One of A Kind
God showed up. He did. And He answered prayer for breakthroughs. His Spirit was at work in the hearts of the women from Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles. It was beautiful to observe their hearts respond to the messages of surrender, forgiveness, vulnerability, and the character of God. The core leadership team worked tirelessly to create an environment of safety and space for women to connect, be challenged and be refreshed. It was an honor to be with them and hear some of the stories of how God worked.
During the free time on Saturday afternoon an optional craft time was set up to make tile crosses. I am not very skilled in the craft department and not into precision and details. My stick figure drawings of people and animals hasn’t changed since grade school. I went into the time feeling a little reluctant. But the option was either staying in my room by myself and writing about cancer, or being in a room of amazing women and making a keepsake I could have to remember the weekend.
Wonderful Phoebe gave simple step by step directions which, to my relief, made the craft sound actually doable. She pointed out an example of the finished product, handed me a wooden cross, then directed me to bowls and boxes of various tiles in assorted colors. Different tables were set up for the staining area for the wood and the plastering part. I took a deep breath and plunged my hand into the nearest bowl and picked out handfuls of tile. I sat down and started arranging the pattern and glued it down. Sprinkled throughout the assembly process I heard bits of life stories from the women sitting around me. I watched as some women approached the project systematically, placing tiles in order by rows, others arranged by color with more of a mosaic feel. Some used just a few tiles spaced out, others filled their crosses with small tiles. Some worked quickly, others took a long time. No two crosses looked the same. But each one was beautiful.
The life lesson/reminder for me was simple.
My life/cross won’t look like anyone else’s. God’s infinite creativity makes room for every life, every finger print, every path to be unique. Rather than compare my life/cross to others and either get discouraged by the gifting of others, I need to focus on the tiles of opportunity God has placed in my own hand. I don’t have control with how many tiles or the shape, size and color of the tiles God gives, but my responsibility is to steward well what He gives in the one life I have to live.
What is the best way to honor God in my life with the tiles He’s given?
How about you?
Here’s what I came up with:
