No More Patches

By Terri L Braun

You can be more than just a patchwork; you can be a masterpiece!

Life rips holes in your heart and tears in your soul. You put on patches to survive another day. You feel lost in this world, roaming aimlessly while looking for life's purpose. Decisions are made in hopes to feel good, but these don't always align with God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: May 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637691915

Book preview

Acknowledgements

To my son, Coby Braun, who inspired and diligently worked with me on the artwork for the front cover. His talent always amazes me.

Dedications

To my mother, Esther Courtney, who I have watched loyally dedicate time to Him daily. She has been a wonderful example of faith. She has shown me the power of believing, the power of His love, and the power of having God by your side.

To my husband, Scott Braun, and my boys, Bryce and Coby, for their unwavering support and confidence in me. They sacrificed so much after my traumatic brain injury and motivated me to plow forward during the hard times and inspired me to pursue my dreams.

Prologue

You are broken, beautiful, and amazing. Yes, you are broken and wonderfully made at the same time! We are all broken from the many trips and falls throughout our lives. Our hardships put holes in our hearts and tears in our souls. But life goes on... So, we put patches on those holes just so we can endure another day. Those patches, though, soon become worn, and we become tainted by our hardships. Our hearts become a little harder, our feelings callous, and the light within us dims.

If your patches are worn, you are weary from the weight of the world and negativity envelops you. The solution… God. If you put your faith in God and trust in Him, you will no longer need patches and will have no new holes. The scars from those old patches are symbols of your triumphs over life. Every success and every scar have shaped who you are. They remind you that you are a survivor, but now you have something bigger than yourself. You have God, and He can fill those holes, so you feel courageous and full of joy—no more patches.

He knitted you together in your mother’s womb (Psalms 139:13). He has known you since before you were born and knows every hair on your head, every tear you have cried, and every success you have celebrated. There is only one you in the entire universe. You are the beginning and the end of you. The same God that created the stars and the universe created one of you too. You are special because you are His child and are created in His image. You are loved. You can find joy and peace in this harsh world. He knows the path that you should take to love Him, love others, and learn to love yourself as He loves you…unconditionally.

Open your heart to Him and have faith in Him, and you will be blessed with new opportunities and new possibilities. With Him, you will experience the world in a different way because your heart will no longer be hardened, and your spirit will be free. Start over and live your life joyfully with purpose by following Him. You can be more than just a patchwork; you can be a masterpiece.

Starting Over

Your circumstances do not define you, so do not allow the past to rob you of enjoying today. No matter how many hardships you have faced in your life, your life can be good because you realize God is always besides you. Sometimes, without difficult situations and difficult circumstances, you would have never reached out for Christ. Your struggles and suffering can be the cornerstone for your faith and how you live your life. You can either feel sorry for yourself and dwell in self-pity over your circumstances, or you can thank God that He is there with you during the hard times and have no fear for the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).

By having Him in your life, you see things in a new perspective, and you can start over because your situation no longer controls you or your attitude. Through His eyes, you begin to view the world in a more positive light. When you make a conscious effort to see the beauty that surrounds you, you begin to have a grateful heart that will be filled with a joy and happiness that only He can provide.

Come to Him just as you are. You are never so broken that God will not want you. He loves you just as you are. There is no mistake or sin too big that God will not forgive. He not only forgives but forgets. You can start over because God is on your side, and you now know that, with each challenge you face, He will give you strength so that you will be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

If you feel that you are tripping through life and running into closed doors, you are probably trying to control your own circumstances. Anytime you are afraid and struggling to find your way, it is because you are trying to create your own will instead of relying on and trusting God’s will. When trying to be in control and doing things your way, you find the road is harder. You are trying to lead when you should be following. In other words, stop where you are and listen, and God will lead you in the right direction. Give your problems up to Him, and He will help you find the answer. Say out loud, I trust you; I give it up to you. Elisabeth Elliot said, Fear arises when we imagine everything depends on us. The battle is His to fight, not yours. So, let Him lead and you follow. You are not alone in your struggles. Jesus is with you every step of the way.

God longs to have a relationship with you, His creation. Begin a relationship and nurture that relationship by spending time with Him. Talk to Him about your day and what is in your heart. Tell Him your wants, your desires, your struggles, and thank Him for all that He has given you. If you do not know what to say, then simply sit in the quiet and be with Him. Fill your heart with Him. Your heart needs to be open so that it can be the rich soil that makes His Word grow (Matthew 13:9). You will hear Him if you take the time to listen.

We all can identify with Jesus in some way. He was poor, had no real home in his adult life, and was sheltered only by those who opened their home to Him. Throughout His life, He was shunned and mocked. He was considered an outcast and called a liar. He

Reviews for No More Patches

[Lori Hertel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Terri is a very supportive writer who sees the main picture due to the struggles she has endured based on her Traumatic Brain Injury. She learned that she cannot handle her struggles alone, but must turn to God to help her through the difficulty associated with this awful medical and emotional trauma. Terri uses her words to help others do the same. Her caring words and spiritual advising helps others turn to God when the struggles become difficult. This allows us to stop putting "patches" over those struggles but to actually resolve this trauma with the help of God. Lori Hertel, Ph.D.