Must We Be Broken? by Linda D. Moore

Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (NIV)

 

Must we be broken, in order to sprout?

 

Isn’t that what happens to seeds, buried in darkness before they come out?

 

Could our trouble and turmoil and terror and trauma be called fertile soil?

 

Let’s not waste this whole time of roil.

 

Experience it yes, grow through it for sure, share it with others going through the same.

 

One thing important is not to spread blame.

 

It’s our little trial and maybe huge testings, but consider the time one of many blessings.

 

Stay close to the hurt, the grief and the sorrow . . . write your way out for future tomorrows.

 

You’ll pull strength from it later, maybe write songs or hymns or ballads, even poems

and the music that comes, goes out to heal others.

 

There is magic in writing, hope in waiting, promises through prayer, rewards for faith, and peace in the process.

 

It’s called the rhythms of life through which we dance and advance towards grace.

 

Being buried in darkness just may have its place . . .

 

A broken record…

 

When I was eight years old, my favorite song was the Ballad of Davy Crockett. For Christmas that year, all I wanted was the album. And when Santa delivered it, I carried it everywhere. It was my prize possession. We were at my grandmother’s house that Christmas. She had a record player in her bedroom. My little brother and I were standing by the record player and he must have done something to make me mad, because I hit him over the head with my Dave Crockett album.

 

It shattered.

 

Looking back, it seems as if “shattered” fit my life.

 

• My writing career was shattered back then, too, when my mom outright rejected my first poem.
• My dream of getting married and living happily ever after was shattered when I had no idea how to talk to boys.
• My family life was shattered, too, when Mom and Dad just couldn’t get along well.
• My college days were shattered when I left school with no ambition.
• My career dreams were shattered when I never knew how to set goals or achieve them, or even to have a goal!
• My first marriage was shattered after three years because I still didn’t know how to talk to boys.
• My second marriage was shattered after two years for the same reason.
• My personal life was shattered because I didn’t know how to talk to anyone.
• My hopes were shattered when my father died. I thought he would live forever.

 

I wish I would have journaled through these dark times to make sense of this broken and shattered mess. I’m sure there was learning there.

 

Maybe I would have kept writing.

 

Maybe I would have learned to communicate on paper and parlay that into conversation.

 

I wish I would have been a reader to learn more than I was taught at home or school.

 

So many wishes, but nothing seemed to matter enough to change anything.

 

I just went with the flow—the shattered flow.

 

Until…at 52, when I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior.

 

All of my “broken records” were about to turn into record-breaking learning.

 

• I learned my writing was still buried deep down inside me, and would one day be discovered to be my God-given purpose.
• My one daughter is my precious “happily ever after” gift from God and our home was a place of joy.
• My parents fell in love again after all us kids moved out.
• My life-long struggles earned me a degree in resilience.
• My banking career lasted over twenty-three years, driven by setting goals and achieving them.
• My first marriage produced our beautiful baby daughter, and now two beautiful grandchildren.
• My second marriage ended in fondness and everlasting love. Because you see, love never dies.
• My personal life has never been better. I learned how to speak. And to speak up! Even when I hold the dissenting viewpoint.
• My hopes and faith are solid as a rock. I learned how to love.

 

Thankfully, God took my broken record and my shattered life and created a beautiful kaleidoscope of redemption from all the pieces that seemed disjointed and haphazard.

 

As I recall it now, it almost seems like a Cinderella story, how God can weave it all for good.

 

In His gentle and merciful way, He taught me there is one thing that cannot be broken—His Word.

 

That He restores broken records, and the music that comes, goes out to heal others. Being buried in darkness may just have its place.

 

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for having a plan bigger than any of us can see or even imagine. You save and comfort each of us, rescue us from being buried in the darkness, and destroy the life-shattering plans of the enemy. We put our faith and trust in you alone as we learn to see the goodness through your life-saving, record-breaking miracles yesterday, today and tomorrow. We fall at your feet and marvel at what you can accomplish in and through us. It’s in the beautiful name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.”

 

Here’s a question for you: How have you seen God masterfully put the shattered pieces of your life back together?

 

My request for you today is to vote for this message and together we will take God’s love out to the world and make disciples of all nations.

 

I’m Linda Moore. And God has approved this message.

 

About the Author…

God’s message to Linda D Moore has never changed: “Speak up and write, be kind and gentle, and let Me handle everything”. Linda speaks and writes from her heart as she shares her journey towards complete healing through writing her story, at 72! In her newest book, “A Dirty Bar of Soap”, to be published in January 2023, Linda shares her redemption story of having had two abortions, the resultant 34 years of self-imprisonment, and finding acceptance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ at 52. Visit Linda’s website here. 

 

The Christian Authors Network Speak Up Competition

The Speak Up Competition, sponsored by the Christian Authors Network, is a powerful source of hope and light for people all over the world. This year’s theme, “Expect the Impossible,” is a reminder that no matter how dark our situations may look, we always have hope because we know that all things are possible with God! The inspirational messages featured in this series are from the round one finalists. Stay tuned for updates as the competition progresses, and please pray with us that God will use this competition to bless and encourage His people. We know that the speak up community has the power to make a difference in this world, and we can’t wait to see what God does through us!