God formed Adam from the dust of the earth and then breathed into him the breath of life. (Genesis 2:7)

We are all clay destined for Heaven. That is heaven's plan for us. We need to accept the fashioning and shaping of the Father's loving hands to get us ready. This section will have some testimonies of how God took tragedy and turned it into something beautiful. There are  many sections to be added to this topic. First I share my own experience then that of others.

God is likened to a potter and we are the clay in His hands.

But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.: Isaiah 64:8

God will be faithful to finish what He has begun in you. Phil 1:6

The intensity of my love for Jesus has increased with some deep trials and losses. I realized Jesus would never leave me even though it seemed He was not around. Three of my most terrible tragedies started when I finished residency. I bought a practice and the retiring gentleman left a doctor behind who planned to also retire in a year. He noticed that his lady patients came to me instead of him. I did not realize this was happening because all patients were new to me. He became very jealous and it took me time to discover the reason for his anger. I was in the last month of pregnancy with my third son and was busy getting ready for the new son. It was all I could do to finish the move, begin practice, find a home and get things in order for the new baby.

Over a few months time I had faced threats to have my face smashed in and my nose flattened, experienced him grabbing and shaking me and threatening to shoot me with his gun.

Immobilized at times by fear, I learned to wait on God to deal with this angry man, and for God to help me forgive. God helped me keep keep going for my little sons.

Next I was GROOMED BY TRAGEDY

After I moved out on my own and began solo practice, I lost Baby Jerry. He had a heart defect and other defects. He was born about 4.5 months gestation. I was grief stricken and terrified at the thoughts of genetically passed defects from me. No known cause could be identified yet I still searched everything I had done to see if I caused this horrible event. I felt guilty but no one could find a reason for it. I had been so careful with diet, exercise, and radiation exposure while at work in the hospital.

I learned to wait on God and prioritize what was really important in life. I had almost died shortly after his death and birth. While I was physically recovering, I had a stormy time of recovering from my grief over his loss. I had the nursery started. I had seen him on ultrasound and he seemed to wave to me. I loved him and sang to him and rocked him every day from early on in my pregnancy with him. At first I was so angry, I wanted to understand why it all happened. I wanted to hold him. I wanted to dress him up and say good-bye the "right way."

  Now each of Jerry's Birthdays, I do volunteer humanitarian doctoring to needy people in other countries. This really feeds my soul. It seems I am making other Jerry's of the world better. I haven't really needed to go back often to my journal. I do refer often to my collected list of Bible promises. I love sharing with others who have a loss.

GROOMED BY LOSS OF HOME

This is a picture of breakfast in our tent. We had many years of this tent living and then camper and old trailer shelter, while trying to recover from loss of our home.

Because of the losses from the above mentioned crises, the snowball effect was to loose our home. We tried working 100 hours a week to prove the accountant wrong about his projected loss. All failed. The harder we worked the higher income taxes went till we gave up trying and decided to just put in the average work week.

I learned to wait on God instead of trying to work 5 jobs to survive on my own generated income. I realized God did not expect me to be able to do the work of 5 people.

I learned to fall into the arms of God and trust Him to provide when it was beyond all human solutions.

I noticed the storms were louder when living in a tent.

I began to tell God more often that I wanted what He promised: "I go to prepare a place for you". Because I had a need, I turned to God. He said He would never leave me even though it seemed like He had.

I learned I was more valuable than things or homes.

MY GAIN

I learned God could also provide enough so I could give to others. That has really been fun. 

My life, a lump of clay is finally in HIS HANDS. He has finally gotten me soft enough and pliable enough to fashion into a vessel He can use to help others. I have gained His compassion and hopefully I can understand more of what others feel while suffering.

BAKED Clay

The clay is usually baked when the potter has it the way He wants. My trials have tended to be the baking of me. Jesus watches the fire in the trial to make sure it does not destroy me, His vessel.

REPAIRED

If I break in the process, the Potter does not throw me away. He can see potential in what He can make from my clay. (Jeremiah 18:1,2)

Value

Value is determined by the price paid. Some dresses sell for 70,000 dollars because someone famous has worn them. I can assure you, that with all the losses I have had, I have noticed many friends turn away. However many good friends have remained and I have gained thousands more on humanitarian efforts. My joy is full. The value of you and me is based on the price God paid for us. He gave His Son Jesus to die for our sins so that we could have everlasting life. John 3:16

Clay Destined for heaven

Your clay, God has destined for heaven. If you refuse to let Him work your clay, you refuse His offer. Don't disappoint Him.

  Suddenly your parrot begins to sing what he heard God singing about you while He made your home. Wow! What a thrill to hear God's thoughts of love for you.