Clean up

The ice storm of 2014 is officially over and I'm so glad. Sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's, no wait, the 70's??? are here for a bit. I'm thankful that we were spared much of the damage, but there have been so many to have lost property to damage from the ice. Many are still without power and it's amazing how dependent we are on power.
Yesterday while I was out driving around, I was struck by all the brokenness I saw everywhere. Trees were laying in the road, power lines were down, branches were broken off, etc. It reminded me of what our brokenness must look like to God. We have all struggled with things in our lives that have left us broken. I know that I have. There was a time in my life several years ago where I felt like my life was spiraling out of control. I had lost my job and we were in deep debt. Our marriage was struggling due to the lack of time spent together. I was struggling with infertility. I felt extremely broken. My life looked like a mess (even if it didn't on the outside). But there is something special about brokenness. It puts you in a place to start over and I love starting over. Nothing feels better than a fresh start. As, I was out driving around in the mess, I saw so many people out cleaning up the mess in their yards. There were neighbors and families working together. It was taking hard work, but the end result would be something new. That's what happened in my life. When I reached that point of brokenness, I cried out to God for a fresh start. I was ready for a change. I knew it would take hard work. Hard work to get out of our debt. Hard work to put in the time to develop a stronger marriage. Hard work to depend on God to either help us get pregnant or give me peace if that was not His will. And God was FAITHFUL. He gave me strength to put in that hard work. He gave me neighbors and family, a community, that I could depend on for prayers and support. And God rebuilt my life.... because that's what God does. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). And He gives us a crown of beauty instead of ashes (Isaiah 61:1-3)
So, while you may still be without power, or cleaning up the huge mess in your yard, or without cable (like me), take this time to reflect on what God can do with the brokenness in your life. Allow Him to work in your life. There can be something beautiful that comes out of that brokenness.