Broken But Beautiful

American church participation has plummeted in recent decades. Abuse scandals and hypocrisy hang in the air. Weekly, I talk to friends and neighbors who have left church, even as many still identify as Christians. I get what they're saying. When I consider the pain that so many have experienced in church life, the body of Christ sure seems broken. It's no wonder many don't find church to be worth it. But maybe there's more to the story. As a child, my family experienced deep crisis. I felt alone and vulnerable. Into that void, the church stepped in. I discovered a family, a people that have my back and forever changed my life. Even now, I see tangible ways the church works for the common good. The church possesses a resilient beauty that continually pushes through the brokenness. If we love Jesus, we have to eventually ask what Jesus loves. Surprising to me at times, Jesus loves the church, despite her brokenness. If we learn to see what Jesus sees, we'll discover a powerful, often untapped means towards human flourishing. No other social group offers what the church offers. Yes, the church is broken, but there's more. She's beautiful.

I was deeply inspired by the words, “broken but beautiful.” After our annual conference centered on this topic, I decided to ruminate on it and turn it into more than a conference. It was during the process of developing it that The Lord revealed the biblical meaning to me. First comes broken – shattered and naked to change. As a person living in the 21st century, there is an insurmountable amount of pressure to conform through culture, especially in Africa, to our roles of mother, father, daughter, son, wife, husband, friend and sister to the best of your ability – you must bear the pain without fully understanding why you are going through it or how to come out on the other side. Expect answers in this book – real life scenarios and people who take us through their own personal journeys. This book will be your guide, hold it closely as you begin your journey through the harsh waters of change, learn how to go through the deep waters and come out on the other side – broken but beautiful.

American church participation has plummeted in recent decades. Abuse scandals and hypocrisy hang in the air. Weekly, I talk to friends and neighbors who have left church, even as many still identify as Christians. I get what they’re saying. When I consider the pain that so many have experienced in church life, the body of Christ sure seems broken. It’s no wonder many don’t find church to be worth it. But maybe there’s more to the story. As a child, my family experienced deep crisis. I felt alone and vulnerable. Into that void, the church stepped in. I discovered a family, a people that have my back and forever changed my life. Even now, I see tangible ways the church works for the common good. The church possesses a resilient beauty that continually pushes through the brokenness. If we love Jesus, we have to eventually ask what Jesus loves. Surprising to me at times, Jesus loves the church, despite her brokenness. If we learn to see what Jesus sees, we’ll discover a powerful, often untapped means towards human flourishing. No other social group offers what the church offers. Yes, the church is broken, but there’s more. She’s beautiful.

"Some things become more valuable when broken. Like hearts, relationships and the broken hearts of people in these broken relationships." Life is all about a continuous cycle of meeting people, then being connected to them, then losing them, but the ones who stay forever with us, we find our happiness in them. Similarly, this anthology presents a compilation of life experiences and feelings written down from the bottom of the hearts of co-authors. This anthology contains poems, short stories, articles, shayaris and open letters on how life and love give us happiness but pain too, for the readers to relate, comprehend and rejuvenate their perspectives on live and learn from them as to how can they achieve happiness and pain from the same person, thing or relationship. A beautiful life begins with a beautiful mind and heart, if you are beautiful from inside, you will reflect the same on the outside. A number of people come into your life, some will stay temporarily, while some will stay permanently. But, do not sit and wait for people to make them permanent in your life. Life will show many colors to you, it entirely depends upon how you react to everything. It is all about standing, falling, facing and fighting for your happiness. Through Broken But Beautiful, we have given our best to collect beautiful and diverse feelings and emotions in order to inspire, relate and know how to face everything and move on.

It is important to remember the beauty in imperfections in a world where perfection is defined by a particular appearance, such as botoxed foreheads, trout pout lips, and size 4 clothing. We’re reminded of the seat by the Japanese art of Kintsugi. The Japanese practise of mending broken ceramics with lacquer that has been dusted with or combined with powdered gold, silver, or platinum is known as "kintsugi," which translates to "golden joinery." As a philosophy, it views breakage and repair as a natural part of an object's history as opposed to something to cover up. The notion that nothing is permanent and that everything evolves emphasises flaws and faults as signs of ageing. ‘Broken and Beautiful’ is an anthology of 30 writers who share their experiences, verses and stories of their opinion towards the title of the book.

