A Story of Restoration

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV)

It was a Tuesday afternoon when I pulled into the driveway and saw it sitting there. An old porch swing with rusted out chains. I knew it was going to be a tall task, and, honestly, I doubted whether or not I would be able to pull it off, but I couldn’t wait to get to work.

With the temperature in the upper 80s and humidity nearing 90%, I was so thankful for a shady space as I set up the sawhorses and began pulling out the necessary tools to get started. With some help from a friend, I was able to get the swing set up so I could get to work. Sander in hand, I spent the next hour ridding the porch swing of its old stain, rough edges, and mildew that, over the course of time, had begun to take over and cover up the original beauty of the wood. As I was working my way through the sanding, I came across a few loose boards and areas of the swing that needed to be re-secured. Not exactly feeling confident enough to reinforce these areas myself, I took a much-needed water break and used my phone to call a friend lifeline. After a quick explanation of the problem, my friend informed me he would be driving through the area shortly and would come by to take a look. “Thank you, Jesus,” I thought to myself. A hammer, a Phillips head screwdriver, and a few new screws later, the swing was reinforced and as sturdy as the first day it was put together.

Several hours later, the sun was going down, signaling the end of another beautiful day. I was disgustingly sweaty and completely covered in sawdust, but, by the grace of God through a little help from some friends, I managed to complete phase one of the project. After a shower, some food, and a little bit of mindless television, I fell into bed later that night. I was exhausted and questioning how I would ever get the project complete by the end of the week, but, most importantly, feeling so grateful for the goodness of God as He guided me through the evening and provided all of what I needed.

Fast forward a couple of days later, and I was really beginning to feel the pressure of whether or not I would be able to get the swing fully restored before my friends arrived back home on Friday evening. With a little help from a friend on Wednesday morning to spray down the swing, Thursday brought the beginning of phase two: staining. After sending a couple of discreet text messages to my friend, I confirmed their plan for staining the swing and was confident enough to get started. With a smile, both on my face and in my heart, I continued to labor for the next several hours. Stroke by stroke, I worked until the dark walnut stain completely covered the old, worn-out swing. The completion of one full coat signaled the end of yet another exhausting but so incredibly rewarding evening. Needing a full hour to dry between coats, I knew completion of phase two wouldn’t happen until the following day. As I began cleaning up, I checked the weather forecast from my phone and lifted up a prayer for the rain to hold off so I could apply the second coat the next morning.

Supper, shower, and a solid night’s sleep left me feeling refreshed on Friday morning. An answered prayer regarding the weather provided a cool, breezy setup, and I was so excited to finish the project ahead of their return that evening. As I carefully applied a second and final coat of stain to the swing, I found myself reflecting upon one heck of a week. Between work, weather, and whispers of lies from the enemy, it had been a physical and spiritual battle. Stepping back, I admired the beautiful work the Lord had guided to completion, and in that moment, I realized the worn down and rusty porch swing was me.

Rejection, people-pleasing and co-dependency habits, emotional abuse, and years of trying to be the person I always thought I was supposed to be so that others would love me had left me feeling battered, bruised, and broken down. Just as I did that day with the swing, when I said yes to following Jesus and gave Him my whole heart four years ago, He lifted me up off the ground, set me on the foundation of His grace, and began the process of restoring and changing my life. It was in that moment of surrender that the chains of my sinfulness were broken off. Every day since then, the Lord has been so kind as He has sanded down my rough edges of rejection and removed the old stain of people-pleasing tendencies. In His goodness, He didn’t stop with the removal of the old. He continues each day to apply strokes of undeserved grace, mercy, and love to help me walk in the freedom that comes with faith in Jesus Christ.

As I sit here now, I can still close my eyes and see the rusty old chains hanging loosely onto the arms of the old porch swing as I pulled into the driveway that Tuesday evening. It had been a process of surrender to get myself to commit to saying yes when the Lord impressed it upon my heart to take on the project. It had been a battle, but as I worked throughout the week, I discovered a deeper trust in Jesus as I allowed Him to guide me through the process of restoration. He gave me the strength to push through any doubts, and I witnessed as He provided everything I needed along the way. When I think of this story of restoration, I am reminded of the verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! Every time I look at that swing, I won’t think of the old, rough edges. Instead, I will be reminded of the healing work Jesus has done in my life. I know He wants to do the same for you. This project taught me, in a very real way, that no matter our past, when we surrender and say yes to Jesus, He will break off our old chains, lift us up and be there, ready to sand and stain our hearts into a beautiful new creation.