Beauty from Scraps

Sometimes, it seems that things just aren't working out the way we want, or that maybe, our prayers are being ignored. But we don't always know what is going to happen, and sometimes our prayers are answered in ways we'd never imagine.  God can take the bad and sad moments of our lives, our scraps of failures, and turn them into something remarkable. This selection is from my advent book, A Candle is Burning.

Beauty from Scraps

 Quilts are wonderful. You can use them to sit on for a picnic on a warm summer day or take them to football games to ward off the chill. Snuggling under a warm quilt on a cold, stormy night brings peace as you are warm and safe under it.

Now, we often make quilts using brand new fabrics chosen just for that quilt. But back in pioneer days, quilts were made of scraps of fabric salvaged from worn out clothing. Women sometimes made them using interesting patterns, creating a beautiful new blanket from the old fabrics.

God takes our broken moments, our failures and shortcomings, and makes them into beautiful moments of joy. Our scraps become masterpieces with His touch. He took the barren couple, Elizabeth and Zacharias, and in them, created John, who would bring others to the glory of God.

  

Luke 1:14-16

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.”

Remember today, to take heart, that even as you struggle, God is using your problems in ways you may not even notice to create goodness. Praise Him and look for the glory in all things.

from the book,

A Candle is Burning, 

an Advent book

for the whole family

that uses the Nativity story

to share the themes of Advent.