This past Mother’s Day, I had a fantastic time. No, I didn’t go to a fancy restaurant or a faraway beach house to enjoy life. I spent quality time with my mom.
We had the option of going out to eat and cruising my small village town, but we settled for just chilling back and enjoying our time Mother’s Day.
We walked down memory lane—back to when I was growing up—and had the time of our lives. It was such a good time to reminisce and create new memories on Mother’s Day.
And boy, let me tell you, I had the time of my life just chilling, being lazy, and having a good time enjoying the authentic African chai in my big ole cup.
A Simple Mother’s Day Celebration
In our outdoor kitchen, a traditional black pot (nyungu) sat on the fire, simmering a mix of maize and beans. We were making githeri, my mom’s favorite meal.
The traditional black pot (nyungu)
This meal takes a couple of hours, and the pot is subjected to intense fire the entire time.
Sitting there, I started thinking about that pot and how it went through the pottery process. I could only imagine the soil and water being combined into a messy mixture. If you’ve never seen how these pots are made, it’s not a pretty sight.
The beginning is messy. The middle is muddy and rough. But if the pot endures the process in the hands of the potter, it becomes something beautiful.
Our pot was a meticulous U-shaped pot, and let me tell you, it had to go through something extra to become what it is now. It even had some handles on the sides for when you need to transfer it. My mom jokes that it’s ‘the pot with ears.’
Sitting by the fire with Mom, making her favorite meal in our trusty nyungu, was the most memorable part of this Mother’s Day.
Sitting by the fire with Mom, making her favorite meal in our trusty nyungu.
As I looked at that pot, I couldn’t help but see a bit of our own stories in it.
Sometimes, life is cruel and brutal, and it feels like God allows certain things to dent us deeply and for a lifetime.
It could be the death of a loved one, raising a sick child, bankruptcy, divorce, rejection, betrayal, poverty, or anything else you might be going through.
Please pause and reflect on a moment when you thought: “If I go through one more thing, I will die.”
But guess what? You’re still here.
Every piece of the trial was breaking us, slowly and softly. (Is it just me, or is it all of us? Because honestly, I don’t want to be broken.)
But it seems like God intentionally uses these breaking moments for a purpose.
When He breaks us, He shapes us into the people He wants us to be. He has an end version in mind.
And just like my mom’s pot, the one who made it knew exactly how it would look in the end.
Encouragement Beyond Mother’s Day
I wrote all this to say that if you feel like your life is on fire, and the trials and vicissitudes of this life have intensified, you are not alone. Just when you think you’re done with the issue of rent, another issue of insurance starts. You find yourself in a cycle of problems, betrayal, rejection, or sickness.
Maybe it even feels like life is breaking you into pieces.
Dear one, be encouraged.
I always tell my Oga, “This God knows how to bring our broken pieces together.”
When you’ve been broken, and people have no use for you, when you’ve been written off—I’ve learned this the hard way— God is usually up to something.
He can pick up all your shattered pieces and put them into something beautiful.
Related: From Brokenness to Purpose: Caroline Kagia’s 20-Years Struggle With Addiction
If you’re hurting, lost, facing rejection, or being misunderstood, could it be that that’s exactly what this God is up to?
Just like we had a hot fire under that pot and knew the time it would take to cook Githeri, God knows what to put you through to get you where he needs you to be and when he has your breakthrough scheduled.
Trust the Process, Not Just on Mother’s Day
See, God is not like us. He will not use our brokenness to break us further, leave us alone, and forsake us. He comes in, takes our broken, shattered selves, and puts them together to make something beautiful.
Related: A Mother’s Journey of Hope and Faith in Raising a Child with Disability
So this week, as you go up and about, trust God with your broken pieces and see what He can make out of them.
Until next time, go to Him with your broken pieces.
Maggie Wachira
Women Empowerment Coach / Caregiver Advocate
