The big day had finally arrived…Isabella’s 5^th birthday.  She had been counting down the days until her party, and it was finally here.  Streamers of every color were hanging all over the kitchen, and balloons filled the air.  As friends were flooding through the front door, Bella’s father quietly whispered to her that he had a secret gift he made especially for her.  Delighted, she skipped behind her father following him to his study where he handed her the most beautiful box she had ever seen.  “It is a jewelry box,” he said, “for you to keep your most precious and treasured gifts.  I made it just for you.”  Bella’s eyes danced at the sparkling jewels that lined the edgings of the box and the beautiful daisies that were painted on the top (daisies were her favorite).  When she opened the box, it was delicately lined with plush, purple velvet that felt especially soft to her tiny little fingers.  With one full swing, Bella wrapped her arms around her daddy’s neck and thanked him for her beautiful jewelry box, then quickly turned rushing back to her party.  Her father, looking through tear-filled eyes, watched as his precious little girl waltzed around the room bragging on her “treasure box” and lifting it up to everyone.

As the day went on, Bella kept her treasured box close to her as she went about the festivities.  She held it tightly as she blew out her candles on her birthday cake.  It lay close to her side as she opened her other gifts, none quite as beautiful though.  She kept it close as she played “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” and “Musical Chairs”, but as the party raged on, the box was often found left behind.  While striking the piñata, Bella let Molly hold it, who inadvertently left it on the table when it was her turn.  During “Hide and Seek”, the box was left in the mud behind the tree where Bella was hiding.  At some point, one of the neighbor boys grabbed it and began playing keep away.  By the time everyone had gone, Bella realized that her beautiful treasure box was missing.  Starting to panic, she desperately searched in every gift box, through all of the wrapping paper, under the table…everywhere, but the box was nowhere to be found.   With tears streaming down her face, she headed towards her father’s study; when all of a sudden, she spotted a sparkle coming from behind the chair.  She hurriedly raced to find her hand-made, exquisitely-designed jewelry box.  But wait!  What was this?  This could not be her jewelry box.  This one was missing some of the sparkling jewels that so elegantly trimmed the edges, and the beautiful daisies that perfectly graced the top were scratched and worn.  There was a deep, ugly scratch along the side, and the clasp had been broken off.  Even the wonderfully soft velvet that so delightfully covered the inside was torn.  “This cannot be my box,” Bella thought.  Tears continuing to stream, she sat there clutching her once beautiful, but now broken and muddy, scratched-up box. 

Her mind racing, Isabella decided to try and fix it herself.  She ran to the kitchen, grabbing tape, scissors, and glue.  She diligently worked and worked to repair her damaged box, but to no avail.  The mess was even bigger than before; her beautiful gift was ruined.  As Bella lay on her bed clutching her pillow and softly crying, her father quietly entered her room.  Seeing the splintered and scratched up box lying on the floor, he walked over and sat next to Bella on her bed.  Before he could say a word, his little girl flung herself into his arms and cried, “I’m so sorry, Daddy!  I ruined it…my beautiful treasure box…I ruined it!”  With gentle words, her loving father replied, “Bella, your box is not ruined.  I made this gift with my own two hands, and I know exactly how to fix it.  All you had to do is bring it to me.”  Bella picked up her box and carefully lifted it up to her father.  Her father quickly embraced his little girl and said, “Don’t worry, baby.  I’ll make it better than new.”

This story is a picture of our life.  God has given each of us a treasure box, which is our soul.  Inside it, we store our dreams, hopes, feelings, ideas, desires, and much, much more.  But throughout our life, our box gets damaged and marred through disappointments, hurts, failures, trouble, and unmet expectations.  These struggles cause us to walk around with a broken, scratched up, wounded soul.   Oftentimes, we try in our own strength to fix ourselves.  We work tirelessly to find substitutes that will make us feel better, but in the end, we’ve made an even bigger mess and usually feel a greater emptiness.  There is a scripture that has meant a great deal to me lately.  It is Psalm 25:1, “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.”  Just as Bella lifted up her broken box to her father, God has shown me that if will just lift up my soul to Him, then He will restore it.  When my heart gets broken, when my dreams are shattered, or when I fail miserably, God will take His gentle hands and restore my soul.  If you are struggling with hurts or disappointments, if you have felt like a complete failure or have lost your dream, then I challenge you today to lift up your soul to your heavenly Father and let Him repair your treasure box.  He will make it better than new.

Carmen McLean, an inspirational speaker and author, uses God’s Word, along with her personal experiences to equip and encourage people from all walks of life. Carmen grew up in a pastor’s home, but drugs and addiction tore her family apart; however, God has taught her how to walk victoriously out of the brokenness of her past and into the freedom that He has given. Her latest projects include, an upcoming book, Daddy’s Little Girl, which brings to light the struggles and restoration from a broken past, and her website, www.livingabove.net, which offers practical help for everyday life.