Stitched by Grace: What Embroidery Taught Me About Life and God

Trying Something New (and Tangling Threads Along the Way)

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may never be satisfied until I’ve tried everything—especially when it comes to crafts. Whether it’s knitting, painting, or baking bread shaped like woodland creatures, I’m in.

Recently, I gave embroidery a shot.

Let’s just say... the front looked decent. The back? A chaotic battlefield of knots and confusion. But hey—this was my first attempt, and I was honestly proud of how the picture was coming together. It’s not finished yet, but I already know that when it is, I’ll frame it. Because sometimes, progress deserves to be celebrated—mess and all.

The Story That Stuck With Me

At our weekly "Food for the Soul" gathering (a time filled with laughter, prayer, and really good coffee), a friend shared something that felt especially meaningful.

She reminded us that every person has two sides—the one we show the world, and the one we tend to hide. When life is smooth, we can keep the messy side tucked away. But when pressure hits, it’s often the messy, unpolished version of us that slips out.

She told us about how she tried embroidery when she was younger. Like me, the front of her project looked nice, but the back was a tangled mess. She used to think:

“As long as the front looks good, that’s all that matters. No one sees the back once it’s framed.”

Her mother had neater stitches, but it was her grandmother who truly impressed her. When her grandmother finished a piece, you couldn’t even tell the front from the back—both sides were beautifully stitched.

Then came the line I’ll never forget:

“We are like a picture that God is embroidering. As we continue to walk with Him, He works on both our good and bad sides. Eventually, people won’t be able to tell them apart—because both sides will reflect His beauty.”

Life, Thread by Thread

That idea has stayed with me.

When I started embroidering, it was just fabric and a few threads. But as I added each stitch—messy or neat, planned or spontaneous—a picture began to form. It wasn’t perfect, but it was meaningful. And every stitch had a place.

Life is like that embroidery.

God, the Master Craftsman, uses all kinds of threads to create something beautiful in us:

Dark moments are like deep, heavy threads—hard to carry, but part of the picture.
Joyful seasons shine in bright, vibrant colors.
Painful experiences feel like the needle itself—piercing and unwelcome.
Silent times, when nothing seems to be happening, still add structure and shape.

Every thread matters. Every stitch is part of the design—even the ones we’d rather undo.

The Masterpiece in the Making

We often only see the knots and the back side of life. But God sees the whole picture. He knows what He’s making. And in His hands, even our mess becomes part of something extraordinary.

One day, our story—our life—will be complete. And just like that embroidery, it won’t just be beautiful from the front. Both sides will reflect His care, His purpose, and His artistry.

So here I am: still stitching, still learning, still trusting. And maybe, just maybe, God is framing something in me, too.