Those beautiful baubles don’t start out as faceted jewels. Wrenched or blasted out of the ground, gem material (as it’s called) usually has a crust of other mineral material on it, often unattractive ore or dirt. Material that is deemed “worthy” by experts then moves to the next phase, where it is cut, shaped, re-cut, and sometimes, heated, irradiated, and cut again. It is measured, calibrated, remeasured, and then waits for a setting to be chosen. Only after it is set (more work there), selected, purchased, and worn does it go out into the world and shine, lavished with “oohs and ahs.”

Difficult lives punctuated by illness and heavy with pain are like that gem material taken from the ground. We who have these health challenges are cut, shaped, heated, irradiated (metaphorically and sometimes truly!) as we go through our transformation from something unrecognizable to something more – something that sparkles.

God has already deemed you worthy. You are His beloved, His child. Through the faith that you have today and the courage that God gives you to face tomorrow, as you are shaped and faceted by the trials you live through, the jewel that is you is becoming more beautiful, more sparkling, and more of a life that will catch the light and illuminate even the darkest corner of the world.

Blessings for the day,

Maureen