Calloused Hands

I used to want soft hands, but I wasn’t born that way
Porcelain hands, made for ease and admiration
Ones that did not have to dig up weeds to see a path forward.

Instead of accepting the hand I was dealt, I put gloves on to hide the blemishes
Highlighting the pretty and ignoring the messy
Believing being loved came from being presentable.

My worn hands felt shameful. 
I hid those things that cut and scarred in the closet
Stuffing my feelings until nothing fit. 

Sobs broke the blinders 
Shattering the façade and allowing me to be seen.
In the breaking, Grace crept in through the cracks.

At first, I cried harder. I thought I would drown.
But I wasn’t alone—
Grace held my battered hands in His.

My weathered hands were beautiful
Revealing a life that did not come easy.
Grace was there all along, waiting for me to see the gifts of my imperfections.

When I waved goodbye to pretending,
Grace let me see my flaws without being defined by them
Giving them a voice separate from me so I could heal. 

Grace was a friend I could not shake—
Helping me embrace myself because perfection was never the goal. 
Showing me the way was through the pain, not around it. 

Grace called me to be His hands and feet.
Showing me how to use my sadness instead of soaking in it.
To lend my hand to the calloused palms of others. 

Grace is a gentle hand that’s easy to hold. It is not soft. 
It is bruised and battered from saving us.
It holds the scars of our names on its palms.

Grace is with us in the ditches.
Holding our hand and waiting to move forward together.
I want helpful hands of grace, calloused from the fire—but not stopped by it. 

Hands unafraid to show their flaws.
Calloused hands that overcome, 
Brave enough to share the hope they have found.

*Photo from Unsplash, free photo usage.

Jennifer Townsend is an Idaho and California author, educator, photographer, and community philanthropist. Earning her MBA and accolades in advertising in her earlier career, Jennifer now focuses on sharing her faith.

She has led a community Bible study for fifteen years that started in her home and has grown to over two hundred women. Jennifer has created mindfulness and anti-bullying curriculum for local organizations. She has won awards for her photography, published in several online magazines, websites, and anthologies, and writes a weekly blog. Follow her Monday weekly blog at www.jennifergtownsend.com, Facebook, and Instagram @disruptivegrace.