The Japanese art form called Kintsugi is one in which “the breaks and repairs of a vessel are treated as a part of the object’s history.” The artist uses a mixture of resin infused with powdered gold to repair a piece, resulting in far greater beauty.

Often in life wounds are received, through the hazardous situations or conditions that we must live through. Sometimes these are of our own doing through choices we make. Strangely enough, these experiences within our histories, the broken places, can make us truly “beautiful”—even more useful.

There was a time in my life when I was broken after suffering domestic violence. Hospitalized, I wondered how my life would go from then on. There were scares that took years to heal, the worst of which were emotional and unseen. Those were times of leaning on God and learning to let Him take the lead in my life. The words “wounded healer” were found within the spiritual books read. And, that is what I became.

What I found hardest to bear were those broken places that were caused by my going my own way versus following “the way” Jesus taught. But the most enthralling thing of life is to find all is forgiven when we ask. It takes time to really bring that truth “on home,” before I could accept it as my own, becoming truly able to see it as pertaining to me.

Looking back over my life, it is clear that some of the “derailing” times of my life that called for getting back on track, served me later within my work as a mental health counselor. When women spoke of mistakes over which they grieved and found hard to forgive, I had compassion for them. I had been in those moccasins. Without having known the shame and guilt of my failures, how could such feelings for others be truly felt? God does turn all experiences to good when we love Him and follow His call on our lives. In the process, He transforms us. That is promised in Romans 8:28. If we say we have no sin, we are liars! “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23)

You may say, “Where is God. How can I talk with God?” Many thousands of years ago, a mighty man named Job, discovered how God was speaking to him. Looking back on his troubles, Job said, “Look I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive Him; when He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold,” (Job 23:9-10).

It is that “worked out gold” that brings those broken pieces together—and gives us a heart refined.

I can’t help but think of my husband, Gary, who married me with three little boys to raise, ages 4, 7 and 9. Sure, he fell in love with me, but also he was a handsome guy with a good job as a ticket agent for Greyhound Bus Lines. There were women he may have preferred, but he chose me, one who had come out of a great struggle from a calamitous marriage, with hundreds of dollars still owed to her lawyer. He opted to come alongside me in life, making sure I, with my sons, had a nice home with everything we needed to help a family do well. He gave himself to us, out of love, yes, but he stepped in not knowing how it would all come down. He was, and is, my knight in shining armor—with amour in his heart. God saw it and blessed him. And, blessed us. As Christmas approaches, it is especially grand as we were married on Christmas Day and are about to have our 54^th anniversary. (Our “living room” marriage took place while Gary was on a brief Christmas leave from the Navy Seabees.)

Because of Gary’s sacrificial love, I could now know “our” family would be OK!

Early in our marriage. I experienced a sudden, life threatening illness—taking me right up to heaven’s gate. Yet, a risky surgery brought me back. Gary was beside my hospital bed for hours each day, then home taking care of the needs of three little boys. While spending much recuperation time in bed, I discovered that journaling, prayer and dream work were of great help as I sought healing. Consequently, these practices, coupled with studying the Bible, have continued throughout life.

Dreams can be teachers. A recent dream portrayed elements that show up within the lives of people who “truly live.” The dream infers that the “giving” we do in life will majorly influence what takes place once we reach the eternal realms of heaven.

Prior to this point in life, I’ve come to believe life is all about “how” we love . . . and that the more we love in this life the more we are like our Creator. Within last night’s dream another piece is added. The pictures and symbols portrayed that there is a very different “end result” in the next life when we give strictly from the heart, versus having an ulterior motive of gaining worth, needing something back, or giving out of fear of being “dissed if we don’t.”

This will be surprising to us in the next life, as we may not expect what comes. 1st Corinthians 3:9-14, came to me immediately after the dream, which speaks of us being “co-workers in God’s service . . .” Verse 12, says, “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.” Wow! There will be a fire—to put our works to the test!

The dream showed how giving of ourselves and our abilities—not to be seen or admired, nor to gain power or appreciation—and not out of fear of any kind . . . but simply out of love, can never be destroyed. This is a giving that will STAND the heat of fire once our earthly lessons are over. I saw clearly in the dream that only what we have done on earth out of love will matter. And, speaking of the rewards, these will be empowerments. After the dream it was easy to believe our rewards will fortify and increase our natural abilities, expanding these magnificently throughout eternity. New, enriched understanding of all we have learned while here on earth will be ours. It brings joy to imagine what all may be ahead for us.

Thanks be to God for the gift of life and love—and thanks for the memories.