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| Lisa Jordan |
Last summer I bought a highboy dresser at a yard sale for
$8. This lovely piece of furniture had been painted black, but the previous
owner had started to sand off the paint to stain it. Since it sat in her garage
for several years without being refinished, she decided she didn’t have the
time to do it, so she sold it. Someone else may have dismissed the dresser as
junk, but I was drawn to the elegant curves and solid frame. I envisioned the
beauty in the restoration.
When I introduced Agnes in Lakeside Family, I didn’t expect to tell her story. In fact, she
was meant to be Josie’s Voice of Truth and add an element of humor to an
otherwise serious plot. But, as I got to know Agnes more, I realized her sass
and Texas charm were covers for the pain that she harbored from her past.
In Lakeside
Sweethearts, Agnes shows how past experiences have made her feel like she
was a throwaway—someone who had no value. However, her best friend Ian knows
the true Agnes and helps her to realize how God can make everything beautiful
in His time.
So maybe that’s why she scours yard sales and thrift stores
to find the perfect pieces of furniture to restore and to give forgotten pieces
value again.
I believe many of us are a lot like Agnes. We’ve allowed
past hurts and experiences to scar self-esteems, chipping away at us until we feel
forgotten or maybe even discarded like furniture at a yard sale to be glanced
at, then dismissed.
Thankfully, God loves us in spite of our deep wounds and
scars. He picks us up, dusts us off, and very gently begins a process of
restoration to find the beauty beneath the surface. His unconditional love and grace can restore
those broken pieces of our lives into something beautiful and
of great value. With any refining process, pain is involved, but God’s gentle
touch will bring healing as He refines us to bring out the beauty in the
restoration.
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| About the Author |
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| Lakeside Sweethearts by Lisa Jordan |
Married twenty-five years to her own real-life hero,
award winning author Lisa Jordan knows a thing or two about romance. She and her husband have two sons. By day,
Lisa is an early childhood educator. By night, she writes contemporary
Christian romance for Love Inspired. She is the Voices Forum Coordinator for My
Book Therapy, and she is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such
Literary Management. In her free time, she loves good books, romantic comedies,
crafting with friends, and feeding her NCIS addiction. Visit her at www.lisajordanbooks.com.
