The Miracle of Mending

The 2025 academic year snuck up on me, chaotic, demanding attention and leaving me feeling more unprepared than ever. For someone who prides herself on being a planner, I was mentally flailing. Between working through the festive season and squeezing in guilt-ridden pockets of rest, I barely had time to breathe, let alone organise. Caleb and Chiara, my two bundles of energy, were bouncing with excitement, while I wrestled with a mental to-do list longer than my arm. I spent all Monday morning trying to cling to my self-imposed title of “Back-to-School Mommy Extraordinaire,” and let me tell you, I was at risk of losing it quite spectacularly. You see, I’m that Mommy who excitedly does all the things for back-to-school; custom designed name tags for each of the Bambinos, colour-coded stationery, new bags, lunch boxes and water bottles for the year and yes, the first day of school must have a picture to commemorate the moment. I wasn’t going to drop the ball now!

By mid-morning, I was zigzagging through errands trying to keep calm as I dropped my two C’s to get their hair braided, intent on using that time to get as much on my list done. As I drove to the mall, braving the blazing sun, I took a deep breath and whispered a prayer, asking Holy Spirit to give me wisdom to prioritise. I felt a sense of peace rise within me as I resolved what I would do within the time I had. Lunch for the Bambinos was paramount, so off I went. Standing in line at a fast-food joint juggling a bag of supplies, somewhere between ordering lunch and attempting to outrun the clock, I felt the word mend rise in my spirit. I quickly jotted it down in my phone and pushed through the rest of the day, hoping the message would make sense later.

It was a mad rush home and with every stop made, came the persistent question, “Mommy, are we going home now?” I was grateful to have made it home with some success under my belt for the day. After unpacking school supplies and setting the washing machine in motion, I retreated to my bedroom and sat on my bed for a rare moment of quiet as I tried to remember who I was. That’s when it hit me, I had completely forgotten to mend Chiara’s school shirts. The new uniforms we ordered hadn’t arrived, so I begrudgingly hauled myself up and grabbed my sewing kit. After a few moments of going through Chiara’s closet to see which shirts were salvageable with some mending, I made it back to my bedroom with the three that cut it. Sitting on the edge of the bed, needle in hand, I began to mend the buttons of Chiara’s shirts.

Ceaser soon found me, turned a fan on for my benefit and asked about my day while I replaced buttons on the shirt I had set on my lap. A few moments later, Caleb burst in with an “emergency” only his Daddy could resolve. Watching the two leave the room, I smiled to myself. As I looked down at the thread I was weaving through the fabric, the word mend came back to me. I’m sure I’m not the only Mommy who had to whip out the sewing kit just to make sure the kids showed up for their first day of school looking at least half decent. Suddenly, it wasn’t just about shirts, it was about life. We often use the beginning of the year to start fresh, rebuild, set new goals and become better versions of ourselves. All this is wonderful depending on how we apply it to what God wants to do in and through us in this season. Yet I can’t help thinking how easy it is to miss the miracle of the new year because we don’t want to do the less glamorous thing of mending.

A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 (NLT)

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 138:8 (NKJV)

There’s something magical about the start of a new year. Somehow, in the mere seconds between 23:59 on December 31st and 00:00 on January 1st, the world feels ripe with possibility. Yet, as I’ve discovered three weeks into 2025, real transformation doesn’t happen at the stroke of midnight. It happens in the quiet, unglamorous work of mending and letting God restore what’s broken. In this, I’ve found the beauty in acknowledging that God isn’t one to throw the book away before He turns the page and continues the narrative in a new direction. Could it be that while we rush to swap the old with something new and more exciting, our Father is in the business of using what was already there to bring about something more refined and glorious? We often rush into the new year ready to set goals, embrace change, and leave the past behind. But what if God isn’t in a hurry to replace what’s old? What if He’s more interested in mending the frayed edges of our lives? What might we need to mend this year before God can add to it with what is new? Here’s what I’m submitting to God’s art of mending:

Allow God to Mend Your Dashed Hopes

It’s easier to shove dashed hopes into the closet than to deal with the ache they bring. Like many, I entered 2025 carrying disappointments I was tempted to leave behind. But God is a God of resurrection, not replacement. He doesn’t discard what hurts; He redeems it. As I mended Chiara’s shirts, I realised my dashed hopes were like those outdated shirts, unappealing but not irredeemable. What if the dreams we think are dead just need a little divine stitching? I’m challenging you to bring them to the Lord and allow Him to have the final say over them.

Allow God to Mend Your self Esteem

Let’s be real, wearing all the hats of parenting, working, and trying to keep it all together can leave you feeling like a failure. My back-to-school chaos revealed how quickly I default to guilt whenever I fall short. But Psalm 138:8 reminds me that God perfects what concerns me. He’s not measuring my worth by how prepared I am or how seamlessly I juggle tasks. He sees me as His work in progress, worth every moment of tender care. For me, self-esteem isn’t a final destination but a journey of growth and grace. Where might your self-esteem need a little Holy Spirit needle and thread?

Allow God to Mend Some Relationships

I’ve found that relationships are often the first casualty of a busy life. While I make efforts to keep my relationships thriving, there are a few with which I feel the call to come up higher. This year, God is challenging me to pay attention to areas where there’s been tension, whether it’s with a friend, family member, or even myself. Like the shirts I mended, some relationships need patience, effort, and a willingness to weave new threads of grace.

Allow God to Mend Your Cracked Focus

Distractions are everywhere, emails, social media, and the endless demands of adulting. This year I truly want to narrow my focus and I’ve been asking God to help me zero in on what truly matters. As I threaded the needle into those little button holes that day, I was reminded that focus takes discipline but also grace. Walking in God’s purpose is the same in its requirement for the combination of discipline and grace. God doesn’t expect perfection, just willingness. Are you willing to reclaim focus on some forgotten priorities?

Allow God to Mend Your Resolve

I began this year feeling like I was running on empty, clamouring for a steadiness I feel is supposed to come with a new year. As I quiet my soul before Him, I sense that He is teaching me to rest and recharge. I’m learning, day by day, that resolve isn’t about pushing harder but about surrendering. It’s allowing God to renew your strength, just as He promises to do for those who wait on Him.

Friend, how is your heart as you step into this new year? Are you rushing to replace what feels broken, or are you willing to let God mend it? The mending process isn’t glamorous, but it’s where the miracles happen. It’s in the quiet, deliberate work of allowing God to restore what’s been torn, we find His beauty and grace. So here’s my challenge for us both: Let’s embrace the art of mending this year. Let’s allow God to work through the loose threads and broken seams of our lives, trusting that He will perfect all that concerns us. After all, some of the most beautiful things aren’t brand new, they’re simply mended with love.