This is probably my favorite entry you’ve written, my friend. Encourages my heart in my own physical brokenness-our boundary lines are drawn in (eternally) pleasant places. ❤️❤️❤️
Kate, what you've written is so artful and beautiful, so deeply truthful and painful, that I'm just left stirring your words and insights around in my heart and listening for God sort them out. We are broken but made new in Christ. We are limited and weak but will one day be healed. Meanwhile, we don't revel in our brokenness but live humbly, daily submitting our brokenness to Jesus' healing touch and inviting him to bring good fruit from our gnarled branches. And he does. I'm definitely reading this again. Thank you for using your gifts to honestly reflect on faith, life, pain and the hope we have in our resurrected Lord.
Kate, this is absolutely beautiful and your wisdom to be able to step back and see God’s hand at work is so incredible and inspiring — thank you for being so real and open sharing your amazing testimony this way, and that in and of itself absolutely gives you the title of Super Kate for sure!:) And by the way, I can’t believe I never knew the extent of your phenomenal awards in the past and just LOVE we finally got this amazing history of it out of you!!!:):):)
Thank you, Deb! I'm honored you took the time to read and comment. Congratulations on your 14th grandchild! I read your winter newsletter and hope your wonderful writing career continues to give you joy!
This is the first thing I read today, and besides reading the Bible, it’s the only thing I need in my head today. What a chewy article! I used to take comfort in “broken is beautiful” but I know there is more beauty in wholeness, the sort of wholeness Jesus provides.
This. This is so good, Kate. This entire concept is something I've been struggling with putting a name to, and you've done it beautifully (forgive the pun). This is my second time reading through. I needed time to chew the first time around! "Broken is an opportunity to receive a gift." Yes.
Thank you for this. Daily I’m reminded, Oh yeah, God will not share his glory, yet it always surprises me! I can relate to squirming within my pleasant boundaries too! So grateful for (all!) your God given gifts!
What I appreciate about Kate is her transparency in exposing her self-awareness. If we are honest, most of us deal with our own self sufficiency, our own hubris, as Kate says. We think we’re pretty smart and want recognition for what we say— or write. The beautiful thing about Kate is that with all her God-given intelligence and talents, she’s open to her acknowledgement of God’s plan and willing to be disciplined by Him. And isn’t it true that God’s discipline is not punitive, but corrective? Those invisible barriers that keep vivacious puppies contained are there to protect them from busy streets.
But I hear you, Kate. I want to overcome my age barrier and the scoliosis in my spine to run with younger generations and make an impact. However, God has me feeling as if I’m under house arrest at times while I respond to my husband’s beck and call.
I don’t have to preach to you because you already know. His plan IS being worked out in our lives. Our surrender to His plan is the only way we can defeat the enemy who is bent on destroying us.
As I became aware of my many gifts and how my abilities gained me so much attention and adoration, it seemed that God, too, must be very pleased. Singing, in particular, became a way to earn admiration and respect, and I learned how to fake humility while burning inside with pride. But I was one of those "he can do anything" wunderkinds, and I started saying yes to every request because I knew it would lead to another hit of the praise drug, and another gold star on my eternal crown. And I needed those stars, because despite all the praise I knew that i was deeply broken inside and a great disappointment to God. And then a day came when I finally grasped for the grace of the cross and the unconditional love and reconciliation offered by Jesus, which began a loooooong process of heart-change, continuing to today, along with a very loooooong process of learning the importance of saying no sometimes. God is healing my brokenness little by little. You're a fellow traveler on this healing journey, Kate. It's encouraging to hear what you've learned and experienced.
Wow, Charlie! Thank you for this glimpse into your story! It's a shock to discover that God doesn't "need" our gifts, isn't it. I'm grateful for your insight and encouragement.
You are an amazing writer! So much here to ponder. I’ve always loved the verse about replacing our heart of stone with a heart of flesh— and you have weaved it in perfectly. I didn’t know your story of your accident stopping you from playing violin— and Wow! Just wow.
"Even Jesus cannot claim the starring role in this epic — I allow him to finance and produce and always intend to give him credit in my Oscar acceptance speech." Oof! What a convicting statement. How often do we all do this even in small and subtle ways?
As a younger Christian, I used to say I wasn't broken. I didn't understand how I could be, until I had a sin-shattering experience. I remember realizing how blind I had been and that I may not have felt broken, but I was breakable all along. Kintsugi has actually been a way in which I visualized God's grace and mercy. But it's like you suggest, God's work is even more beautiful. His handiwork is perfect.
Thank you, Taylor! Your experience sounds like one I had in college. I thought I was unbreakable until I had a “sin-shattering experience” of my own (not the subject of this post). It completely devastated me until an older and wiser Christian said, “Kate, you haven’t destroyed your perfect record. You weren’t perfect before this. We live in a state of brokenness from the moment we’re conceived.” That was perspective-shifting for me — that no amount of sin and no amount of virtue is going to tip the scales for or against me. We are completely lost from the get-go without the saving grace of Jesus.
This is probably my favorite entry you’ve written, my friend. Encourages my heart in my own physical brokenness-our boundary lines are drawn in (eternally) pleasant places. ❤️❤️❤️
Fia, I’m so grateful to hear it encouraged you today — what a gift to me!
Kate, what you've written is so artful and beautiful, so deeply truthful and painful, that I'm just left stirring your words and insights around in my heart and listening for God sort them out. We are broken but made new in Christ. We are limited and weak but will one day be healed. Meanwhile, we don't revel in our brokenness but live humbly, daily submitting our brokenness to Jesus' healing touch and inviting him to bring good fruit from our gnarled branches. And he does. I'm definitely reading this again. Thank you for using your gifts to honestly reflect on faith, life, pain and the hope we have in our resurrected Lord.
