The story of dry bones in Ezekiel is one of my favorites. It's a moving testament to how God works out His plans even when all we see are dead, dry bones. The Bible is so full of stories of God using the broken, busted, scarred and tattered to do His most mighty works. He breathes new, changing life into people that many would write off as lost and useless.
About thirty years ago I let a dream die because of fear. I was afraid I couldn't perform the work that I would need to be able to perform in order to see the dream come to fruition. I wanted to serve people as my service to God and I planned to go to seminary. I was accepted to start the fall of 1990 and just didn't. Soon after I got married and began a life of serving family and jobs. I got out of the work that I felt called to and started serving in the capacity of administrative assistant. I loved all of my jobs and they have been varied and scattered. A little over a year ago I was challenged by a boss to think about goals. What were my long term goals. Deep inside my "dry bones" I still wanted to get my Master's degree and serve in a capacity to help others who were broken and battered.
Then God opened a door. A new job doing something I truly loved. Helping people who were older or physically challenged stay at home. Helping them maintain independence. My heart began to beat again. Just as I got started I got the dreaded cancer diagnosis and again felt like things were dead and wouldn't ever go any farther. But I have the kind of husband who sees the best in me and pushes me to keep reaching.
So I did. I applied. I applied to the School of Social Work at LSU. It started okay and then they told me I had to take a statistics class. I took one of those the first time around and barely passed. But they sent me a link and I paid my money and I managed to pass the test to pass the class. Then I got this.
Like, two weddings - one in December and one in February. A son who will graduate college in the next six months and get a job and start grown up life. And a mom who will start her fourth battle with cancer. I think that last one has me most worried and most motivated. Because I serve an Unstoppable God. He finishes plans that He starts. He moves mountains and makes the impossible, possible. And He heals those who are sick.
You see my God is big. He takes all the little, broken, crazy us and turns them into beautiful pictures that shine and reflect His light. When we let Him breathe life into our dry bones He can make them walk again.
Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
