THE MENDER OF BROKEN HEARTS

Our God is a master designer... with a limitless imagination and infinite means. He made each and every one of His children by His unique design.

God uses His children in different ways to accomplish His will on the earth. Each of us have been given diverse personalities and varied skills... each according to God's plan for that life.

All Believers are called to be witnesses for the Lord... "ministers of His grace"... to tell others about the changes in our lives since we received Jesus as our Savior. Because we are all special in our own way, we witness in different ways as well.

Some of us may be talented preachers or teachers of God's Word. Others may be called to drive an ill person to a doctor’s appointment or to the grocery store. Some may minister by cooking a meal or offering to wash a load of clothes for someone who can’t manage it on their own. Some are called to be prayer warriors in intercession or, like my friend, to win countless souls to Jesus, face to face. Others might be encouragers... or be used musically in worship. Each of us are ministers for the Lord to others… in our own divinely appointed way.

I have a dear friend who is an amazing soul winner. He is a zealous Believer who uses his daily activities as opportunities to discover the "soul condition" of those with whom he comes in contact.

My friend went to visit someone in a jail. While he was waiting to be taken back to visitation, he sat down by a little girl in the lobby. Before he was called back to see the prisoner, he led this young lady to the Lord. I greatly admire his boldness... but not all of us are "wired" to minister in the same way.

The Lord has allowed me to witness for Him and to minister His grace to others by being an encourager... and by sharing my life experiences.

When I meet someone who is hurting, I try to find something in my life that has similarities to the problem they are facing. I try to be "open" about how the Lord has worked in my life. I share with them how God has blessed me and answered my prayers... how the Lord has proven Himself faithful... time and aagain... the manner in which the Lord used the situation to teach me something... and to draw me closer to Himself.

I am not a gifted speaker. I failed most oral book reports in high school because I could not stand before a classroom of my peers and speak. Only a handful of times in my 53 years have I spoken in front of a group... and then my voice shook and my knees knocked.

For many years, a group of ladies in my church who had a desire for deeper study about God and His Word would select a Bible study that was deisgned to last for 10-13 weeks. We met one night weekly to view the video, review the written lessons, and share what we had "gleaned" from our daily study.

It is in this small group setting... or "one on one" that I am most comfortable... and the most vocal about the tests and trials of being a Believer. During these studies, I have been able to share my personal life experiences, illustrating the way God used them to show me where I was lacking, to encourage, correct and strengthen me, and to bring me closer to Him.

Several times over the last 33+ years, my husband and I have grown a bit "distant". Because I have never considered divorce an option available to me, I sought the Lord, asking Him for restoration for our marriage. God did indeed bring back into focus the commitments we had made to each other... and to God so long ago. Today I can share with other ladies that there is hope for every wounded, struggling couple when they turn to Him for help.

I can empathize with a child who has lost their parent. My Momma has been gone for five years now. Losing her was a life altering experience for which I was not prepared. Having grown up as an only child in a single parent environment my entire life, we were very close. I guess I thought she would live forever... but once again, the Lord has faithful to give me strength, and bring me through the pain, the loss, and the overwhelming grief. He has proven that "He is enough".

In April 2006, after many years of searching, the Lord reconnected me with the daughter I gave up for adoption when I was 17. The course of events that brought us together was nothing short of miraculous, confirming to me once again that God has a plan for my life and that all things come together in His timing. The Lord knew when it was "the appointed time" to let us find each other, meeting after 35 years apart.

I understand the feelings of the young girl who finds herself pregnant, is perhaps an outcast in her own family or circle of friends, and has to make serious decisions about her life and the life of her unborn child. I have been there... and I can assure you... without a doubt... that God "works all things together for good..." according to His will.

I can comprehend the feelings of someone who is facing serious health issues. God healed my heart of multiple blockages that were diagnosed by two separate nuclear scans, each test being done with a different isotope.

After completing my heart cath., the cardiologist said that he had no explanation for the results. He stated that in the twenty-five years of his practice, he had never seen someone with so many blockages on a nuclear scan be found with NO blockages when he did their heart catheterization. The Lord has shown Himself to be my Healer... and He will heal others as well.

Sharing my life with others... being "transparent" about the times I have "missed the mark" and failed... and sharing how God "redeemed" each of those situations... bringing something good from each one... are some of the ways I witness for the Lord.

Because I know that all my sins are forgiven... past, present, and future... I feel free to share my mistakes with others... as the Lord leads me. I am willing to be open about my own "frailties and foibles "... so that the name of Jesus is lifted up as the Answer to all of life's problems.

No matter what situation we are facing today, God can and will make a way. He is our Redeemer... our Comforter... our Healer... our Supplier.... and so much more. He will be everything to us that we will allow Him to be.

The Lord takes the "broken pieces" of a life... and restores it to wholeness. There is nothing that He can't and won't overcome when we are willing to submit ourselves to Him, and seek His counsel for direction. It is when we take the "I'd rather do it myself" attitude that we cause problems to drag out and take that much longer to be resolved. The sooner we turn to Jesus for answers, the sooner the solutions will come... albeit in His time.

Give it all to Jesus. Wounded hearts, shattered dreams, and impossible situations are His specialty! The Lord can take the mistakes we make... and use them to instruct us in living this life in His perfect will. We only have to be willing to "leave the 'driving' to Him"!

In my life, God has proved Himself to be the "Mender of Broken Hearts"... both figuratively and physically! He healed my "broken" (clogged) heart... and he has healed my wounded emotions and damaged spirit.

Give Him all the pieces of your life, and stand back in awe as He "fashions it" into something new and beautiful.

Nothing is impossible with God.