Before I begin my article, I want to introduce myself. My name is Jacee Guinn. I am 18 years old. I am a freshman at Shorter University. And, this is my first publication on Odyssey. I am no novelist, but I have a love for writing in which I enjoy sharing.

Lately, I have been thinking about God’s love. I have had quite a few reminders of His kindness over the last few days. I have seen situations that are totally beyond my comprehension that remind me of the blessings that God has placed in my life. I have made mistakes that put me in my place, reprimanding me for taking advantage of God’s gifts.

This week guilt grabbed a hold of me like a hawk swooping in on its prey. But I remembered a song: “Feel It” by TobyMac. The chorus says, “I feel it in my heart. I feel it in my soul. You take our brokenness and make us beautiful.” Then, my roommate began singing the song at the top of her lungs the very next day. Almost like a final reminder, I was on the phone with a dear friend last night and the topic of God’s restoring love made its way into the conversation. The only thing that I could think of was a mosaic.

A mosaic is a piece of art that is created by strategically placing shards of glass or stone into an image. The images can be made into anything the artist desires. But do you know how the artist gets the shards? He may pick them up off the ground or he may buy them. But before they are made into something beautiful, they have to be broken.

My stepmom has sheets of stained glass. They are solid colors that have not been broken or made into anything yet. She plans on breaking them up and covering a window in the house with the shards. She feels as if it will add something unique and beautiful to our home. I do not know if she has researched it yet, but I took the opportunity to do that.

When the artist sits down to create his mosaic, he must have a plan. First, he breaks the glass or stone. He can hit it with a hammer or throw it on the ground. After he collects the shards, a template is drawn, and he carefully chooses the pieces to go where they fit best. He takes his time because he wants his work of art to be perfect. He does not dare show his work until every last piece has its place. It simply would not make sense if he hung his masterpiece when he is not done yet.

You may be experiencing something that is shattering you right now. You may feel empty and lost. You may not see how God is going to work this out for you. My advice is to have faith, even if it is as small as a mustard seed. That is all that is needed anyway, right? Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” God has great things planned for our lives. Sometimes we question why God is taking so long to get us out of the rut we are in. Give Him time because He is piecing you together again to make you even more perfect than before. Just like He makes masterpieces in the sky at sunset, He has made us as a testament to His beauty. We are made in His image and He loves us.