When we moved I realized we had boxes of old records that were no longer worth keeping. Going through them was like walking through my life a second time.
1991: cancer. I was a young mom. Afraid out of my mind. You aren’t supposed to get cancer when you’re young.
I shredded hospital bills. Loads and loads of them. Chemotherapy reports. Surgeries. Radiation. Reports that said the cancer spread. Statistics that said the odds were against me.
Shredding these were both healing and joyous.
1998: A drunk driver hit my son and two other young boys. Six weeks of hospital bills. A year of recovery. Physical therapy. Reports that the drunk driver had insufficient insurance. Police reports and alcohol levels. Newspaper clippings.
I didn’t shred these. They are part of Ryan’s story. I put them in a file to give them to him.
2001: I made the 10 years they said I wouldn’t and decided to pursue my dream of writing.
I shredded my first paycheck for writing: $10.00
Year by year I walked through some of the hardest and most wonderful places in our marriage, in my role as a mom, and as a believer.
I shook my head at what I didn’t know.
If only I had known then what I know now. . . but I didn’t, and it was all part of the growing process. In the end, there were 15 trash bags. I imagined the recycle guy loading the thousands of shredded pieces of paper into his truck and shaking his fist at me.
Later, I found several pieces in my lawn. Some floating down the street.
Yesterday I found this. Evidently a bird found a piece of it, too. This is the tree right outside my front door.
My old life had found new life! Four fragile eggs nestled inside. Isn’t it funny how God uses the simplest of images to remind us of the greatest of His teachings. 
When you go back through your life, are there parts that you are still carrying around?
God is our redeemer.
Redemption: To exchange something for an award; 2) to purchase back.
The God of redemption walks through the hard places and the good places with us.
The God of redemption exchanges our heartache for peace.
The God of redemption brings new life out of old.
And those places you hate, that you would give a million dollars to redo due to sin?
Those He already purchased on the cross. He’s just waiting for you to place them in His hands.
As Christ followers, our lives look like that nest. All the pieces are woven perfectly to contain the new inside.
He’s your redeemer.
Suzie
Just you and God
Martin Luther once said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs to me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.”
Meditate on these scriptures today.
Let them seep into your thoughts, your heart, your being.
2nd Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV) – Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
I love this thanks for sharing. I hope you are so blessed this week as well as all who hear from God through you.
Dear Suzie, thanks so much for sharing this. I know exactly what you’re talking about. When I moved back to Canada from Germany I couldn’t part with a few boxes of documents that were representing my past. I’m so glad that God proved over and over again that I am not that person any longer. HE truly is the Redeemer of all. Those boxes are still sitting in my crawl space waiting to be shredded. I think that’s a project for the upcoming cold, long Manitoba winter :-)) This blog post is a big reminder to finally get that done. Thanks again! Many blessings to you. Praying for you as you prepare for this weekend! Can’t believe it’s been a year since we met at She Speaks.
Yay! I love the image of you shredding those old records!
Bless you Suzie,
Shredding the past is a very good thing. You have taught me that it is a very good thing to shred my past bad memories and to begin working on creating new memories with each new day I am given. The key: forgiveness = freedom.
God is working wonderful things in my life and this post is just another example of Him sending me positive messages 🙂 thank u Suzie
Thank you Suzie for sharing. It is time that I let go of my past and experience the forgiveness of God. In Him, there is no condemination! Once I truly grasp this, I can truly live freely.
Let it go, Courtney! : ) Break the power of that lie the enemy dare speaks to God’s girl. <3
Thank you Suzie. I so needed this today. You even shared my favorite scripture Isaiah 43:1-3. Blessings to you.
I love that scripture!
What a testimony you have of God’s grace! (We all have one, don’t we?)
This is a refreshing look at what redemption means. I especially love the Martin Luther quote. I don’t know where I’d be without God and without His WORD!
hi i am very blessed reading all your posts.. very inspiring and really helpful.. i just knew about your book and can’t wait to have a copy of it.. im from the Philippines.. God bless you more and keep on writing!
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Hi Suzie…
Thank you for always sharing with me. I am going through a situation that only God can save me from. I work in a bank and i succumbed to a loss of 1800 dollars. I honestly do not know where this money went or who took the money.
I am still , believing in God and waiting on God my REDEEMER to redeem me from these ashes.
Pray for me to recover fully and everything to go back to normal.