“Mr. Crump… You have cancer.”
These aren’t just words that echo through the halls of my life, it is an everyday event. I wake up in pain, I lay down in pain and in many areas of my body, I am damaged for life. I’m not writing this for a pity party, but clarification.
I’ve loved cars as long as I can remember. When I was a small child I was painting and remodeling Matchbox cars, building models and putting my own twist on them and as an adult, I just love trading them out once in a while because, well, I just like it.
Another thing I have a passion for when it comes to cars is renovation. I’ve been sanding on, painting on and building on cars (and really just about anything) as long as I can remember. When some people see an old car, they just see an old car ready to head to the junkyard… excuse me, the “automotive recycling center” 🙂 I see an opportunity. When I see a car sitting in a junkyard, I see a missed opportunity and potential joy.
I have had some permanent damage to my body as a result of drugs and radiation treatment that no drug or miracle pill can fix and many days I flat out accept it. When I do that, it’s almost like a person as myself driving by a sun scorched roached out old 1930-50 car and saying “oh well”.
The Bible teaches us that God promised to take things falling apart, things that are damaged for life, and give them new life.
“Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ”
“John 6:63
”It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. ”
LIFE. Life is not sitting in some field rotting away. Life is not standing by while the world passes you. It is about living and living well. As much as I like old cars, I love restoration. I love the art of putting my hands on something, feeling it’s history and sharing it’s story.
Isaiah 64:8 says: And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.
I guess I know where my love for restoration comes from. It comes from the Father’s heart. God has been making and molding because of His passion for us.
To say #GodsGotThis is to say, He is the potter and I’m just clay. Yes, I might not be working so well right now, BUT GOD is at work, molding, making and shaping. Taking joy in my story, His story and making something awesome.
Every time I go to a car show, whether I’m showing or just there to observe, people always swarm around a beautiful restoration and admire all the work. That is you and that is me! I will also say, there are some “works in progress” that get just as much attention, not because they are as awesome in beauty as the finished work, but for the potential!
I want to encourage you today that although you may consider yourself damaged for life, God sees you in a much different way and so does and will everyone else around you. Don’t give up, don’t give in and never, never forget….
Awesome and so true!! Thank you for the reminder that no matter what we go through, God really does have this. Love you Matt!