Charlie, it's an honor to have written something that touched you. Thank you for sharing your impressions with me!
Kate, this is absolutely beautiful and your wisdom to be able to step back and see God’s hand at work is so incredible and inspiring — thank you for being so real and open sharing your amazing testimony this way, and that in and of itself absolutely gives you the title of Super Kate for sure!:) And by the way, I can’t believe I never knew the extent of your phenomenal awards in the past and just LOVE we finally got this amazing history of it out of you!!!:):):)
Julia, you are so dear — thank you for encouraging me as always!
This is beautiful and profound, Kate. Thank you for sharing. I'll never look at a Kintsugi piece in the same way again.
Thank you, Deb! I'm honored you took the time to read and comment. Congratulations on your 14th grandchild! I read your winter newsletter and hope your wonderful writing career continues to give you joy!
Kate, thank you for writing this. Many others, incl me, have followed that path.
Thank you for reading and supporting me, Mrs. Gartrell!
This is the first thing I read today, and besides reading the Bible, it’s the only thing I need in my head today. What a chewy article! I used to take comfort in “broken is beautiful” but I know there is more beauty in wholeness, the sort of wholeness Jesus provides.
Thank you for these kind words. I’m so happy this essay encouraged you!
This. This is so good, Kate. This entire concept is something I've been struggling with putting a name to, and you've done it beautifully (forgive the pun). This is my second time reading through. I needed time to chew the first time around! "Broken is an opportunity to receive a gift." Yes.
Ali, thank you for your encouragement and for sharing this essay with your readers. That was sweet. I’m grateful to hear that it spoke to you.
Thank you for this. Daily I’m reminded, Oh yeah, God will not share his glory, yet it always surprises me! I can relate to squirming within my pleasant boundaries too! So grateful for (all!) your God given gifts!
Tricia, thank you!!
Broken is made beautiful in Christ! What an example of this truth your story is.
Karen, thank you for reading it!
What I appreciate about Kate is her transparency in exposing her self-awareness. If we are honest, most of us deal with our own self sufficiency, our own hubris, as Kate says. We think we’re pretty smart and want recognition for what we say— or write. The beautiful thing about Kate is that with all her God-given intelligence and talents, she’s open to her acknowledgement of God’s plan and willing to be disciplined by Him. And isn’t it true that God’s discipline is not punitive, but corrective? Those invisible barriers that keep vivacious puppies contained are there to protect them from busy streets.
But I hear you, Kate. I want to overcome my age barrier and the scoliosis in my spine to run with younger generations and make an impact. However, God has me feeling as if I’m under house arrest at times while I respond to my husband’s beck and call.
I don’t have to preach to you because you already know. His plan IS being worked out in our lives. Our surrender to His plan is the only way we can defeat the enemy who is bent on destroying us.
Keep fighting, and keep sharing!
Careen, thank you for your encouragement! I’m so grateful this post spoke to you. Your wisdom is a treasure to me.
Absolutely beautiful, Kate! ❤️
Adelaide, thank you!
As I became aware of my many gifts and how my abilities gained me so much attention and adoration, it seemed that God, too, must be very pleased. Singing, in particular, became a way to earn admiration and respect, and I learned how to fake humility while burning inside with pride. But I was one of those "he can do anything" wunderkinds, and I started saying yes to every request because I knew it would lead to another hit of the praise drug, and another gold star on my eternal crown. And I needed those stars, because despite all the praise I knew that i was deeply broken inside and a great disappointment to God. And then a day came when I finally grasped for the grace of the cross and the unconditional love and reconciliation offered by Jesus, which began a loooooong process of heart-change, continuing to today, along with a very loooooong process of learning the importance of saying no sometimes. God is healing my brokenness little by little. You're a fellow traveler on this healing journey, Kate. It's encouraging to hear what you've learned and experienced.
Wow, Charlie! Thank you for this glimpse into your story! It's a shock to discover that God doesn't "need" our gifts, isn't it. I'm grateful for your insight and encouragement.
The beginnings of your book…
Thank you, Rebecca!
You are an amazing writer! So much here to ponder. I’ve always loved the verse about replacing our heart of stone with a heart of flesh— and you have weaved it in perfectly. I didn’t know your story of your accident stopping you from playing violin— and Wow! Just wow.
Shell, thank you! You are such an encourager. I’m grateful for your comment.
"Even Jesus cannot claim the starring role in this epic — I allow him to finance and produce and always intend to give him credit in my Oscar acceptance speech." Oof! What a convicting statement. How often do we all do this even in small and subtle ways?
As a younger Christian, I used to say I wasn't broken. I didn't understand how I could be, until I had a sin-shattering experience. I remember realizing how blind I had been and that I may not have felt broken, but I was breakable all along. Kintsugi has actually been a way in which I visualized God's grace and mercy. But it's like you suggest, God's work is even more beautiful. His handiwork is perfect.
Thank you, Taylor! Your experience sounds like one I had in college. I thought I was unbreakable until I had a “sin-shattering experience” of my own (not the subject of this post). It completely devastated me until an older and wiser Christian said, “Kate, you haven’t destroyed your perfect record. You weren’t perfect before this. We live in a state of brokenness from the moment we’re conceived.” That was perspective-shifting for me — that no amount of sin and no amount of virtue is going to tip the scales for or against me. We are completely lost from the get-go without the saving grace of Jesus.