A Blemished Rose

In my debut novel, Only a Glimpse, roses play a significant part in Blake Conner’s life. Roses are dear to him because they were special to his wife who died a few years before my story takes place.

In an encounter between Keedryn Reynolds (my heroine) and Blake’s daughter, Allison, they discuss a painting in his office which was painted by his wife—a crystal vase filled with beautiful roses of various colors.

“The gifted artist captured intricate detail in each petal. The painting included one blemished rose. The rest were perfect.”

Keedryn asks Blake’s daughter about the painting, and Allison shares the story of the blemished rose and why her mom painted it that way.

“She’d say this rose represents us. Blemished. But God doesn’t notice. He’ll accept us as we are if we’ll come to Him. He’ll surround us with His beauty, goodness, and love and wash away our blemishes.”

Some may feel they need to clean up their lives before they can come to Christ. But if we believe and surrender our lives to Him, the Lord welcomes us to come just as we are. If we confess our sins and follow Him, He’ll wash away those sins, and embrace us with a new life—one of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we
receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:22 (NLT)

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9 (NLT)

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that
your sins may be wiped away.
Acts 3:19 (NLT)

Is there something in your life needing to be confessed? Do you feel you need to be perfect in order to live for Christ? Come to the Lord and allow Him to wash away your blemishes, and enter the beauty of His love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

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Photo by Jeremy Bishop - Unsplash

Beauty in Brokenness

“God takes . . . the broken or blemished and restores them to new life and beauty.”

This line is spoken by my main character, Keedryn Reynolds, in my novel, Let Him Go. She asks Blake Conner, her cranky boss, “Have you heard about the Japanese art using gold to repair broken pottery? They restore the broken pieces to an even more beautiful vessel than the original and bring it new life. God does that for us too.”

Keedryn described the Japanese art of Kintsugi which takes broken pieces of pottery and restores them with gold.

God, too, finds beauty in the broken. He turns our flaws and imperfections into a work of art. Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Evidence of His love overflows as we go from brokenness to restoration. We can then pour into the lives of other broken people and comfort them. It’s not about us—it’s about Jesus and serving others. Doing the good things God planned for us long ago.

Near the end of my novel, Blake gives Keedryn a gift. A Kintsugi bowl. He holds it in his hands and says, “After all the pain and heartache, you’re more beautiful to me than before. Your Christ-like love, which I don’t deserve, makes you more valuable and precious than I ever imagined.”

That’s my desire. To become more valuable for God’s work through sharing Christ-like love. To show grace and mercy and to encourage hope.

We grow in faith and learn to trust God more through our brokenness as He heals, restores, and refines us. But He knows where I am going. And when He tests me, I will come out as pure as gold (Job 23:10).

I am becoming gold. Pure gold. I believe that He who began a good work within me will continue His work until it is finally finished (Philippians 1:6).

God's Creation Makes Me Smile

For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” 1 Corinthians 10:26. I’m in awe of God’s creation and all He has given us to enjoy.

There’s something about trees. I smile when I see twisted branches, varied colors and textures of bark, above-the-ground root systems, and leaves of many sizes and shapes. My favorites include palm, aspen, banyan, maple, and baobab (Africa).

My husband and I vacationed in Florida last week where I enjoyed both palm and banyan trees.

I smiled as sandhill cranes, fox squirrels, and various water birds gripped my attention at Moss Park in Orlando. A white ibis and alligators fascinated me at Trimble Park in Mount Dora.

We visited Skyway Fishing Pier State Park in St. Petersburg where pelicans entertained us. At Myakka River State Park, alligators, birds, and lizards wowed me.

Two stunning sunsets dazzled us on the Gulf Coast: Fort Myers Beach and Sarasota’s Lido Key Beach.

At Lido Key, hundreds of black skimmers, in their protected nesting grounds, barked their call. We watched in amazement as they swooped with opened bills, skimmed along the top of the water, and snatched their prey.

Bayfront Park in Sarasota offered a relaxed setting where we enjoyed the bay, squirrels, lizards, and banyans. 

I smile at the beauty of God’s creation. Which of God’s wonders makes you smile?