Pass the tissues please!

Anguish. Grief. Loss. Overwhelming conviction. Flat out heartache. Debilitating pain. Nosebleeds. Allergies. Chronic illness.

There are all kinds of reasons to need a tissue.

But some reasons are not so bad, like laughing with a friend until your sides hurt. Or sheer joy from seeing someone you love succeed. The beauty of a perfectly timed song. An unforeseen kindness. Evening out makeup lines. Depending on the time of the month for us girls, all it takes is a sentimental commercial. The list could go on…

Whatever the reason, when the time comes, we sure don’t like to be caught without one, do we? This is why we buy in bulk at my house. There is a tissue box in nearly every room. And while quantity is important, quality is, by far, more important. Especially right now during allergy season. I mean, a cute box is worthless if the tissue can’t hold up under the pressure, right? No one likes a flimsy, scratchy tissue. One day, a particular brand of tissue caught my eye. It claimed it was “soft AND strong”. It was just screaming, “Buy me!” I had to know if it was really true. Can this actually withstand what I need it to, but remain soft? How could this be? I was pleased to find out the claim was true.

The secret? Tightly. Woven. Layers.

I want to be like that tissue. Oh that someone would say of me – she is soft, AND strong. I already know I have lots of ‘layers’. Everyone does. And I’m not just talking about literal layers here (although that is true as well). We all have deep layers of emotions and experiences topped off with our surroundings, personalities, and consequences of life choices that make us who we are. But layers are just that – layers – without a binding agent. There’s not much usefulness to it all unless we see and understand that we were meant to be bound together in relationship with God. Somehow my life experiences and the person God created me to be makes sense when I see in the light of His creation and His deep desire to have a relationship with me. He wants the same with you. He wants us to be tightly woven to Him, so that we can have His same strength. Able to withstand the blows of life (shameless pun intended).

So whatever has you reaching for a tissue in the days to come, let it serve as a reminder to be in connection with our beautiful Creator. Be patient, intertwining takes time.

His love will hold you together. His love gives you purpose. He will supply your strength. He will ease your pain. He will even make you laugh – sometimes until your sides hurt.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
 He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Twice in the last few weeks, I cried during this  song  because both times I was driving and it started to rain as the song played. Such a beautiful showering of God’s Spirit. Enjoy! And I hope it rains on you.