Hebrews 13:20-21

Life is like a puzzle. A big, blurry, confusing, multicolored, multi-layered, beautiful puzzle. The children here don't know what a puzzle is. They play with the pieces between their bruised fingers and they stare at the picture that each individual piece holds, unaware that all of the pieces together make the most complete and lovely picture of them all.

I giggle at the kids as they fumble with the concept of a puzzle, but I am no better. God has blessed me with many individual puzzle pieces throughout my life. As a human, I have a tendency to focus on each piece. I glare at the small picture in my hand at the moment, and sometimes if I'm really reaching out I look at the edges of other pieces to see where my current piece fits. Rarely, if ever, do I step back and look at the whole picture developing. Rarely does someone look back on the puzzle pieces that have already found a home, and admire the glory that they add to the finished picture.

Today, I thank God for the puzzle pieces that I have already placed down. Today, I thank God for the finished picture that He is using me to create. Today, I take my eyes off of the piece in my hand, and rather appreciate the picture in His.

My life continues to be built through puzzle pieces of family, pain, sickness, excitement, adventure, and blessings. Puzzle piece Tanzania, puzzle piece Pi Beta Phi, puzzle piece Anelwa, Flora, Kakaiya, and Lilian, puzzle piece long-distance relationship, puzzle piece love. These puzzle pieces are going to combine together to create a picture not for me to gaze upon, but made for the glory of my Father, the only one worthy.

Look at what Jesus says in Luke 9:23, "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" It's a heavy cross. It's a cross filled with disease, poverty, exhaustion, hurt, fear, and so much weight. It's an intense and lengthy cross that we carry for our Savior, but he gives us strength. He provides us with the power to carry the cross that he blesses us with. He provides us with little blessings that make the load seem slightly easier to hold.

Today, I am grateful for Anelwa, Lilian, Flora, and Kakaiya. Thanks for making my cross a little bit lighter, girls.



Papa Bear,
I thank you for the cross that I carry towards you each day. Thank you for the puzzle pieces that lead my heart closer to yours. Continue to break me for the stunning faces and souls that continually take my breath away, and continue to make war in my path so that I may battle in your name and fight as your dedicated and passionate Mulan. I love you with a love that will never be explained, lessened, or surpassed by any earthly being. Each day, with each step, I fall in love with you again.
Yours.