Broken, Humbled, Rebuilt, Restored

There’s a rhythm to the way God works in our lives. First comes the breaking, then the humbling, then the isolation, then the rebuilding. And finally, the restoring. It doesn’t feel gentle when you’re in it, but when you look back, you can see His fingerprints all over every step.

I’ve lived this pattern more than once.

1. Broken and Humbled in Love

The first cracks came in the father–daughter bond I longed for but never fully had. That kind of heartbreak leaves a mark—it teaches you to search for what you’re missing in places that can’t give it. Along the way, there were people who held my heart for a time, but not for long. Again and again, it was dropped, cracked, or left behind. Each loss humbled me, reminding me that real love can’t be built on broken ground.

God allowed those seasons of breaking not to punish me, but to prepare me. He stripped away what wasn’t meant to stay so He could rebuild me for something greater. And now, I’m with a man who has held my heart and never dropped it. A love that is imperfect, but steady. A marriage that endures because God is at the center.

2. Broken and Humbled in Life

For years, I carried pride in my independence. I could do everything on my own, and I wore that strength like armor. I lived on my own, worked, went to college, surrounded myself with family and friends, and thought that was where my worth came from.

And then everything changed. Illness came. Disability came. Moving stripped me of the community I once had. Suddenly, my independence was gone, and I had to face the reality that I couldn’t carry it all myself anymore. That kind of humbling went deeper than any heartbreak ever could.

But in that breaking, God began the rebuilding. He showed me that my worth was never in what I could do but in who I am. He gave me a softer strength—one that leans, one that trusts, one that finds courage in surrender. What once felt like weakness has become proof of His sustaining grace.

3. Broken and Humbled in Place

I once lived surrounded by friends, family, laughter, and noise. Moving to Virginia changed everything. Suddenly, it was just me, my husband, and quiet. That isolation was painful—I felt cut off, unseen, and alone. But even there, God was working. He was rebuilding me in the stillness, teaching me to see beauty in simplicity: a walk by the creek, laughter over dinner, a hand held in the dark.

And in those small, ordinary moments, joy was restored. Not a crowded kind of joy, but a steady one that carries eternal weight.

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Looking back, I see the pattern:

The breaking taught me surrender.

The humbling taught me trust.

The isolation taught me stillness.

The rebuilding gave me new strength.

The restoration returned my joy.

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This is how God works. He takes what feels like endings and turns them into beginnings. He allows the humbling because He knows what He’s building. And when the time is right, He restores—not just what was lost, but something better, something 10x greater.

So if you’re in the breaking, the humbling, or the isolating—don’t lose heart. God is still writing your rebuilding. And your restoration is on the way 🙏

✨ Kristen, Unfiltered Xo 💋

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” — Exodus 14:14