Have you ever found an amazing piece of furniture you knew would look spectacular in your home?
But you hesitated to buy it because it needed to be restored. It was covered with years of old varnish and dust and it had so many scars, the original wood couldn’t shine through.
Yet you knew it could be restored and made beautiful again. You knew it could be useful as well as adding a wonderful story to your home.
So you worked on it day by day. You used chemicals to lift off the old varnish and the gunk of many years.
Then you sanded it, and gradually – even though some of the scars remained – you began to see the beauty of the original wood. The craftsmanship showed through and you were so glad you purchased it.
The piece fit perfectly in your home and you told everyone who visited how it once looked and all the work you did to restore it. You even shared “Before and After” pictures.
And you were so proud of the finished product. Once again, it was beautiful as well as useful.
When women come to GateWay of Hope, they often carry the scars of years of abuse and sorrow. Some of them have lived with the gunk of someone else’s sin and it has weighed them down.
Some of them carry the dust of years of neglect, because they’ve been so busy taking care of others – they’ve forgotten all about self-care.
But deep down inside, they know God has a better plan. So we meet them where they are with whatever problems they carry.
Sometimes they need counseling while other times they want coaching. And almost always, they will benefit from the support of a group.
Then gradually, as the scars are smoothed over and the junk of the past is removed – they begin to shine again. The beauty of their souls reflect God’s love. They rediscover their gifts and begin to revel in new life.
They become useful and beautiful once again. Their “Before and After” stories are amazing as we watch them embrace hope, pursue healing and come full circle into wholeness.
The Psalmist wrote about restoration in Psalm 71:20-21 – “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.”
God does a mighty restoration work with the women who come to GateWay of Hope. From the depths of their pain and sorrow, he brings them up. He honors them and comforts them, providing hope and a new focus in life.
We love to see what God is doing at GateWay of Hope as he brings these incredible women back to life.
©2016 GateWay of Hope – Hope, Healing and Wholeness for Women