One day, while having coffee with a friend who provided pastoral support for my local church, I received some valuable advice. I was sharing how I got back on my feet in a quiet, positive, and modest home after waking up in a refuge for women. Doing so had followed another episode of domestic violence.
My friend had a truly beautiful, spiritual soul. She said, “That is all behind you now. Put your brain to use better. You must stop making a welter of the past. Women must ski the bumps. Pull yourself together.” Boys will be boys, but that is not an excuse for bad behavior.
I turned that page. This great verse reinforces the nuances of God’s power and authority in our place within His domain, implying that God is in control of our paths (Isaiah 62:3). We are all His chosen, protected by divine guidance.
This imagery of a crown of glory shapes our human identity and restores our faith in God’s might. God is faithful to each of us, so we must be loyal to Him. Now I wake up in peace, once again a solo nester but quite happy to make the most of beauty and calm as I smile and go strong. My friend in faith gave me this knowledge from the Bible, which we can regard as beautiful for any believer as a companion for the Lord.
I woke up with this beautiful blessing, wearing one crown of splendor. We can all shine in the royal diadem of our awesome God.
Julie Grenness is a former teacher and catechist who is now a writer of many online articles, mainly for baby boomers. She is also a caregiver for a geriatric and a part-time tutor and mentor of young Australians from many lands. She aims to be a woman of God and to walk humbly in the path of Jesus.