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| In the Potholes of Life |
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As I have been doing some soul searching, and trying to get my act together, hopefully to make myself into a better wife and disciple of Jesus, I have to mention potholes.
Potholes you ask? What do potholes have to do with soul searching and being a better wife and disciple? I am glad you asked...
If you live in the north, you are accustomed to snow. You know that the roads take a beating in the winter time, from the snow plows, and the salt that is spread on the roads to melt the ice and snow. These annoying little holes erupt in the asphalt, and before winter is over, they are huge craters, that sometimes can swallow tires for dinner. Life can be like a pothole. It's that simple.
We go along smoothly in life and all of a sudden, there is a snowstorm that knocks us for a loop. The snow plow pushes the problems aside, and leaves salt to melt the hardness of our souls. But things start to erode, and before you know it, there are holes in the surface of our being, filling with dirty snow and water and slush and ice and salt...getting deeper as time goes on. With each thaw of the cold the holes get bigger, until finally, someone comes along and fills the hole in with more asphalt. Only a temporary patch, and the more tires that hit it, it gradually opens up again.
Our lives can be like that...we can patch things up temporarily, thinking that everything is fine, that we have dealt with the problem, only to find that with a thaw, the problem gets bigger, the patches don't last, the hole opens again and again. It will never go away until the whole roadway is stripped down to dirt, and then resurfaced. Then there will be no sign of the pothole left.
Only when God strips things down to the surface, where there is no sign of the potholes, and then helps us to build a firm foundation and start over, can we really move on with our lives. Those potholes can do us in if we don't deal with them. But they can be dealt with. God is the Great "Resurfacer".
I am now getting things stripped down to the surface. Then I am going to start over (again), with God's help, and the potholes will be merely memories, He is going to pave a nice smooth surface in me, and I will be whole again, free from the pain of unforgiveness, and free from the anger, and the hurt inflicted by others. Then I will be truly free to serve Him, something that I have been trying to do, but keep getting tripped up by these potholes that I have left unattended.
It is an amazing feeling to be able to see the Lord at work in your life. It is amazing to me all that He has spoken to me, quietly in the past couple of weeks. How far I have come, from the person I was only last week. I feel as if I have grown so much in Him, and I hope that He will continue His work in me, with me being a willing tool for whatever He wants done. I'm not there yet, but I am getting there, to that new pavement. Thank you Lord for your Amazing Love, for your Patience, and especially your Grace! |
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| Excellent blog! You can write, girl! And I totally relate to what you are saying. I know potholes too (lol). Yeah, "band-aids" I call them. Temporary fixes, but the underlying issues need to be dealt with. You are right on, and I praise God, though it hurts for a time, that He is bringing you through this, for you will come out as pure gold, sister! YOU WILL! Hang in there. He is going to transform ya even more, and you will look back in another week, and another and another and so on...wow! I am excited for ya just talking about it!!!! WOO HOO! |
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| Deb, your honesty is appreciated, I hope the community lives up to the trust you put in us. And you are right on in that it is an amazing feeling to recognize (and see) the Lord at work in your life!!!! Just wish he worked according to my timetable rather than his! (No I don't, just kidding.) ~mike |
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Lora |
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November 12, 2007 at 7:19pm |
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| I love this blog! It is encouraging and exciting to hear about someone who is growing in the Lord! The pothole analogy is perfect! It reminds me of the thought that sometimes we have to come to the end of ourselves (and our own strength) to begin leaning on God :) |
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Deb,
I love your style of writing and your ability to take everyday parts of earthly life and directly relate them to our spiritual growth. Writing is your gift!
Writing was one of the apostle Paul's gifts too as many are aware. But what I didn't know until recently was that he wasn't exactly gifted at speaking.
He said this himself in 2 Corinthians 11:5-6
But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things. 6 I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.
Not that you are an unskilled speaker, for that I do not know. I just thought this was an interesting fact about Paul.
I will be following your blogs. I always get a pothole repaired everytime I do!
