Psalm 18 has always been a favorite of mine! I can identify with so much of what David was writing…

Reading it in the Message translation offered a different perspective I hadn’t experienced before~

Psalm 18:20-24

God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him.

When I got my act together, He gave me a fresh start.

Now I’m alert to God’s ways; I don’t take God for granted.

Every day, I review the way He works; I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together, and I’m watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes.

The 15th anniversary of the biggest moment that forever altered my life is almost here. THAT is what “August” represents for me…

15 YEARS is a long time.

5,478 days (with a few Leap Year days added in).

Through heartbreak, I saw the mercy of God and experienced His comfort like nothing I have ever known from any other source – before 2009 or since.

As the psalmist writes, “God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before Him.”

Life feels like PIECES at times… like a puzzle, not all put together yet or like a shattered piece of pottery.

The pieces of a puzzle offer hope. There’s an expectation that it will all come together somehow, some way.

The broken pottery? That’s totally different. It was put together at one point; all the parts formed together to complete a purpose. Then it broke. It shattered.

All that is left is fractured pieces lying on the floor. Its original purpose will probably never happen again in the way it was initially designed…it certainly won’t look the same even if it can be melded back together.

Regardless, both are pieces (the puzzle and the pottery) that need to be placed before God as an offering.

And that’s what I did.

August of 2009 shattered me.

In the winter of 2010, I began the process of handing those broken pieces of who I thought I was and who I thought I should be over to Him.

That decision put me on the path to “get my act together” and God “gave me a fresh start.”

My life started to look different when I decided to put my trust in the Lord and His plan for my life.

It certainly didn’t get easier though…In fact, life seemed to get harder and more complicated.

But that fresh start? It gave me a new way to cope through the challenges.

“Now I’m alert to God’s ways” and I have learned over these 15 years to “not take God for granted.“

In fact, that is the thought that has me reflecting this morning. I’m sitting in my quiet living room with the morning sun streaming through the (dirty) window. I can hear the birds chirping as a cool, August breeze blows. I’m sipping on coffee (of course) that is flavored with (my favorite) Peppermint Mocha zero sugar (zero guilt) foamed (luxury!) creamer.

I’m watching my dog (old man of 16 years) settle onto the couch beside his cat-sibling while the adult-kids are still sleeping in their beds.

I’m tired because I was up “late” last night after a Bible study offered a beautiful prayer and song ended at 11pm.

I’m sitting here in complete thankfulness for the bounty of blessings the Lord has revealed to me.

As the musical “Oklahoma ” declared: “Oh what a beautiful morning… Oh, what a beautiful day… I’ve got a beautiful feeling, everything’s going my way!”

God is good, folks.

Is life perfect? Not even close. Yesterday was filled with heartbreak and tears, and today is taking me to the hospital to visit a close friend recovering from a lung transplant.

But this morning, my heart sings praise.

“Ever day, I review the way He works, and I try not to miss a trick.”

In these last few years, I have felt so much pain. Heartache and heartbreak. I have been confused. Angry. ANXIOUS.

But, today, I’m reminded that “I feel put back together.”

It’s a good thing to be reminded of: I gave those pieces of me to God – over and over I have handed me over to Him through these 15 years.

Those pieces are safely tucked in His hands, and He is making a masterpiece with them… He’s just not done with it yet.

I love this quote:

“If it’s not GOOD, then He’s not done with it yet.“

The conclusion of this is that “God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes.”

15 years ago, I drank WAY too much alcohol WAY too often.  I neglected my children. I lived selfishly. I put me first. I became hopeless after the unexpected death of my sister in law. I fell into despair while being tormented by anxiety.

I handed the pieces of my life to God – the Potter to my broken pottery- and the story He has rewritten has been unexpected and beautiful.

I’m amazed over what God has done.

If He did it for me, He can do it for you.

Will you hand your life pieces over to Him?

When life gets hard, when you are discouraged or disillusioned, when sickness knocks at your door or death crosses your threshold, will you keep handing your life pieces over?

If you do, He will be faithful to complete what He has started in you.

Hang on. Have hope.