Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

The most beautiful and interesting specialty papers start out as messy, wet clumps of mismatched and shredded papers, bits and pieces of items such as seeds and twigs, yarn and tin foil — all blended into a scary-looking pulp that resembles something one would want to toss quickly and gingerly into the trash. In the final process, the pulp is pressed smooth and flat, and dried thoroughly enough to be written on and admired.

The paper-making process is illustrative of our sometimes seemingly pointless lives. So often, our day resembles this pulpy mess and the process of being pressed and moulded into the material that God uses for His message to the world. A typical day can easily consist of various events, such as a grandchild's sweet toothless grin; misunderstandings with a family member, followed by weeping; sharp-tempered co-workers; an unexpected hug from an unaffectionate son; pressure to pay overdue bills; the arrival in the mail of a long-awaited package "certain to make us look younger"; and seemingly endless, mind-numbing housework. And all the while, we're experiencing the pressing and drying time of waiting for answers to concerns we have brought before God, wondering if He has actually heard us.

When we encounter a long series of days that render us weary because there are more challenges and mundane tasks than delights, it is easy to wonder whether there truly is a point. Considering that God has ordered our steps, I can imagine Him neatly laying out our "pulpy mess", pressing it firmly between heaven and earth, and drying out our "page of life." Then, He permanently writes a specific message of hope, peace, and blessed purposefulness directly from His heart concerning our valuable existence. Upon completion, each page is added to our living storybook, to be referenced by us and others. Our book is ultimately added to the holy saga of Himself and all His holy servants. This is truly a magnificent work of pure beauty!

Prayer: Father God, we desperately need to feel Your love and acceptance as we manoeuvre through our often difficult and seemingly pointless lives. We need to know in our hearts that every day of each of our lives is necessary and precious. Please continue to remind us of our eternal worth and the wonderful plans You have for each one of us on earth and in heaven. Thy will be done. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (NKJV)

Many days since elementary school, I have battled depression. Even as an adult Christian, the Spirit of God constantly has to remind me that my life matters. One day when I was feeling particularly blue, the Lord gave me an illustration of how the most intriguing specialty paper starts out as a messy, wet clump of mismatched bits of paper. Various items such as seeds, twigs, yarn, and tinfoil are blended into a scary-looking pulp that resembles something one wants to toss quickly and gingerly into the trash. In the final process, though, the pulp is pressed smooth and flat, and is dried thoroughly for admiration and writing.

Sometimes our lives mirror this process and the pulpy mess. A typical day can easily consist of various happenings, such as a grandchild's sweet, toothless grin; misunderstandings with a family member, followed by a time of weeping; an encounter with sharp-tempered co-workers; an unexpected hug from an unaffectionate child; receipt of a long-awaited package in the mail; and mind-numbing housework. When we face a long series of days with more challenges and mundane tasks than delights, it is easy to wonder whether there truly is a point.

Considering that God has ordered our steps, I can imagine Him neatly laying out our "pulpy mess", pressing it firmly between heaven and earth, and drying out our "page of life." Then, He permanently writes directly from His heart a specific message of hope, peace, and blessed purposefulness concerning our valuable existence. Upon completion, each page is added to our living storybook to be referenced by us and others. Our book is ultimately added to the holy saga of Himself and all His holy servants. This is truly a magnificent work of pure beauty!

Prayer: Father God, we desperately need to feel Your love and acceptance as we manoeuvre through this often difficult and sometimes seemingly pointless life. Our hearts need to know that each and every day of our lives is necessary and precious. Please continue to remind us of our eternal worth and the wonderful plans You have for us on earth and in heaven. Thy will be done! Amen.