Copper Flower

'For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.'*

Last week at church a lady told me that my life was like a copper flower, being made into something beautiful that would last, longer than a normal flower. It touched my heart, because there are times when it feels worthless, too painful, and repedative. But to know, that there is something beautiful coming out of this, makes it all worth while.

I like this clip by the Skit Guys based on the verse above:

I don't often stand and proudly say 'Steph is God's original masterpiece'. And just like 'Tommy' in the skit, my views of myself are often based on the world, not God's perspective.

I like this ancient poem by King David of Israel, it reminds me of how precious each individual person is. Every single human being on this earth can say this poem and know it to be true. And yet, in my heart I sometimes doubt that this fits me... that I am 'marvelous'.

^{You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body}

^{and knit me together in my mother's womb.}

^{Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!}

^{Your workmanship is marvelous --- how  well I know it.}

^{You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,}

^{as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.}

^{You saw me before I was born.}

^{Every day of my life was recorded in your book.}

^{Every moment was laid out}

^{before a single day had passed.}

^{How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.}

^{They cannot be numbered!}

^{I can't even count them,}

^{they outnumber the grains of sand!}

^{And when I wake up,}

^{you are still with me!**}

^{There is something comforting about knowing -at least for me- that I don't have to make all the decisions in my life! That I am part of a plan, part of a bigger story, it gives me a purpose}. And to think that God, Creator of me and the whole universe, thinks about me, thinks about His creation, in a loving and precious way, overwhelms me!

^{And it's not a dream! It's not wishful thinking! It's real, and I know it because of the way that God uses His chisel in my life.} I can see my life changing, things being cut out that I wouldn't have naturally thought bad or damaging. I trust that I am, indeed, being made into a beautiful lasting masterpiece... a copper flower?

*Ephesians 2:10
**Psalm 139:13-18 (NLT)