He Is Faithful to Restore
The Spanish moss waved gently from the limbs of the hundred-year-old oak trees still standing tall and proud against the deep blue sky. The shade they generously provided my park bench was a blessed relief in the Georgia summer evening. The sweet smell of azaleas drifted by on the breeze. As we waited for our dinner reservation, I closed my eyes and listened to a lonesome melody sliding off the strings of a fiddle somewhere across the square. As the fireflies came out to dance, I thought to myself once again, There is just no place on earth quite like Savannah.
We climbed up the uneven front steps of the stately mansion. My jaw dropped as my eyes tried to take in every detail of that grand old home. I had never seen any place like it. We took our seats at a cozy table for two in front of a parlor fireplace. I felt like we had just stepped back in time.
It was easy to imagine the important business conducted over there at a desk by the window. I could almost see the stately men looking out over the square, smoking pipes and discussing the colonial politics of the day. I pictured the children who might’ve made the scuffs on the old plank floors as their elegantly dressed mothers sipped tea by the fire.
Every ornate detail of this 250-year-old home had been exquisitely preserved. Or, at least, that’s what I assumed. But I was wrong.
Savannah’s incredible historic district has been an inspiration to cities all over the world. But what we don’t always realize is that those beautiful, grand homes weren’t always so pristine. Back in the 1950s, those same homes were hollowed out, broken shells. They stood as just a wisp of a memory of their former selves with floors rotting, windows busted, ceilings leaking. One by one, the city began to raze the mansions to make room for parking garages.
A small group of women, determined to save the town that not even Sherman could bring himself to burn, set out on a mission to restore the homes. After decades of blood, sweat, and tears, the Historic Savannah Foundation has saved 350 homes from the wrecking ball. Nowadays, visitors come from all over the world to stroll the streets of Savannah, delight in the gardens and squares, and tour these monuments to architectural history.
It reminds me of what God has done for me in my life.
More than once, I have felt exactly like those old houses—a hollowed out, broken shell of a person. I’ve struggled to remember who I am at my core when the weight of life’s responsibilities threatens to consume me. I have hopelessly stared down the metaphorical wrecking ball, unable to see away around it.
We’ve all experienced hard seasons when hope seemed to be in short supply. This year, we’ve all faced more challenges than we could have expected. One after another after another after another until it perhaps feels like we’re in too deep to escape—in way over our heads with no lifeline in sight.
When I’m struggling to hang onto hope, I try to hold onto the comfort I find in Scripture. First Peter 5:10 says, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (ESV).
When I feel like all is lost, those words remind me that this God of all grace has other plans for me. And friend, he has other plans for you, too. No matter what you’re facing right now, no matter how desolate things seem, you can have hope. Call on his name. I promise, he will not leave you where you are.
God will never leave us rotting and busted and leaking. He restores us. He strengthens us. He confirms and establishes us. The moment we call on his name, he places his Spirit inside us and begins to rebuild us from the inside out. This is hard and holy work, and he is faithful to complete it.
Just like those proud Savannah homes are a testament to the dedication of a determined group of citizens, may our restored hearts and lives stand as a monument to the mighty hand of God and his enduring faithfulness.
I’m so grateful for his unfailing answers for us whenever we call on him. I’m eternally thankful for the gift of the Holy Spirit living inside us, rebuilding our broken places. I praise him for his faithfulness to us. I pray we can make our lives a testament to what he’s done for us.
is a part-time writer and full-time wanderer. She is married to a travel nurse and homeschools her three kids on the road. She’s basically flying by the seat of her pants thirteen weeks at a time. You never know where you might cross paths with her, but you can bet she’ll be singing car karaoke and documenting all her shenanigans on Instagram at @thisonetinylife.
Photograph © Jessica Furtney, used with permission
