Patchwork Soul by Karma Pratt

I inherited a purple patchwork quilt when I moved out of our family home. My mom got it from my grandma, and no one is completely sure where she got it from. Someone made it by hand, that much is true. At first glance it doesn't seem to be much to look at. The purple is a light pastel, not the rich royal hue I prefer. Yellow yarn pokes out from the centers of the patterns. It's seen a lot of living, so some of the threads have come out and the patches are beginning to lift. 

This quilt wouldn't win any prizes at the county fair in its current condition. And yet, somehow, it endures. The fabric is soft, so soft from years of use and gentle care. It has adorned beds in many different locations. It has provided comfort in the midst of cold, dark, lonely moments. 

This patchwork quilt, passed down through generations, has much in common with my faith journey and personal relationship with God. Much like the quilt, my patchwork soul is in need of repair. Some of the pieces have come loose over time. Less gentle hands have torn some seams and the hard darkness of life has worn away the edges. 

Paradoxically, it is some of the harshest experiences that have softened me, transforming my heart, mind and soul from the inside out. The very things that seemed too difficult to bear have been reshaped and redeemed under the careful guidance of God's hand. The skilled needlework required to piece me back together has been undertaken by none other than the Great Creator Himself. The result: the multitude of small pieces of cloth - all different designs, colours, textures - are being drawn back together. The frayed edges of my soul are beginning to glow as golden thread is woven together. 

Our experiences have the ability to shape us, but the tapestry God weaves in our lives shapes our faith. When I look back at my life, I can see the ways that God has been working, His golden thread weaving an intricate tapestry into the places I thought were broken. He is both the blanket maker and the blanket, covering me in His grace. He provides the comfort in the darkness, He is the light that overcomes, and He is right there walking with me through all things. 

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, 

my God, in whom I trust." 

Surely he will save you

from the fowler's snare

and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, 

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 

Psalms 91:1-4 (NIV)

Did you ever make a blanket fort when you were a child? In your imagination the walls were fortified; they could withstand any attack. As children of God, we are covered by Him. Even in the dark places of life we dwell in the shelter of the Most High. He is the Creator, expertly weaving a brilliant tapestry from the many variegated elements that make up a life, and He is the protector that covers us in times of need. 

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Karma writes from the golden house in Northeastern BC. You can connect with her online at redraincoatcreations.com