The first time one of my teenagers begged me for a pair of distressed jeans, his eyes were huge. He thought the ripped and abraded denim was beautiful. It was a new, very cool, status symbol.
My perspective as a mom who wanted pants to last as long as possible was quite different.
A few years ago, a friend showed off her distressed wood furniture. It had the strength of a new piece of furniture (which it was), but the appearance of an antique (because of purposeful marking and marring).
Today, I explored the internet to learn how do-it-yourself people can create the distressed look. With wood, you can put nuts, screws, and bolts in a bag and then beat the wood. With jeans you can put a block of wood under the fabric and then rub the denim with a nail file or a cheese grater. Yikes! I guess you do what it takes to get the look of age you want.
But what about when you have a distressed soul that feels old and helpless from the flailing of others' sins banging into you without mercy? What if your distressed, abused heart looks horrifyingly ugly to you? What if you are longing for restoration, rather than another round of abuse?
There are people who take old furniture and make it look like new by devoting hours of loving attention to nicked wood.
There are artists who take seemingly useless jeans and create art pieces.
And there is One who can take beat up souls and refurbish them. He can tenderly repair the bruised heart, the torn soul, the soiled mind, the beaten spirit.
I know He can, because He's refurbished me!
"I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again, just as you promised." Psalm 119:107 (NLT)
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Recommended Books
- 10 Lifesaving Principles for Women in Difficult Marriages by Karla Downing
- A Way of Hope by Leslie J. Barner
- Angry Men and the Women Who Love Them by Paul Hegstrom
- Battered But Not Broken by Patricia Riddle Gaddis
- Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
- Bradshaw on the Family by John Bradshaw
- Caring Enough to Forgive/Not Forgive by David Augsburger
- Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
- Healing the Wounded Heart by Dr. Dan B. Allendar
- Keeping the Faith: Questions and Answers for the Abused Woman by Marie M. Fortune
- Perfect Daughters by Robert J. Ackerman, Ph.D.
- Recovery: A Guide for Adult Children of Alcoholics by Herbert L. Gravitz and Julie D. Bowden
- Safe People by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
- Slay Your Own Dragons by Nancy Good
- The Cinderella Syndrome by Lee Ezell
- The Dance of Anger by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D.
- The Search for Significance by Robert S. McGee
- Turning Fear to Hope by Holly Wagner Green
- When Violence Comes Home: Help for Victims of Spouse Abuse by Tim Jackson and Jeff Olson
- Why Does He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft
5 comments:
Beautiful thoughts, Tanya. I'll look forward to seeing where this blog goes.
Dianne
http://www.ButtsAboutIt.blogspot.com
Well done! Distressed jeans,wood & souls does a great job of putting images in your mind and really gets the point across. I am impressed!
Keep up the good work!
There is hope in God!
Tanya,
Good work on this entry. Keep it up. You have an important ministry.
Terry
The Writing Life
God can indeed restore the wounded, the battered, and the downtrodden. Having been physically abused by an ex-husband many years ago, I know that God’s mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:22-23). He heals, gives peace, and proves himself as the God of all comfort. What a blessing to be able to minister to other women from our own experiences, give them hope and show them the love of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
Cherise
Single Moms' Care Package
This is so powerfully written. May God bless your ministry.
http://hiswhisperings.wordpress.com
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