Broken Crayons Still Color

Many times what we see as our biggest regrets, failures and mistakes become what God uses the most in our lives.

God is able to transform our brokenness into something more beautiful than we can even imagine. He takes our mess and creates a masterpiece.

You see, broken crayons still color.

The other day while shopping, I saw a sign that read, “Even broken crayons still color.”  It made me pause in my tracks for a second…or two…maybe a few minutes for me to ponder the statement. I stood there taking up space and repeated each word out loud.  It was one of those powerful AHA moments. I was having an epiphany and a few other people had stopped as well and stood staring at the same sign. And, even though none of us spoke, we each took with us something from those words. 

How many times haven’t we shattered into millions of pieces? How many times haven’t we believed, in that state of desperation, that we have no shine; that we aren’t worth it; that life is over in that brokenness?  Have you been doing well then all of a sudden hit a snag in the road and it felt like all your hard work flew into pieces? I have. To be transparent that snag came in February of this year with job restructuring which led to me being dismissed to being low woman on the totem pole. In that moment my world shattered into a million pieces.

However, those small fragments in us mend and expand; they break and create new extremities to bridge the old with the new. They make us stronger, wiser, and graceful. They force us to reinvent ourselves, forgive, and learn to play. I, for one, am grateful for those broken pieces…all the tiny ones that can be picked and put together to create a new life. They have allowed my colors to bleed into other brighter ones and combined to make new hues so I can go out into the world and paint for me

If there’s one thing that I know to be true, it’s that God can make even our darkest memories into stories to inspire others.  Nothing we go through can stop us from our destiny. Life is more about reaction than acton. What we do when the chips are down and our back is against the wall says a lot about you.  Hard moments can shape us, but there isn’t any one moment that defines us. We are all a huge compiled list of experiences, emotions, and memories.

You are not unqualified from your purpose because of your past.  

A FEW YEARS FROM NOW

Can you imagine yourself 5 years from now if you don’t give up? Look back 5 years, did you think that you would be where you are now? 5 years ago I was 33 years old, a reading specialist/coach finishing up most recent grad school degree, dreaming of what life would be like with the man I was dating/possibly falling in love with at the time, enjoying working with a great team and school, and enjoying my life thus far.   I never imagined the good and bad days in between. I never imagined the hurt breaks, tear-filled nights, life and career experiences, or even this blog.

But I wouldn’t trade any of those memories because they’ve given me the strength and will to inspire others with my gifts. Each and every life event shaped me into the Roshaunda aka Ro that I am today. The same goes for you. Stop counting out yourself because of your shortcomings and learn to embrace them.

I had no idea what my purpose was, but God knew all along. (Truth be told even though I feel like I know what my purpose is, I trust that God knows and is having me live out my purpose). 

THRIVE: HE KNOWS YOUR PURPOSE

I know all the times that I have felt broken and beaten down God has taken my mess/brokenness and helped me create masterpieces (aka my legacy) to leave behind for others to build and remember. As stated in one of my previous blogs Thrive, we all face challenges in our lives.  These challenges can be overwhelming it can cause us to have self-doubt or pity.  However, we have a choice. We can choose to sit around, wait and hope things happen or we can THRIVE.  I choose to be a BROKEN CRAYON that continues to THRIVE! I am ready to paint the world in a different light no matter how small or large the breaks are in the future. 

He knows your purpose too.  You are a crayon with purpose despite every single way you have fallen short.  Do not allow life to beat you down. Stand up and be bold. Paint your world today with those little pieces you think of discarding!  Color, laugh, cry and rejoice for being the most perfect version of you. You will continue to do amazing things. Choose to be great because despite everything, broken crayons still color. 

PS: This blog was inspired by the lovely sign I saw shopping in addition to a church sermon preached at the church I attended back in March.  To hear the sermon click on the video below.