More From Heather Hagstrom

God led me to see this beautiful mosaic of the state of Missouri in a typical rest stop building while coming back from a trip. I gasped in awe as I entered the building since I was not expecting to see this ornate artwork displayed on the wall.

While viewing the mosaic, I imagined the countless hours that it must have taken to place each piece of broken pottery and glass in the cement to create this masterpiece artwork. The designer of the mosaic had a bigger picture in mind when first looking at the many small pieces of pottery and glass. Each piece was placed in the correct location to eventually showcase the incredible history of the state.

At the time I saw this mosaic I had experienced several intense trials in my life, which included being diagnosed with cancer. While experiencing months of treatments, which included surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and eventual remission, I felt like my life was broken and shattered into many tiny pieces.

However, Romans 8:28, which has been one of my favorite Bible verses, gave me hope. It states: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV). Even when all we can see is our current suffering, which seems like broken pieces, we can trust that God is working for our good and God’s glory. As we give the broken pieces of our lives to God, he can create a beautiful design for our lives, even if it is different than we had imagined.

God has since allowed my story of how God carried me and sustained me through my cancer journey to bring encouragement to people during their trials. Knowing that God has a good designed purpose for our lives, even in the midst of our suffering, strengthens our trust in God and gives us hope.