Turning Tragedy into Triumph Do you ever feel stuck? Overwhelmed by fear? Do you worry that if people really knew the secrets you hide, they wouldn't want you? Do you wonder why you're even here? The things you hate about your life are the very things that excite God most. Your past doesn't repel Him and your present doesn't intimidate Him--because He knows what He can do with them! The places where you feel hopeless are exactly what He wants to redeem and fill with beauty, dignity, and strength. He has a plan for your pain. A wonderful intention for your failures. A purpose for your hardest, darkest stories. In Broken and Beautiful, Christine Soule shares the message of hope as she tells how God took the pieces of her own broken life--childhood abuse, poverty, human trafficking, and more--and turned them all into breathtaking joy and purpose. Told with honesty and humor, this is the story of a drug-addicted stripper's transformation into an exuberant Jesus lover with a passion for meeting others in their journey and watching God's love mend them together.

Just when real estate agent Molly thinks she's about to get her happily ever after, she catches her fiancé kissing her sister on their wedding day. Determined to get over her crushing heartbreak, Molly has a one-night stand with a professional boxer who pops in and out of her life when she least expects it--or wants it. She's not interested in anything more, but when he hires her to help him buy a house, she reluctantly agrees. Her sales are terrible and she's about to lose her job. To Molly's surprise, the more time she spends with him, the more she looks forward to it. She enjoys their playful banter and how easy it is for her to be herself around him. Plus, he's pretty darn easy on the eyes. Her mother is determined to push her back into the arms of her cheating ex, but forgiving Jason is the hardest thing Molly has ever had to do. And even she's able to forgive him, does her happily ever after include her ex-fiancé or the charming boxer with the shady past?

Restore your faith in love and family with one Army wife's courageous story of how she helped her husband recuperate from losing both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan. Paige received the phone call that every military wife prays will never come. Her husband, Army Sergeant Josh Wetzel, stepped on an improvised explosive device while patrolling in Afghanistan. The blast resulted in the immediate loss of his legs. His survival was uncertain, and in the days to come, this traumatic incident began an unbelievable journey of faith for them as a couple. Paige's vulnerability as she struggles physically, emotionally, and spiritually, will remind you of the power of commitment and love in the face of adversity. You will discover the bravery and grit of a woman who stood behind the battle lines but faced a battle of her own to save her marriage and her family. As a military wife, Paige had to come to terms with the priorities of the military: God, Country, and then Family.

The Japanese have an ancient tradition called kintsugi. Instead of discarding a beautiful bowl that has been broken, they use gold to repair it, creating a vessel that is unique and even more valuable than before. Kintsugi illustrates the truth that nothing is ever truly broken beyond repair. Rather than hiding the brokenness, the gold creates something new and cherished. Broken and Beautiful tells a tale of clergy sexual abuse and the aftermath of pain and suffering it creates, but the story doesn’t end there. The powerful, healing touch of God’s hand brings beauty from emotional desolation, and joy from the depths of sorrow. Kristal Chalmers has experienced this first-hand, and she and her mother, Eileen Peters, are sharing this story for the first time in the hopes that it will bring healing to others who are walking this journey alone. Broken and Beautiful provides a riveting, passionate, and inspiring account of the wonder and majesty of God’s unfailing grace.

1991, in another dark room with a doctor. History repeating itself. “There’s nothing more we can do. Take her home and love her. She won’t live to be two.” Amber Stewart was born under impossible odds. Spinal Muscular Atrophy type one had her down for good. Every doctor, every specialist, they all underestimated her. Little did they know they were dealing with extraordinary forces and a girl with unwavering faith. This is a story unlike any you’ve ever read, about Amber’s tumultuous life filled with hardships and victories and joy unspeakable. Hope is more than a word; it has a name. Filled with wisdom and encouragement, follow her story of grace and you’ll never view miracles the same way.