Broken But Beautiful

“I am so tired of selling my body! I ache, feel dirty, disgusting and I’m so ashamed. Everyone in my life has given up on me…”

She rolled up her sleeves and showed me the fresh cut marks as she began to weep and bury her face into her hands. “I’ve tried to kill myself before, but it just didn’t work.” We walked into her displaced hotel room surrounded by needles, ashes, other curious roommates and waited for the result of her pregnancy test.

She shared with me how she uses the heroin and meth to numb the pain of what’s been done to her in her past. Her pregnancy test is negative this time. I slip my phone number in her hand as I’m being watched from a distance. She quickly stuffs the paper into her bra.

I whisper to her that I want to be there for her and that I believe in her. You see she’s somebody’s daughter, mother, granddaughter, cousin, niece… She’s my new friend and I love her.

On the outside she may look dirty, scarred, broken, worthless, or forgotten, but my God specializes in bringing beauty out of broken things. God will give beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of sorrow, and a spirit of praise instead of a spirit of no hope. Isaiah 61:3