Blessed to be Broken

I wrote the words below as a Facebook post in May of 2020, after a memory of my son popped up. He was a security guard on the Air National Guard base where I worked. For some odd reason, I had the post in my email and when I searched for something, this came up. Title and all. Which was weird because none of the words I searched matched this email. So, since I don’t believe in coincidences, I thought I’d share here. I’m hoping it encourages you.

Hard to believe this was 10 years ago. So much has changed. He said this was his favorite job. The base closed shop and moved across town to JBER. My Chief position got eliminated and retirement was on the horizon. I had no clue what I was going to do when I retired. People asked, “what’s next?” I’d answer, no clue, but God has a plan. Y’all, I didn’t even have a real relationship with Christ then.

The thing that came next was a move back to NY. An amazing bed and breakfast owner named Cheryl Barber said I could come work for her at 10 Fitch Bed and Breakfast, so off to Auburn we went.

Through a turn of unfortunate events and my bad decisions, I eventually, wound up back in the city I said I’d never live again. Bloom where you’re planted has been a theme for me as I struggle in my heart to be in the town I grew up in, and couldn’t wait to escape. My mom said, my “roots” dangle. Makes me think of sitting on a dock with my feet kicking at the surface of the water. My tootsies test the water but I don’t fully jump in. Ya know what? Sometimes dangling is enough. 

Dangling doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In fact, sometimes jumping all in too soon can have dire consequences. The world is made up of all kinds of folks. If I dangle in this season, it’s ok. God can use the danglers and He can use the all-in folks, and all the others in between. He’s not limited to who or what He can use. God has absolutely everything at His disposal. 

My point is no matter where you are in life, God’s got you. What someone else perceives about your life is a snippet shot of the sum of you. God sees it all. He’s the only one who knows your whole story. He’s not looking at where you live, He’s looking at how you live. My roots don’t have to be planted where I live to bloom, they need to be planted in Him to bloom. Let’s read Matthew 13:1-8 (ESV)

The Parable of the Sower

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

What does that mean? Let’s read Matthew 13:18-23 (ESV)

The Parable of the Sower Explained

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

And finally, let’s read John 15:4-6 (NLT)

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

So, dangle or jump all in! Just make sure you do it all with Jesus, where ever you’re at! Have a great day my friends! Jesus loves you