Tender green softens the garden’s winter hardened terrain. Slender shoots stretch toward the lofty warmth, and summon liquid encouragement from heaven.
Spring – a solace for surviving the axial tilt.
Life will tilt. The axis that we lean on for stability will just lean back and lay us flat. And a wound, we thought was bandaged well, begins to ooze.
When the stain of the wound shows, many see it as an embarrassment. We want to hide the imperfection. To us it is a stain of failure, but, it is really the ink of a love letter seeping through.
Your wound is your story, your testimony, your love letter from Christ to the world. The telling of your story writes His love on the hearts of those who hear.
Your wound, your imperfect broken story is the ink that tells others the story of how much Christ loves, and how He heals.
Your story is a road map for those not as far along as you are.
Your story can be a healing salve to an open wound of another.
Your story lets others know they are not the only one and they are not alone.
This weekend, as new green shoots rose out of hard soil, tender stories came from hard times as we watched and listened to stories from the (in)RL, (in Real Life) Conference. From the comfort of our homes, in the gathering of friends, old and new, we listened as salve flowed not only from the screen, but also from the women sitting next to us.
Our stories are unique. You are the only one who has your story, with all the details of place, time, and people. Your story is growing, like tender green stems finding its way through the hard places, through the winter of paralyzing pain, freezing you in place, until the snow turns into rain, and the sun’s warmth draws you out of hiding.
Your story can be the story that calls to those deep in hiding, to come out, and live.
This very morning, I was texting a friend and felt like I had shared more than I should have shared. When our conversation ended, I went to Facebook (knowing my friend was still online and I wanted her to see the message and not feel the need to respond as she might with a text) and typed, “Sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut!”
But, the auto-correct in my computer decided to help me. When I typed “shut,” “auto-correct” thought I should have an “i” instead of a “u.” When I found the mistake just minutes later, there were already many comments and private messages and Voxer messages coming my way.
Can I tell you? I almost threw-up! My whole body broke out in a cold sweat as trembling fingers tried to delete the post. In an effort to apologize to anyone reading my post, I simply reposted, “OH MY LANTA, WORST TYPO EVER!!!”
For the next two hours, friends consoled me with their own horror stories of typos, words said aloud by mistake, crazy text messages sent to the wrong person and comments that were not meant the way they were written.
Their stories of things gone terribly wrong were a salve to my embarrassed soul! I no long felt shame that I don’t check what I write well – or, obviously at all, sometimes. We all laughed to the point of tears over all of the stories coming through the feed.
Not all stories are funny, not all stories are big. Sometimes it is within the small we find the big – in the tender green shoot coming from the hardened soil that we find our big blessings.
Tell you stories and become a salve to others.
Hang in there Sisters!
Okay, it’s your turn. Tell your story, not the big one, just a little. Because it is in the little we find the big!
Latest posts by Diane W. Bailey (see all)
- What God Can Do with A Shattered Heart - September 5, 2022
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I don’t remember what it was I said exactly, but I once told Kaitlyn that I loved ALL THE THONGS on Insta.
We’ve all been there!
I’ll bet that was funny, NJ!
She meant all the things but I got a real good chuckle out of it. 🙂 🙂
HaHa! I’m laughing all over again. xoxo
Sandra, I told Doc about the different stories and we were laughing as we went to sleep! You girls are the best! xoxo
🙂
I usually have my BH check my blog before I hit send, but one particular post, for my Christmas series, he went to bed early so I published without his “once over”. In the morning I reread it and I had typed, “The moment Mary laid on Jesus…” instead of “laid eyes on Jesus”. I.was.mortified!!!!!! Talk about OH MYLANTA!!
Caryn, I love these stories! And I love how one mess up has created a place for so many women to have a conversation! Mary laid on Jesus – Too funny!
And I love how we can laugh NOW, even though at the time our mistakes seem devastating 😉
TRUTH!
So glad I didn’t miss that yesterday. It was wonderful! You know what else? I am so thankful that your conscience is so beautifully tender. That in itself brings God such glory! Love you!
Wasn’t that hilarious yesterday, Kathy? I love how God puts people together, even when it begins with a horrible typo!
Yes friend!! BLUNDERS TO BLESSINGS!!! XOXO
Blunders and Blessings! Amen, Kathy!
I can only imagine the horrible typos I must have out there because I’m really bad at taking a moment to re-read what I wrote. Love your heart, friend. And I loved the opportunity to hear part of your story on Saturday at the inRL meet-up I attended, which I’m SO glad I went to. Blessings. xoxoxo
Beth, I get so wrapped up in the thing I’m trying to say and spelling goes out the window. But wearing my glasses would have helped this one!
I live, live, live this! Or that’s normally how my phone would put “love” since I’m apparently incapable of hitting the right 2 square pixels on my screen. So actually, I guess I do “live” this. 🙂 Live you! 😉
I live you too, Amy!
I think this is my favorite post of yours! Loved it, friend. Good words and even better reminders. And I love your transparency because you make it easier for us to do the same. 🙂
Thank you, Tammy!
Hey Di- glad to read this post to understand your post about My LANTA 🙂
Trust our God to bring good from it- He is SO good like that, isn’t He?
SOOO glad we have Him for our Dad,
Love to you.
Mary
xx
Yes, Mary, He is a wonderful Father. Love you too, and I miss our talks!
What a GREAT post my friend!!! You know there are parts of my story that I just cannot share…or at least I think I can’t. But you, YOU, encourage me to share. I love you so.
And the typo…love it. It has happened to all of us at one time or another.
Love you Mary! You have an amazing story and I want to hear more!
I read that thread a couple of hours afterward and laughed all the way through! I’m still laughing, Diane, imagining your trembling hands skittering over the keyboard! YES, I’ve scrambled to collect more words that I care to admit! Love you bunches 🙂
Susan I love laugh with you! Can you imagine the cold sweat too! Oh, MY Lanta! Love you, Friend!
Oh, Diane! How often have I been there!! Yep! I’ve learned just the proper cooking instructions to make shoe leather palatable. 😉
This line, right here: “it is really the ink of a love letter seeping through.” That healed something in me today, sweet friend. Thank you.
Heart Hugs, Shelly <3
Love letters always make it better, Shelly. I think that is why we all love God’s word so much, it is a love letter.