Masterpiece Man

Sent to me by this 'brother' and drawn by one of his students

It was just a year and a bit after I had moved across the country.  It was a warm sunny Sunday morning in August and I had hopped on my scooter and gone to church.  From the outside no one could tell that morning I had been in a deep pit of wanting to give up.  I wanted to pack up my little apartment and move back East.  I was tired of ministry, tired in my body and tired of being alone.  I went through the motions of church that morning.  No one really stopped me to reach out, but neither did I reach out and ask for a listening ear, prayer or encouragement.
In my scooter wheel chair I scootered out the church door when it was over and was on my way home. I got to the side of the parking lot that allows me to cross the street and there was a man I had never seen before enjoying the day.  He was a stranger on that day, but years later has become one of my most precious "big brothers" and cheerleaders in my life.

On that day he said Hello and I stopped and chatted with him.  He had been visiting my church that day and had some good friends who were still inside.  I don't remember his exact words, but I'm sure there was something said like, "What's the story of your (mobility scooter) chair?"  I began sharing a bit.  He too, then shared a story of pain and brokenness of the most precious people in his life and by then on the edge of the church parking lot we were both in tears. He then started speaking to me words of hope and encouragement and to remember "I am a  beautiful masterpiece!"  and to  "Never give up!"  It was like God had him there to speak right into my soul the things I had been battling with.  He asked me for a pen, gave me a gift to bless me personally and missionally and we exchanged emails.  Thus began a prayer & encouragement conversation that has been so important to me. It has made me wonder about being available in my life's moments to be a "divine interruption"" to someone.  It has strengthened my belief that we don't have to always be all fixed up in order to partner with God in blessing others ANNND it has made my "sister heart" appreciate the brothers around me in allowing them to care and pray for me as I care and pray for them.  I will never be the same because of that sunshiny Sunday morning and I am marked and understand God's glory through His people in a real way...and we weren't even INSIDE the church building! 😁

When I think about this day there are a few questions that come to my heart for us:

• Are we open to these 'divine interruptions' in order to reach out?
• Does our pain and suffering in life hinder or help us show compassion/understanding?
• Can we believe that the (W) words we speak, pray and sing over each other shift the condition of our souls and lift up?