the fabric ...

Yesterday I talked about the wondrous work that God does when you find yourself dangling from a strand at the end of your frayed rope. I wrote about how, 'The LORD God Almighty takes you in His hand, grabs hold of that thread and weaves you a beautiful new future'. However, as I went through my day yesterday, it occurred to me –

In weaving together a beautiful and promising future, the LORD will likely use fabrics that look less like luxurious bedding and more like a patchwork quilt.

I was reminded of the quilts that my grandmother use to make. They were heavy, sturdy coverings, made up of pieces of fabric that had a history. And, while the aim was to provide physical warmth, something about them also provided some comfort for the soul. You knew they were made with love, over time, and that each piece mattered. Swatches that might have worn out their usefulness in another garment were granted newness of life and purpose when combined with other displaced and intentionally selected fragments. They all came together to make something magnificent and useful.

Know that the fabric of my life is just like that – and yours too. God takes the beautiful and the ‘not so beautiful’ materials and He makes something glorious. It made me think about the multitude of situations and experiences which have become part of my life's tapestry as I tried to captured just a few of them in a 'word quilt' that I made this morning:

I am so thankful!

He is my Father, Friend, LORD and King, Creator & Craftsman

• The joys of motherhood and the challenges of single-parenting
• My lack of college education and His marvelous grace
• The seasons of abundant wealth and the bouts of poverty
• The poor choices and the Spirit-led decisions
• The painful betrayals and the encouraging 'helps'
• The influence of friends, family and adversaries
• The strengths and the weaknesses

He has taken it all and He has worked, and is working, all things together for the good just like His Word says in Romans 8:28. The bad stuff is not made good - but it becomes useful for good.

And I am assured, because of His faithfulness and Jeremiah 29:11,  that He has good plans to prosper me, not to harm me; to give me a hope and a future – to lead me toward the plans and purposes that He has prepared for me. I am convinced that He is doing the same for you!

The Fabric of My Life … Simply Beautiful!