Exchanging the broken pieces of life

Exchanging the Broken Pieces of Life -Restoration

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

June 2018

Copyright

     One of the things I have discovered that God loves to do, is restore or redeem things in our lives. No matter what mess you have made, how bad things look, or how much you have lost, God is standing right beside you orchestrating redemption just for you.

     What is redemption or what does it mean to redeem something? The dictionary definition states, “to compensate for the faults or bad aspects of something, to save from evil or error, to gain or regain possession of something, to exchange something.” Our society does not use the word redeem much unless we are talking about coupons, but uses exchange or restore instead. 

     What is it that you need for God to exchange for you? Think about it for a moment. What matters to you, matters to God. We live in a fallen world where life interrupts; sometimes suddenly, occasionally tragically, often times unexpectedly. I think that is why God is in the business of redeeming things, just for us. Redemption is what he specializes in.

The deck

      What do we do when our plans and dreams are interrupted? I have found by experience that we simply hang on to God to take the next step. We wait for Him to work in our lives to redeem the situation. This often times rubs the impatient the wrong way. As Americans, we are not good at waiting in the line at the grocery store. But in those times of waiting, we get to experience the joy of holding His hand. 

Isaiah 41:13 states, “For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear, I will help you.” (NIV)

     One of my personal stories of redemption began nine years ago. I sat on our beautiful  deck with my late husband, The conversation began with, “Kathleen, sit down, we need to talk.” 

I knew we needed to discuss some things neither one of us wanted to talk about but we had to. I sat at the end of the table and took a deep breath.  Even in his physical weakness, due to a rare cancer, Joe was leading his family. 

“Things are not going the way we want them to. My life insurance policy is in the front desk in the file. When I am gone, call USAA and they will walk you through the whole process,” he said. “They will help you,” he continued.

 My mind and body exhausted from caregiving and fighting for his life, was swimming with questions. I suddenly felt like I was in very deep water and the waves were way over my head. I found it hard to even breathe as my eyes filled with tears.

  Then he continued, “You are not made to live alone.” His eyes filled with tears and his voice began to crack. “I love you and I know you better than anyone on earth. You are not made to live alone.” 

“I want you to know, you have my permission to go on with your life and find someone else,” he struggled to say. I had to turn my face away. I did not want to hear those words anymore than he wanted to say them. 

We had  been friends, lovers, parents, and partners for 30 years. I could not imagine life with out him. I knew out of his great love for me, he was saying the words he never thought he would have to say but he wanted what was best for me. Joe took his last breath a few days later.

     Three very long and lonely years rolled by as I struggled to discover life without him. “How do you live when half of you is gone and your heart is broken,” I often thought. I have discovered, you live one day at a time holding God’s hand in the journey. Sometimes holding his hand for comfort, other times when fear knocks on the door and many times holding tight trying to find the joy in living again.

     So what does this have to do with redemption? Several years later, I sat on the very same deck again, except with another man, Stephen. We were laughing and enjoying the beautiful weather and working on our wedding vows. As we finished writing, we shared with each other the promises we were going to make at our wedding. 

My lemon tree on the deck

All of a sudden, I remembered the day years ago I sat in the very same spot in tears feeling like my life was over. The very place that had been so painful, was now a place of restoration. I thought how kind God was to redeem the place that had been so painful was now my place of new beginnings. 

     The journey has been a long and difficult one but my heart has expanded, gotten stronger and actually thrived, holding God’s hand. God gave me a chance to experience His redemption. He has exchanged the thing I feared most, losing my husband, for something new, good and full of fun and adventure.

Stephen and me with our tow grandkids several years after we married

      Psalms 107:1 states, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” Psalms 107:6-8 says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.”  (NIV) I am not quoting this scripture. I have lived and experienced it and the experience has made me rich.

     Where are you right now in your life? Are you hanging on by a thread? Are you mad at God because of where this world has tossed you and you are blaming Him? Perhaps you just need your knees strengthened to stand and wait for Him to redeem. He will. He is faithful and good. 

Psalms 130 tells us to wait for him to exchange things for us and verse 7 states, “hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is FULL redemption.” (NIV)

     

      What do you need to ask God to redeem in your life? Ask Him now. Who do you need to encourage that God will redeem their tragedy? Ask God today. He is ready and waiting for you to take his hand, and let him walk you to your restoration.

     

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com 

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