When Life Breaks Us - God Restores Us
Do you feel like an enigma? A misfit puzzle piece that doesn’t belong. Anywhere? Do you feel like butt dust? Do you know Jesus knows we are already butt dust - well - but, dust. You, my friend, are not alone! Join in now! Be encouraged and equipped for the day with God’s Word!
Diana’s Notes
We’re Butt Dust! What? When Life Breaks Us, God Restores Us
Howdy Ho, Everyone!!! Is it I owe, I owe, so its off to work you go as you listen, or are you curled up with a nice cup of coffee or tea and joining the conversation from your sofa?! Well, wherever you find yourself, my friend, welcome to another Heartfelt Conversation. I’m so glad you tuned in. I hope you leave filled with hope, grace, and maybe a laugh or two
So...
I wouldn’t say I was a bad person... but I sure did a lot of bad things. Because I got hurt. I lost my balance, fell backward, and when I stood back up, I didn’t even recognize where I was anymore. Worse, I didn’t recognize myself anymore. My peace was gone.
And when you live without peace, life can start to feel like you’re just... existing. Going through the motions, numb, reactionary, but moving. little by little, piece by piece, bit by bit, when we turn away from the hurt, when we bury it … Well,
The truth is, when we bury our hurt instead of allowing God to help us heal from it, it never stays buried. It festers. And one day, it oozes back into our lives like an infected wound — in the form of bitterness, isolation, fear, and unforgiveness.
And that, my friends, is exactly the place where the enemy wants you.
Because, just like Adam and Eve, when they were tricked into believing God was keeping something good from them, I too believed lies. That I was unworthy, unloved, a mistake.
But God wasn’t hiding something from Adam and Eve… He was protecting them from something (death) for something (life). And He’s doing the same for me and you. He is trying to watch over us and protect us, calling to us to turn to Him. It’s an invitation, not a demand.
God created us with free will. He gave us the ability to choose. And every day, whether we realize it or not, we are choosing: life or death.
When Adam and Eve chose disobedience, it opened the door to separation, sorrow, and sin. But God, being who He is — rich in mercy — immediately began writing a rescue story for us.
Now listen, I’m not here to guilt trip you — Lord knows I have failed and sinned enough for a multitude. But thankfully, God doesn’t hand out frequent failure punch cards... He hands out grace. Unlimited refills, And I need His grace and mercy every day!
God sent Jesus, not to rub the stain of our sins in, but to remove the stains of sin off and out of our lives once and for all. For all of eternity!
He already knows everything about you. He remembers we are "but dust"
Psalm 103:14: For He Himself knows our form; He remembers that we are( but dust).
He knows we are imperfect, and guess what? He still sent His Son, Jesus to be our Savior, Jesus already paid for our sin — our job is simply to receive the gift.
No need to fix ourselves first. No need to clean up the mess before we go to God. He invites us to Come as we are.
The good news is with Jesus we can learn to live lives that are filled with His peace, His joy, His rest. Not ours, His! We can not have the life we so deeply seek in our innermost being separated from Him. It is impossible. If you say you can, I say you are lying to yourself and I truly feel sorrow for you because I have tried and failed. Then I came and found freedom and now I have new life in Him, new joy, new purpose and He has given me beauty for ashes.
Here are 3 quick life lessons that have really helped root me in the truth so I can walk in the Peace Jesus died to give to me and to you.
Life Lesson #1:
Bring Your Wounds Into His Light: Stop hiding. Start healing.
Confess your sins, share your pain, your wounds, your disappointments. Pray to God and seek Him. He is the very best friend you will ever come to know, There's no condemnation waiting for you, only restoration.
Life Lesson #2:
Choose Life, Every Day!
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 tells us: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Every single day is a choice. To live God's way or the world’s way. His way leads to peace and purpose. The world's way? It leads to stress, disease, and exhaustion. (Ask me how I know... Been there, done that, got the t-shirt — and it was itchy so I threw it away and God gave me a new garment.) A robe of righteousness
Life Lesson #3:
Let God Lead you into community
Don’t isolate yourself. God often uses us to help others but we are also helped and strengthened by others when we are in a good, healthy community in unity for Jesus.
The enemy loves to whisper, "You’re alone, no one understands you." But that is a lie straight from the pit.
We are not alone, we are a part of the body of Christ and we should be able to gather together in His house to rub elbows with one another, to have conversations with people who are going through some stuff too so we know that it isn’t just us.
Hebrews 10:24-: tells us
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
As the world grows darker, more lost, chaotic, and confusing, it is imperative that we draw closer to God, to His Light, and to one another in unity.
I used to believe I was born by accident, an enigma, a misfit puzzle piece that didn't belong on this earth.
But Jesus showed me: I was handpicked, handmade, and set apart. And so are you.
Don’t let your past pain or pride stop you from walking toward the life God has already prepared for you. His way is not always the easiest, but it is always the most rewarding. Nothing else will ever satisfy you
And listen — the enemy's plan is simple:
Distract.
Discourage.
Dismantle.
Destroy.
DEATH.
But God’s plan is even simpler:
Save.
Redeem.
Restore.
LIFE. Eternal.
And that’s the offer on the table today. You don’t have to clean yourself up to come to Jesus. You need to come.
In the beginning, I mentioned that we are but dust according to Psalm 103:14
Well, to further encourage your journey, I have included a link to Pastor Annie’s message from a couple of weeks ago:
And in the message she mentioned that compared to Jesus we are butt dust!! Lol I never thought about butt dust until that moment and it cracked me up! Lol oh brother - so sad - anyway… the link to her message: The Veil Is Torn is included on the notes for this week
You can find my notes with the link for The Veil Is Torn on Heartfeltconversations.com
And that’s it, friends. Be kind to others, Be Kind to yourself. Stay sweet. Stay rooted in the word. And choose life—real life that He has for you!
Father, today I pray for every person listening that You would meet them right where they are. Heal the broken places. Restore the lost time. Replace fear with faith and sorrow with joy. Show them that they were never alone, not even for one moment. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice and new life.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Please join our mission at Valley and make it your personal mission: to know Jesus and make Him known.
Until next time, take care, and remember: God’s not done with your story yet.
Songs to inspire you
I AM YOURS [Official Lyric Video] | Vineyard Worship feat. Dave Miller
Made For More - Josh Baldwin, feat. Jenn Johnson
Charity Gayle - I Speak Jesus (feat. Steven Musso) [Live]
Foundation Verse
Romans 8:11
The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living in you. “
Additional Resources
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born again, child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above, were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana and we will pass along your information for you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you!
Diana’s Home Church:
Valley Family Church - Pastor’s Eric and Alexa Jones
www.valleyfamilychurch.org
Other recommended Jesus-centered churches who teach the True Word of God:
Elevation Church - Steven Furtick
https://elevationchurch.org/
Joseph Prince Ministries - Joseph Prince
https://www.josephprince.org/
Joyce Meyer Ministries
https://joycemeyer.org/