Life Unravels

Life unravels. And when it does, so do we. 

Sometimes we get hit in the heart by the loss of a loved one or a broken relationship.

Other times fear smacks us straight between the eyes, like when the doctor uses the “C” word.

Still, other times life blind-sides us from behind. Or maybe a car does. A literal car. That was my story, and I tell it in the short video below.

I hope my story will encourage you — or at least make you laugh. And laughter is good medicine when life unravels.

Transcript:

Good evening, ladies. Y’all look so sharp. I’m used to looking out and seeing hair bows and dirty faces. I’m a preschool teacher, so if I wipe your cheek, I’m sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me.

Now in my class, I have one main rule. Before I tell them a Bible story, they have to find The Red Thread.

So why am I hiding a red thread?

I got the idea years ago when I was studying the Old Testament. I started to notice that from the beginning of time, God had orchestrated the smallest details to the biggest blunders and even outright atrocities of man and nations to fit His divine purposes.

And through every single bit of it, He wove — like a thread — stunning reflections of His Son Jesus Christ.

If we see everything as wrapped in a red thread — our loved ones, our going a little crazy world, ourselves — wrapped in a red thread of Christ’s presence, and power, and sovereignty, that’s a game changer.

I wanted my preschool kids to learn that early. So I taught them.

One day, after they found the red thread, I made a mistake.

I said, “Would one of you please go get that thread and bring it to me?”

Now, if you’ve been in a group of preschoolers, you know what I just unleashed.

Preschool anarchy.

Hands are waving everywhere. “Mrs. Jean! Look at me! Me! Pick me!”

Little Michael and Joey? They’re gone, and they’re fighting it out. “I’ll get it! I’ll get it! I’ll get it!”

Little Suzy and Mary Beth? They’re laid out all over the floor wailing. “I wanted to get it! I wanted to get it!”

Y’all, my class had just unraveled over a six-inch piece of thread.

But seriously. Aren’t we just a little bit like that when our life unravels? Usually — hopefully — not over a six-inch piece of thread, although sometimes I must confess to that at times.

But usually, it’s the big things.

Like when my mom called and said she had terminal cancer.  My hands went straight up to God.

God, do you see me? Do you see my mom?

And then when my dad was diagnosed with dementia the year my mom died, I was laid out on the floor, wailing.

I don’t want this! I didn’t want this for my dad!

And then, one day, that one thing too many happened.

I’d been white-knuckle driving down I-20 in blinding rain for 2 hours, and I needed a break.

So I’m pulling off Exit 113, when I remember the restaurants are on Exit 114. So I whip it back onto the highway just to face a sea of red brake lights.

Seriously, God? Cause I was just getting off, and You let me get back on?

And then BLAM!

A white cargo van plowed into the back of me and shattered my windshield.

And, Ladies, I pole vaulted past unraveled and went straight into crazy.

“WHY? WHY, GOD? You knew this was gonna happen, and You could have stopped me. You could have made me take that exit, and YOU DIDN’T! YOU DIDN’T!”

And then God broke through my crazy into my heart, and He said, “Yes, Jean, I could have stopped you, but I didn’t. Do you trust me?”

“Ugh. I’m trying.”

“Look for The Red Thread.”

So I thought about Daniel. Man, his life unraveled. God let him be thrown into a lion’s den. But He trusted God, and Jesus was with him.

I thought about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their lives unraveled. God let them be thrown into a fiery furnace. But they trusted Him, and Jesus was with them.

I’m just in a busted-up van on I-20. I can trust Him.

And that’s when I saw the Red Thread.

I was wrapped up in it.

I was wrapped up in the presence, and the power, and the peace of Christ, and I knew I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

Ladies, Colossians 1:17 tells us, Jesus is before all things, and in Him — in Him — all things hold together.

Yes, life may unravel, but we don’t have to because Christ holds us together.

---

 “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
~ Colossians 1:17

[bctt tweet=”When Life Unravels, We Don’t Have to. Christ Holds Us Together #TheRedThread #Hope” username=”JeanWilund”]

What are you facing today?

Wrap it in the Red Thread of Christ and know that Jesus is with you. He’s holding you. 

If you enjoyed this, I hope you’ll share it with others who need to feel Christ’s presence today, too.

Thanks!

Jean