Pedicured Promises | May 2020

                                             
                                                                                           Photo Credit: Amanda Bellatoni

At the beginning of Coronavirus quarantine, my old foot rasp broke and I had to go buy a new one. Without thinking, when I initially used it, I scrubbed too hard and cut myself on both feet, in four different places, including my heels. Unfortunately, these weren't small slits, but widespread wounds. The top layer of skin in certain places had come completely off making it impossible to walk or exercise comfortably, so I was stuck inside for two whole weeks.

I was skeptical about using it again and had been putting the pedicure off until I just couldn't take it anymore. I needed to scrub my feet because I needed to sleep and I really needed some rest. While using the rasp, I wanted to try something different. After filling the foot spa and soaking my feet in warm water, I gently rubbed each portion of my foot to prepare it for a trim. I knew that I had to be more gentle with it this time because it was sharp and it had the ability to cut me deeply and leave me in permanent pain.                                          

Instead of scrubbing the entire foot at one time, I slowly guided and gently maneuvered the rasp around the previous wounds. Although they were healed and the skin had started to grow back, my goal was to smooth it out and make it even so that the bottom of my foot wouldn't be so rough and would look a little more pleasant.

In order to aide me in the process, I used more callus removing oil between each scrub than I did before to help soften the skin. I applied oil, rubbed it in, and scrubbed a little. After gauging the depth of the scrubbing and the condition of the skin, I applied more oil, rubbed it in again, and scrubbed a little more. Instead of using elongated back and forth motions, I gently went around each section of my foot until it produced a nice, smooth, finish.

I look at the healing process the same way. In John 15:2, Jesus says that every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." Through life's experiences, we've been wounded, hurt, and sometimes it seems as though we are beyond repair. But yet, there's still hope.

I didn't want to use the foot rasp, but I needed to. I don't necessarily want to address all of life's issues, but I realized that I needed to. It's imperative and detrimental to me becoming who God wants me to be and living the fruitful life that He promised. I've been hurt before and deeply wounded, but through God's healing power and loving grace, I can get up and try again.

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised"). In other words, Let us stick firmly to our declaration of faith and believe that healing has been made possible through Christ Jesus without doubting the power of His blood sacrifice on the cross. For our God is faithful and trustworthy and we can rely on HIM to do exactly what he said. (Hebrews 10:23)