Jen here... thinking about broken shells

In the past, the beach was our vacation destination. It was always a joy to see our children running across the sand toward the ocean. I especially enjoyed finding seashells. I would walk along the beach, searching for the most perfect shells to carry home and display in jars - a memento of our family vacation.

My shell collection began to grow as we made our annual trip to the seaside. Since I had plenty of shells, it became a quest to find THE MOST perfect specimens to take home. The biggest or the most flawless... those were the shells that I desired collecting.

Now, it takes less than an hour for us to have our toes in the sand at Gulf Shores. I still thoroughly enjoy picking up treasure from the beach, but I limit myself to a couple of shells in my pocket. I'll be honest with you, perfection is no longer an issue. I like things that are different. My favorite has become broken shells.

Being able to see the beauty INSIDE of a seashell - now that's intriguing! The hidden quality of a seashell, exposed when broken, is lovely to me. They seem to be more rare than perfectly formed seashells. These broken shells are keepers!

The Bible refers to the hidden person of the heart. Outer beauty is fleeting and can be deceiving. God, who can see the beauty inside of us, sometimes reveals that beauty to the world through our brokenness. When we are opened and no longer trying to give the appearance of perfection, we have just as much to offer. God desires to use our brokenness to bless others... He uses all things to His glory. Our tears are not wasted. Our trials are not worthless. We have an opportunity to glorify God, in good times and bad!


Father God... use me. Even when I am broken and left open to the world, let your light shine through me. In Jesus name, amen.