Mosaics shine!

I recently went to a women's conference that moved me like no other conference I have ever been to.  The speaker, Jana Spicka said, "Intimacy with God is the greatest weapon against...____________."  She filled in the blank but I have left it empty because if we focus on being close to God we can put anything in that blank and it is covered.

She also shared a wonderful object lesson with us.  She had a pretty vase...very lovely to hold flowers or whatever.  She put the vase in a pillowcase and smashed it with a hammer.  That lovely vase was now in pieces... broken sharp pieces, like our life that looks so great from the outside but sometimes we are broken.  We have things that have happened in our lives that make us feel like we are not a whole thing worth anything.  Our broken pieces have sharp edges that hurt those around us and causes us even more pain. The Lord can collect those pieces and carefully put the pieces together even more beautiful than ever.  Jana then showed a mosaic vase...stunning.  But then she lit a candle inside of it and the glow through all of the pieces was just breath taking.  When we let God put all of those pieces together, polish the edges and let Him live inside...He shines so bright and beautifully. 

I had a dream several nights after the conference and it was about the candle.  The candle was inside that first vase but the only light seen was coming from the top of the vase because it was opaque.  As soon as the Lord was allowed to touch the broken pieces of the vase it became transparent.  The pieces were put together with a gentle hand...however sometimes it was hard because the pieces fit together so tightly.  His gentle hand continued until everything was in place and  the candle lit. The glow no longer just came from the top but every broken piece was magnificent and shone with His glory. 

Every pain, hurt, sin...whatever we want to call it can be given to His gentle hand and He will put it together in a way that we could have never imagined.  As I am typing this the song"We Are" by Kari Jobe just came on and she is singing "we are the light of the world...we gotta let the light shine!"  Wow, God I'll take that!!!!

We all have a story and by sharing for real with each other we share that light and His glory.  Don't be afraid of what was broken and what others may think, as my favorite verse reminds me..."He is before all things and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:17 (NIV) Every broken part is in Your hands Lord and you hold them together in a beautiful mosaic that shines with Your glory!

My love story with My Lord continues and I look forward to tomorrow!