I was recently praying over a friend of mine for the areas of his life where things seemed hopeless. While praying, the Lord reminded me of a sight I had just seen the week before while in Texas. My friend Zena and I were walking along a street in Waco when I spotted a perfect flower growing through the cracked cement. It was so unexpected and beautiful. I have actually seen this several times before and it gets me every time as it declares hope to my core. But as I was praying for my friend, the Holy Spirit pointed out how it’s through the broken areas that life was growing through the cement. In that moment I realized that without the broken places of my life, I would miss out on so many of God’s fingerprints.
We have all faced broken circumstances, broken bodies, broken hearts and broken relationships – and sometimes it’s all broken at once. It can be very easy to miss God’s presence when our situation feels incredibly painful, dark and hopeless, but this I’ve learned over and over… God breathes beauty in unlikely places. That beauty exposes His presence, reminding us that He is right there with us in the middle of the “impenetrable cement” and all its broken pieces.
Right after I finished praying, I told my friend that prayer may have just inspired my next painting and blog post. It did. 😉
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Thank you for this beautiful reminder which I needed just tonight🩸
That makes my heart smile. You have been so heavy on my heart, my friend. I will reach out soon!
Love this new painting! The broken places of our lives are where “the testing of our faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:3) and where we are most changed into the likeness of Jesus. Responding in humble faith, trusting God, we find Christ’s beauty breaking through the cracks of our clay pots. And all the glory goes to Him! (I’m excited to know when your new piece will be available!)
Amen!! Thank you, Aunt Lois!
Michele, this is so beautiful! God also showed me this same thing in a place I used to attend as a young teenager which I revisited as an adult. 40 years later it laid in complete ruins yet there was one little flower growing among the grounds all by itself. As I walked down a path a little further God showed me among the ruins a field FULL of daisies my favorite flower by the way. It was there that God was showing me that in my brokenness He was still very much alive and was going to do a new thing in me. I have never forgotten that day and this picture is once again a reminder of where I was back then emotionally and where God has taken me on this my journey. He has certainly done many NEW things in my life and has turned my mourning into dancing.
♥️♥️♥️
I love your story, Lynn. Thank you for sharing! I love how God redeems any and every thing we give him.
I love it when I see a flower growing through a crack. It reminds me that God is doing work in us, in the dark spots, even during the hard times when it seems impossible that anything beautiful will come put of it! Beauty from underneath. It’s time to feed the roots and get them strong, so they can help us fight through to shine! Thank you for this beautiful flower and portrayal of strength!
Do you have this print for sale? Or greeting cards?
Thank you so much Lorilee for your beautiful words. Unfortunately, I do not have prints or notecards of this one. Not sure I will, but maybe! But in the meantime, I can absolutely have a custom print made of this painting for you! If interested, either fill out the contact form here on my website or message me on FB and we’ll pick up our last conversation! 🙂