you into deep valley's and have you hiking up mountains - would you willingly journey that road? There's a road adjacent to Love and it's smooth and simple and lacks surprises. It's a terrain that remains on an even plain, seamlessly flowing from one day into the next. It's path can be seen clearly, there are no obstructions or obstacles. Does that entice you more? 

What if you knew you would never be alone on the adjacent road - but most often feel lonely amidst the crowds; what if you knew that you might sometimes feel alone on the road called Love - but you would never truly be alone and hope is there for the asking but only if you have faith that it's there. What if you knew that Love's road was an eternal journey but that there would be times you will just wish it would end, and the adjacent road would eventually and most certainly end whether you want it to or not. Then what entices you more?

I am not making this an easy question - because in this world we all live in it's not an easy answer. Love is not what we so often consider it. We put it into the category of "The simple things in life." There is nothing simple about it. "...Faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love." Something great is never easy. It takes courage, faith, hope and a willingness to stumble, look foolish, and spend time feeling you're on that road alone. But I don't know how to get a reward without taking a risk. Do you?


Love is a risk - but over a lifetime it is the one risk that will always bring the greatest of rewards. You will never look back at the end of this life and tell yourself you should have loved less. Never.




Ronda Rae Franklin

Photograph by R.R.Franklin

The Road Less Traveled 

Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico

The heart & soul's of life - we belong to each other

As you walk through this life don't just pick up wisdom, pick up people's spirit's as you pass through their lives. 

Just as when you leave a painful tear on another's heart - when you leave a smile on someone's soul it will never leave them. You're human, you'll leave both many times during your lifetime. Encourage yourself to leave more souls smiling than hearts crying.

-Ronda Rae Franklin

Leave fear behind

I don't think it matters how many roads you travel. You could travel one thousand roads in a year, but gain no wisdom because your eyes were closed. 

The real test of spirit comes from choosing to walk the roads placed before you with eyes wide open, head up, looking forward, and leaving fear behind. 

Real growth happens when you choose to walk forward into the unknown and ask wisdom to walk with you.

The Poem

A poem was written to me on September 30, 2009. I responded to that poem by adding two lines of poetry after every two lines he first wrote to me. When this was written we had never been close enough to even touch. I was in the midst of writing my book when this love was placed in my life - and this love became my everything. It became a breaking point that still remains. It became, before I realized it, Broken to Grace. This is that poem - with only his name changed to what it is in the book. I have been searching for this poem for over a year - as I needed it to be in the book. After many months of wondering how I could lose this, I found it just an hour ago in some old mail. I have never known a love like this, nor do I ever need to again. It will never leave me, because it is a gift from God

Frenetic energy vigorous debate

Calmed assurance soft and sedate

Passionate hearts bleed passionate talk

lead to reverent silence as with God we walk

Passionate discussions involved and drawn in

Fully connected without pretense or sin

Unencumbered, unveiled, and unleashed without fear

Sharing the depths of our souls as we draw ever more near

Indescribably filling my heart

With each phone call we start

My darling, I love you, there is so much to say

My Matthew, I need you in the most innate ways

You’re so beautiful so soft and so sensual

Strands of gold curves incomprehensible

Your hands, your lips, every muscle, your shining dark skin

I feel that I've felt you again and again

Voice, tones of sweetness, speak in my ear

Visions of love, laughter for years

Deep and tender words speak straight to my heart

My longing deepens nightly as we are apart

Where are we going what does this mean

What is the plan and when is it seen

What is this journey, neither of us know

Because God leads, it is there we will go

Don’t really know, now I believe

I cherish each moment I’m blessed to receive

Straight ahead without worry, courage in its place

I long to be engulfed by your strong, passionate embrace

I am breathless, my heart beats, muscles flex

Endorphins rush...

Love filled passion; passion filled with love

How ever did I not know you were coming, my gift from above.

Love you baby

and I love you

Matthew

Ronda

Whatever you do...

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Colossians 3:23-24

What you do, what you ignore, what you take, what you give, what you share, what you turn to, what you turn from, what you forgive, what you let go, what you harbor, what you labor for, what you smile at, what you drive towards, what you pull away from, what you return to, what you give time to, what you take time from - all lead to the answer to the only question that really matters - what you truly love. 

Do not plead ignorance. It is simple to know where ones heart is focused. Just pay attention. If you don't like your focus, change your direction. If you don't like the focus of another, again - change your direction. That's all you can do, and it is enough. -Ronda Rae Franklin 


Photograph by R.R. Franklin
Sunset at Sea, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Romans 15:13

 "I pray that God, the source of hope, 

will fill you completely with joy and peace 

because you trust in him. 

Then you will overflow with confident hope 

through the power of the Holy Spirit." 

Do not carry confidence 

in yourself. 

You will undeniably disappoint. 

Put all your confidence in God, place all of your trust in him, 

and you will 

carry nothing alone. 

-Ronda Rae Franklin








Photograph by R.R. Franklin
in San Sebastian, Jalisco, Mexico

Love is Impervious to Sin

Do not allow the fear of sorrow to replace love with a complacent heart. You must realize that the love itself does not hurt – it heals. We are all imperfect by design of human nature, but love is faultless by the divinity of its creator. Love is impervious to sin, while we are not. You have only to decide if you're willing to risk the certainty of heartache from an imperfect person in order to experience the perfection of love. Trying to outsmart sorrow only leads to a lifetime of sorrow at your own hand. © -Ronda Rae Franklin

Photograph by Rachel Whitney

Fall sunset on Fidalgo Island