Thanks. |
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Jen |
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November 12, 2007 at 7:48pm |
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| Great blog, Deb! Like you, I live in the land of potholes with our cold Montana winters beating up the roads. It's nice when spring comes and they repair them, but as you mentioned, that's a temporary fix and leaves me cynically mumbling, "Well, that's nice, but how long will it last?" So much better when the whole road gets resurfaced. Same with us, eh? The temporary patches we use on our potholes are only good for a short time, while a total resurfacing brings about much longer-lasting and better results. |
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Rosie |
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November 13, 2007 at 12:03am |
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GREAT BLOG I TOO LIVE WITH POTHOLES AROUND TOWN AND IN MY SOUL.....ONE STORM PASSED AND ANOTHER TAKES IT'S PLACE JUST A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HOW MUCH I NEED A SAVIOR....... |
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Coreena |
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November 13, 2007 at 3:53am |
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| Great analogy! I enjoyed the blog. |
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Janeice |
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November 13, 2007 at 3:56am |
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| A very good blog, it is truley amazing to know that no matter what God will fix us up if we only ask and we will be like the new road. Thank you for posting this and I pray God continues His work in you. |
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| Yes, this is a wonderful blog! I know where you are right now. I was there last spring. God was faithful to bring me through the "resurfacing", and now, on the other side, I'm rejoicing and seeing Him do even more awesome and wonderful things!! He's faithful, friend. Let Him do what He needs to do, and you'll be rejoicing later, too!! Blessings! |
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Deb |
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November 13, 2007 at 9:24am |
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Lara, Thank you so much for your comments, and I am glad you think I can write...I can only give the glory to God...it is not me, but Him through me. God can transform lives beyond our wildest expectations, can't He?
Mike, I always want things on my timetable too. I guess that is human nature. But we have to learn to wait on Him. That is a lesson in itself.
Lora, I am glad that you liked my blog, and got something out of it. I think it is only when we come to the point where we realize that we can't do it all ourselves, that God will finally step in and help us, not because He didn't want to help us before that, but sometimes He wants us to realize how much we need Him.
Michael, wow, thanks for the compliments. As far as public speaking, I hate to do it. I guess I do an ok job, because I have had some classes that taught me the right way to do it, but I am nervous as all get out when I have to stand up in front of people and speak. Not my cup of tea, but I do love to write!
Jen, isn't winter wonderful? lol I appreciate your comments.
Rosie, Amen, we do need a Savior. We would never make it through all the storms of life without one.
Coreena, thank you.
Janeice, thank you for your comments, and I am glad that you enjoyed the blog.
Christine, I am glad that you are on the other side of the resurfacing! May God continue to bless you!
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I can so relate as I too live in the northeast, pa to be exact, and we have potholes for roads. They feel if enough stuff falls into the holes, they can ignore them. Unfortunatly, like you said, they never go away, unless we allow ourselves to be resurfaced by Jesus. I too am in the process of being resurfaced, it hurts at times, but Jesus. He allows me to draw closer to Him by getting me to pay attention to His will for me. This done by change. My surface has changed dramatically in the last two years, due to road work by Jesus. Thanks for the share I could relate, and it is good to know we are not allone
Steve Shafer PA |
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Deb |
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November 13, 2007 at 9:40am |
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| Steve, nope, you are not alone. I am having a time of resurfacing right now, and it is painful, but at the same time it is rejuvenating. Whenever we have the chance to grow and become closer to God, I think it is a blessing, even though pain may be involved. Thanks for your comments. |
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Deb |
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November 13, 2007 at 10:14am |
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| Cheryl (Lupe's Wife), thank you for your kind words, and for all the encouragement you have given me. Yes, we will go through this refiner's fire again and again and again, but the main purpose is to make us into the image of Christ, and the only way that can happen is to go through the fire. Bless you. |
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Gene |
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November 13, 2007 at 6:13pm |
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Too true, Deb. I pray that your potholes are filed by the god friends until the "Resurfacer" has done His work.
btw: I waved hello from I-71 as I drove past Belleville this past weekend.
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Deb |
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November 14, 2007 at 8:19am |
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Gene, I do have a bunch of wonderful friends to help me through...I am very blessed.
I thought I saw you drive by :) |
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| Inspired by Deb's "In the Potholes of Life" Lord what lesson do you have for me today What must I do, what do you say? I know I need to grow in grace But cannot seem to step in pace Lord please tell me what to do Dear Lord I do so believe in you. Are you ready to know the truth Are you willing to ignore All your issues of past hurt and pain To learn anew and live again The lesson I have for you this day Is a simple one, The lesson for each this day Will always be a simple one, Die to self and live unto me Let it be no more I but Christ And you will see All those issues of past hurt and pain Will be washed away And you my sweet child will live and rejoice As I make you into my image Only you must let me have my way And die to self this day Born again, renewed again in me and you will see who you really are. Pastor Aminata |
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Deb |
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November 14, 2007 at 8:54am |
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| Pastor Aminata, what a beautiful poem and you hit it right on the head. "Die to self, and live unto me". Thank you for posting this. It is beautiful! (And I know you don't like to write!) |
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| Deb, getting caught up on some posts...this is a wonderful post. Thanks for your openness. I think it is important that we all realize that such things exist in our life, but that God can deal with them. I suppose the only real difference is that the road can't say "no" to the construction crew...may we be the same way with our Lord! |
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Deb |
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November 17, 2007 at 7:17am |
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| DC, thanks for your comments. I think we all go through some potholes and resurfacing. We have to give up control to our Lord, and let Him guide us through. |
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