The Carpenter

I have a precious friend, as close as a sister, who just recommended a new book to me.  She shared how much this book was speaking to her heart and I knew that I had to buy it for myself.

The book is called Mended and is written by Angie Smith. 

And my friend was right.  This is one powerful book  and is speaking much truth into my life.  It is also very timely in some areas of my life that  have been on my mind lately.

I feel led to share just a small portion of what I read today and I hope you will stay with me for just a moment as you read and look at a few photos of a favorite thing of mine….a beautiful old carpenter’s tote. 

Angie writes…“I don’t know who your “Moses” is, but I can think of several people in my life whom I have seen myself as such a pale shadow of-people I look up to and want to emulate in some sense.  At the heart of it, it isn’t even what I see as greatness in them, but rather the way it casts light on the weaknesses I perceive in myself.  How much time do I spend comparing, contrasting, evaluating, doubting, and allowing myself to feel like a disappointment when the Lord tells me over and over that He loves me!

She continues…”There will be no measuring stick when we see our Savior face to face.  I have images of apologizing to Him, fumbling for words as I have tried to convince Him that I want to be as good as “so and so” or as brave as “so and so”.

“I am realizing more and more that I am not in charge of how I compare to anyone else.  I need not look at my failing and others’ successes, imagining that I have failed the Lord or disappointed Him.  What a waste it is to watch each other and long for what other’s have, how they manage to do it all so well, and why in the world we can’t get our act together enough to be as good at having a quiet time or memorizing Scripture.  Did I think there was going to be a verse-off with another soul entering heaven when my name is called?  Maybe I would have to do a little Bible map-work, or prove I could put the books of both the Old and New Testament in order? 

“How wildly ridiculous, right?  Then why is it, sister, that we spend our days doing exactly this?”

After a few more words, Angie goes on to say, “Thank God for you, just as you are.  God doesn’t want you to be Moses, friend.  He wants you to be you just loving Him.”

“You aren’t Moses (or whomever you put in this place), and you wont’ be.  God wouldn’t have it any other way.  May the peace of that gentle reminder fall on you, and may it secure something in you that may have been rattling around, determined to find a satisfactory answer.”

“Face what is before you with confidence and with a heart aligned with the One who knew your name before time began.  He sings songs over you and quiets you with His love.  (Zeph 3:17)  If you are brave enough to listen, you might hear the sound of your own name echoing back from the great I AM.”

Aren’t these powerful words written by this author?

Do you find yourself comparing yourself to others?    I know I do at certain times in my life, in many different areas and it’s something I need to ask God to forgive me for and help me with.

I have only just begun reading this book and can’t wait to continue on and see what else God has for me to learn.  Isn’t it exciting to find something that speaks to you?

Thanks, my friends, for letting me share these life giving words with you today from Mended.  Thanks, Becky, for letting me know about this book.

Let me leave you with one of the lines I shared above from her book…

“God wants you to be you loving Him”.  (I can do that)