Digging for a New Beginning: Lessons From Saint Bernadette
“If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces … never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again. That’s the beauty of being alive … We can always start all over again. Enjoy God’s amazing opportunities bestowed on us. Have faith in Him always” (St. Bernadette Soubirous).
The quote at the top of this article is St. Bernadette’s version of the “five second rule.” Like a child’s cookie, dropped on the floor, your dream is still good! Pick it up, and begin again.
Faith Over Fear
If you’re disappointed that your new year’s dreams have faded away, or you’re struggling with repairing broken goals, it’s time to pick up the pieces. As we see in one simple, messy act by St. Bernadette, God’s ways are not our ways. That broken dream will spring to life, perhaps just not the way you thought.
Courage
When I was young, I watched The Song of Bernadette with my mom, and I still remember one scene in particular: when Bernadette digs in the dirt. In the scene, Our Lady tells Bernadette to eat the grass and drink and wash in the spring at Lourdes. Of course, there is no spring (yet), but Our Lady directs the young saint to a particular spot. Bernadette digs in the dirt, then washes her face in the mud. She drinks the dirty water while witnesses ridicule her to the point that her family escorts her away, protesting. What they don’t know is that Bernadette opened healing springs for the world that are still visited by millions of pilgrims today.
This humble act of courage on Bernadette’s part—to obey Our Lady, even though she appeared foolish to others, created a miraculous spring that has brought healing, both in body and spirit, for countless other souls. Imagine if Bernadette had allowed the laughter of the crowd to ring louder in her ears than Our Lady’s gentle, consistent direction?
What about you? Is there something God is directing you to do, but you’re worried about what others may think? Are you so concerned with what you should do that you’re not listening to God’s promptings? Have you ever considered that, like St. Bernadette, your dreams may bring forth healing and refreshment to other souls, for the glory of God?
Permission to Be Amazed
While you’re not the Queen of Heaven, you are the daughter of a King and the Bride of Christ. What if you gave yourself permission to own this identity, rather than focus on failure? Failure is what happened; beloved is who you are. Ponder the graces that God has bestowed upon you. Beginning again is a gift, and if the Creator of the Universe can do it everyday with a sunrise that’s different from the ones that came before, you can begin again—any day because you know who and Whose you are.
Keep Digging
Stop focusing on failure, and start getting curious about the beauty in what worked before the brokenness. Look closely at the pieces that are left, not the entire mess. What did you learn through the process? If it’s worth it to you to pick up just one piece to begin again, then you can turn into something new. After all, Jesus makes all things new (Isaiah 43:19), including you.
We are all called to have the faith of a child, like the young St. Bernadette. One layer of childlike faith is the wonder and amazement of new beginnings. While you most likely will not be called upon to eat grass and dig in the dirt, perhaps your broken dream is an invitation from Heaven to dig deeper in faith and reimagine your dream. Like St. Bernadette, have the courage to follow Our Lady’s lead, and allow yourself to be amazed at every opportunity bestowed upon you.
Elizabeth Montigny has built a faith-based life coaching practice to help women take action on their God-given dreams with clarity, creativity, and calm. Liz lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their three boys. She is blessed to be a member of the Love Crucified community, whose mission is to bring to the Lord victim souls for these decisive times. You can work with Liz privately, in her on-line community, or join her on a retreat. Connect with Liz at lizmontignycoaching.com