Beauty in the Restoration by Lisa Jordan

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.

Thankfully, God loves us in spite of our deep wounds and scars. Click to Tweet.

I envisioned the beauty in the restoration. Click to Tweet

His unconditional love and grace can restore those broken pieces of our lives ...Click to Tweet

About the Author

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.

Why Do We Doubt God? by Lisa Jordan

Several months ago, I had to renew my family childcare provider license. I set it aside because I was in the middle of final edits for Lakeside Family, which released this month, child assessments and preparing for an upcoming writers retreat.

Then I received a 30-day renewal reminder. I dug out the paperwork, filled out the application, had the required physical and had my son's clearances done.

Once I received his clearances, I could mail everything. The days slipped off the calendar at an alarming rate. I kept asking my son if he received the clearances in the mail.

"Nooo, Mooooom."

Moms of teenagers, I'm sure you can hear it in your head. Then he realized I wasn’t talking about something for college, but for my business. He had received it, but couldn’t find it in the abyss of his bedroom. He started cleaning right away, but I needed a miracle.

I prayed and asked my writing support team to pray.

I had 7 days. Without my renewed license, my business—our primary bread and butter at the time—would close. My stress level was through the roof.

Then, I came to the realization—would closing my business be so terrible? I could work part-time and write a lot more than I do now. God must have a reason for all of this, right?

Maybe I needed to understand He could be sending me down a new path. Maybe I needed to be better organized.

Maybe I simply needed to trust.

I surrendered my fears and anxiety to Him. Whatever happened, I would embrace and move forward.

I mailed what I had with a note explaining the duplicate clearances had been mailed. After receiving my application, my rep called to say she was giving me an extension since she knew the documents were on their way. When I received them, I needed to fax her a copy.

I received the clearances in record time, faxed and mailed copies, and received my new license by the original date. No extension needed.

Why? All because of God.

When I opened the envelope containing my license, I laughed.

Why did I doubt God?

He always answers our prayers, but sometimes we may not like hearing Him say no. No means change. No means pain. No means uncertainty for the future.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 promises "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

What an incredible Life Compass. Even if we have change in our lives, we're not walking toward it alone.

Your turn: Share a time in your life where God provided or pulled you through a situation in a way only He could.

Married 23 years to her real life hero, Lisa Jordan knows a thing or two about romance. She and her husband have two college-aged sons and will be facing an empty nest soon. By day, Lisa is an early childhood educator, and by night, she is a contemporary romance novelist with Love Inspired. Lakeside Reunion, her debut novel, is a 2012 Carol Award Finalist. Lakeside Family, her second novel, releases in August 2012. She is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Agency. In her free time (ha!), Lisa enjoys good books, chick flicks, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. To learn more about Lisa, visit her website at www.lisajordanbooks.com.

Lisa is celebrating Lakeside Family with a month-long party of giveaways, including Coffee Lovers and Tea Lovers baskets. For more details and to join her party, click here.