What Happens When You Let God Paint the Picture

My family and I arrived in the Midwest at the tail end of Winter nineteen months ago.  Everything was dead.  The canvas was blank.  I turned over my palette of dried up colors to God and said, "Here you go, Lord — Our lives are a clean slate.  Please paint a new picture."

Our prayer was answered in the Spring.  I spent over twenty years in California trying to grow green grass.  My water and landscape bills were out of control and I had nothing to show for it.  We arrived with no jobs and no clue where we would live.  Our bank account was running on empty.  Out of nowhere the green grass sprouted all around us.  "Where are the water sprinklers?  I asked my wife.

"Nobody uses them here," she replied.  "They're not necessary."

I couldn't believe the rich color.  We were staying with friends and we watched their gardens come to life without planting anything or watering.  It all seemed so magical.  I felt like I was living in some kind of wonderland.  That was only the beginning.  Our job offers came in as quickly as the grass sprouted.  I found a new mechanic and asked him to change the oil.  He asked me for my name so he could enter me in a drawing.  He was celebrating ten years running his own business.  We won the grand prize, an HDTV!

We found someone who was willing to sell his home using seller financing and we signed the papers and moved in.  The home came fully equipped with all the major appliances.  We had our best summer ever.  Then Autumn came.  Wow!  The colors were out of this world.  We celebrated our first White Christmas with all three of our children.  Our daughter told us she wanted to change schools so she could be closer to us.  The snow on Christmas Day convinced her she belonged here.  By the time school started in the Fall, she was eligible for in-state tuition.  Our oldest son found an employer willing to subsidize most of his college tuition.  And our youngest son discovered the joy of Iowa wrestling and Iowa football.  These sports are so popular that the whole area shuts down to cheer on the home team.

I'm in awe of the picture God is painting of our lives.  He's not done yet.  We're still a work in progress.  Today's story is to encourage you if you're struggling.  Put your trust in God.  Let Him be in charge of the paint brush.  Don't be afraid to start over with a clean slate. You may find the grass is greener and your life is much more colorful.  Don't forget to share what happens when you let God paint the picture.  Have a great day.