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by DeAnna Brooks
05/18/05
For Sale
Author requests article critique

...Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost...
John 6: 12

Gather up the fragments... At times that seems like an apt description of my life, fragments. Seldom feeling I’ve known wholeness, just scattered shards of promise, discouragement nips regularly at my heels. Of course, that is not the case...it’s just that eyesight problem rearing its ugly head again. Maybe it’s because I spend too much hope on looking to a completeness here that can only be known in another place. Yet, the longing remains, and I haven’t always the energy to gather up. What encouragement I find in Jesus’ words here, encouragement for my life, encouragement for today! Why? Because Jesus instructs me to gather up the fragments...for a purpose. So that nothing is lost!

It made me realize something. Something important to the Lord. Something important to my journey with Him. Even if my life looks like little more than scattered fragments, each fragment is an important part of my life ... as far as Jesus is concerned. If each of those pieces is important to Him, than that’s good enough for me. I need to start actively gathering up the pieces, each and every one, and trust Him to help me do so. Jesus wants to make certain that nothing is lost . . . after all, each piece is a gift from Him.

It has everything to do with sufficiency, doesn’t it? My eyesight may deem it inadequate, but with Jesus’ blessing it becomes exceedingly abundant ... more than I could ever ask or think. I need to learn to leave the sufficiency aspect of my life in God’s hands, where it belongs. My focus should be in thankfulness for each fragment God has blessed me with. After all, with His eyesight the fragments all combine into the perfect whole.

Thank you, precious Jesus, that You are not just the author of my faith, but the perfect finisher. You understand shards of life, the sharpness and cutting that they inflict when handled roughly rather than with peacefulness of thanksgiving. I'm so grateful that I can leave the 'wholeness' to You, for You see them all fit together into that perfect vessel made by Your love. You are ever the Master Potter . . . and this clay, fragmentary though it may seem at times, thanks You for gathering every piece of me into Your sweet embrace.

© 18 May 2005
DeAnna L. Brooks

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Reader Count & Comments

Date

(Treava) Joyce Pool

21 May 2005

Oh, so many of my own titles you've brought to mind... 'Brittle Little Pieces,' 'All These Tiny Pieces,' 'What's Left of Me,' 'Therapeutic Lighting,' etc, etc, etc... Fragments -- A true-to-life portrait of who I've been. And yet, how faithful the Lord is ("Faithful and True") to take all those tiny fragments and make us whole again... a matter of trusting Him with ALL the pieces, no matter how tiny they may be. Well done!

David&Dee Jobes

19 May 2005

Thank You DeAnna, for those beautiful Anointed words of Encouragement!
I needed to hear that today.With my failing eyesight and health I feel so broken. but I still believe He can use me in my Brokeness.
Oh One Glorious Day we all"The Adopted Sons and Daughters of God" will have Perfect Resurrected Glorified bodies "How Blessed that will Be!"
You have been Blessed with 20/20 Spiritual vision In the Lord.

God Bless you and your family always!

In Jesus's Love, Your
Sister Dee:)
"Numbers 6:24,25,26"

Nancy Hardy

18 May 2005

I needed to read this. Your pen soaked up the tears and let them flow to the heart of each reader, letting the balm of God's love restore the brokenness of life. Thank you for sharing your talent to minister to my need. God bless you!

Mitzi Busby

18 May 2005

DeAnna,
Thank you for this wonderful teaching. Sometimes I feel like all I hold are pieces. The Master Potter seals them back together in a bond of love as if they were never broken at all. The vessel ends up stronger than before. Thanks for posting this. It was a blessing.

Debra Brand

18 May 2005

What a great teaching! Thank you for sharing in a very apt way. It's a new way to look at my life and I'm going to 'gather up the fragrmants' right now! Thank you Jesus!