Old, wore out junk!! That’s what we see sometimes when we look at something like this piece of wood. “That just needs to be thrown out” and “it’s not good for anything” or “somebody’s already got the good out of that thing”.  But I saw something else when I looked at that piece of junk. I saw potential and purpose. It was laying just beneath the surface.  It just needed a little tlc (tender loving care) and I was just the person for the job.

This piece of junk wood came off our potting shed door and my husband was just going to throw it away, but I asked him to save it for me. Of course, he was like, “what are you going to do with this junk?” He was right, at first glance it didn’t look like much. As a matter of fact, the back of the wood was chipping off because of water damage and rot, but I just couldn’t throw it away.

I wondered, what had this 3ft piece of wood been through? What is the story that could be told by this plank and how could it be salvaged or reused? How could I bring life back into this “piece of junk” wood.

I’m sorry to say, even after I insisted my husband save the wood plank for me, I didn’t treat it very well. I moved it from place to place, from one barn room to another. Even after I started working on the plank, sanding it and trying to see what it would be come, I left it outside for weeks. I began to think, “maybe I should just throw this away”, but the moment would pass and I would leave it right where it laid.

Until finally, I couldn’t just walk by that piece of junk without wondering, once again, what it could be.  So I picked up that plank of wood, grabbed my palm sander (only piece of equipment I own and it’s mine and I LOVE it!) and started sanding. I still wasn’t sure what was to become of this piece, but I knew it had potential.  After I sanded it I went for the AS chalk paint, if you haven’t tried it you should, and started painting. Before I knew it, it was becoming a masterpiece, remember love is in the eye of the beholder, a lovely plank of wood ready for new life. And that’s just what I gave it!

I have wanted a sign for the chicken coop since we moved in, but my last sign blew away during a storm – moment of silence for the lost sign…….  All that is left of that sign in a memory, sigh.

That piece of junk wood has been given a new life. What looked like the end has been rebuilt and put back together, stronger than before.  It has been reinforced and coated for protection and it will hang proudly outside of the chicken coop, Le Coop.  Isn’t that cute?!

It’s interesting because I could see God trying to show me something through this process, but I just didn’t have exactly what I needed to share it with you until the other day I was reading in Isaiah and I ran across this passage of scripture and what I realized in this passage is that this place in scripture was just like the piece of junk wood. It was in ruin, no good could be seen, but upon further reading God did a great thing… He took nothing and made something a live and great. Beautiful even. That is what is so amazing about God, He is just so good at taking our mess and turning it into something of value and worth. If we can just surrender all that “junk” to Him and allow Him to begin to “sand” off the undesirable pieces of our lives, the areas that make us feel unworthy, unloved, used up, and like there’s nothing left you. He can begin the rebuilding process and make something  more beautiful out of you and your life than you could have ever imagined.

Isaiah 54: 11“O storm-battered city,troubled and desolate!I will rebuild you with precious jewels and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.12 I will make your towers of sparkling rubies,your gates of shining gems,and your walls of precious stones.13 I will teach all your children,and they will enjoy great peace.

What I love about this passage is that it isn’t just for you, but allowing God to work in your life will affect the generations to follow. Your children, your grandchildren, and even your great great great grandchildren. This is better that any 401k or money market account. This kind of return can not be found in that natural world. You allowing God to use your junk will impact your whole world!! Give Him a try. It’s not to late, you’re not the one piece of junk that needs to be thrown out. You may give up on you and may not be able to see your potential, but God can.

My prayer for you today is that you will find Hope to let God work in your mess to create a masterpiece. No matter how storm- battered you may feel. There is hope in Jesus Christ. He desires to teach you His ways. It’s not to late!