I have a legit obsession with old doors and windows. When this love affair started I can’t say exactly, but it’s deeply rooted. My eyes are drawn to 8 paned windows, old barn doors, and discarded shutters. If within my sight, they are in my hands and I’m examining the paint while considering all the lovely uses for the once highly esteemed piece.

In their prime-they were hinged or mounted and put to good use. They became gate keepers for cool breezes and ushered in the songs of crickets on hot, summer nights. Sounds of life emerged from thresholds, and stories were recorded on each pane. One door might hold the story of new life, while one window became a looking glass into death.

But now…now they stand as discarded artifacts of days and dreams gone by. They’ve been unhinged, set aside, and repurposed. These old treasures find homes in antique stores, junk yards, and flea markets. They lean against fences and prop against yesterday’s trash. At first glance, they are not spectacular and resemble junk more than art.

That’s where my love for these treasures ignites—in what has been and what yet could be. Old doors become headboards, old windows serve as wall decorations, and discarded door knobs double as clothing hooks. Endless possibilities emerge in my imagination.

Life feels an awful lot like an old door. We are given specific gifts and talents, and when put to good use they become vessels for life to happen and hope to flourish.  Everything feels great when our hinges are oiled, when the lock on the window functions as intended, and rust has yet to adorn any component. But then, life happens. Hard things like divorce, illness, depression, job loss, or bankruptcy leave us unhinged. We become out of sorts; without direction.

I’ve felt like those old windows and doors. Have you?

Without faith, my days of discarded would have culminated in hopelessness. Because of faith, that’s not my story. You see, I believe that God has a distinct purpose for my life. I believe the same for you. Our decisions and obedience play a role in how we live out our purpose. That means that sometimes we suffer a broken pane of glass, and other times we may be completely unhinged. That place, and I believe you know it as well as I do, is where we are reassigned-if we are willing to surrender.

When I went through a divorce, I felt like a total failure. I was ashamed of my new marital status and all that accompanied the title “single mom”. The weight of my own shame was overwhelming, so the insensitive responses from others put me in the ground. There was no way I could see a repurposing happening in the middle of that storm. But God. I love that phrase in the bible. While we wrestle to see things from this earthly perspective, He bears witness to a great repurposing at work. That’s His character. He really does create beautiful things from the ashes of our mistakes, failures, sickness, pain, and screw-ups.

Friend, if you feel unhinged, discarded, or repurposed, I hope you’ll look to Jesus for the strength you’ll need for your new assignment. Let him use everything, even this, for a greater purpose. Hold nothing back…lay all your hurts and brokenness before Him. He’s big enough to handle the things that you’ve screwed up, or misappropriated. Take my word for it, I’m living proof!

The next time you see an old door, or a broken window, give a shout of thanks to God. He is who He says He is, and He will work all things together for good. As you walk in healing, your life will be a display of His splendor!

…to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor.

Isaiah 61:3