Cross-Claimed

02/24/2026 • View profile

I am not who I was
before mercy found me.

I carried guilt like inheritance,
mistakes like chains I deserved.
I thought forgiveness
was for other people—
the ones who failed less loudly.

But because of Jesus Christ,
my past is not my master.

Because of the cross,
shame does not get the final word.
Because He rose,
fear does not own tomorrow.

I am not flawless.
I am redeemed.

Not because I earned it,
not because I improved enough,
but because He stepped into what I could not fix
and called it finished.

Now I walk differently—
not taller with pride,
but steadier with grace.

When doubt tries to rewrite my name,
I remember who signed it first.

Because of Jesus,
I am forgiven.
I am free.
I am no longer defined by what tried to destroy me.

And that changes everything.

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About the Author

Annie Pieadadi D'Costa

website

A poet, author, and faith writer who believes words can heal what silence hides. My poetry collections — Inked Emotions, Scattered Feelings Stitched in Ink, and Love Beyond Loss — were born out of seasons of grief, solitude, and deep reflection.

Here on Catholic365, I’ve been humbled to share reflections that have reached hundreds of readers. I write not from a place of perfection, but from a longing to make sense of love, loss, and the quiet ways God speaks into our lives.

Whether it’s a poem, a story, or a small reflection, my hope is that you feel seen, encouraged, and gently reminded that faith isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s found in the waiting, the falling, the starting again.

You can find more of my work at https://about.me/anniedcosta

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