When You Feel More Like Roadkill than Alive in Christ

April 13, 2018

Today, I am honored and excited to introduce my first guest blogger, Pearl Allard. I found Pearl’s blog on Instagram earlier this year and instantly fell in love with both her writing and her heart for God. I find her to be authentic and engaging while still challenging me to draw nearer to the Lord.

Her blog, Look Up Sometimes, is a Feedspot’s Top 50 Christian Women’s Blog and has also received the peer nominated Liebster Award. I think you’re going to love her.

Blood and guts are not my thing. I hate scary movies, and I don’t go into haunted houses. But the following is a true story.

I used to work in an office. My boss grew up a country boy and joked Chicago city folk vacationing in our region only saw animals in the wild when they were roadkill. So, he said, why not make a calendar so the city folk could properly identify them?

“There you go, Pearl. You could make a million dollars!” And we laughed so hard I cried (even though I grew up a city girl).

Soon after, I decided to surprise my boss for his birthday and actually make one of these calendars. Once averse to such nastiness, I slammed brakes and swerved off the beaten path giddy to snap photos of squirrel guts, skunk corpses, raccoon carcasses, squashed opossums, headless deer, etc.

Before you go and order me a pink strait jacket off Ebay for $195 plus shipping and handling –  hang with me.

What caused that change in a relatively sane person – which you’re probably thinking is debatable? (Good question, because truthfully animal guts still make me gag.)

In my excitement to gift my boss with his idea in tangible form, somewhere along the road my perspective was molded by my boss’ desires more than my own.

What if we viewed our life-crushing circumstances – which are no joking matter – through God’s lenses?

I imagine God saying, “The folks who don’t venture out of their comfort zones into the wilds for Me much – I love them dearly. I want to help them see pictures of what really following me looks like so they can accurately identify die-to-self in its various forms.”

What if our desire to please God and gift him with His idea in tangible form superseded all of our own desires?

Is God just some bloodthirsty sadist scrapbooking our life’s most painful moments?!

Far from it.

God is not out to cause us harm, because love does no harm by His own definition, and God is love.

In fact, the joy of being in a relationship with you, and me, meant more to God than heaven itself and was the driving force behind Jesus’ sufferings to absorb the eternal harm we bear otherwise.

He took the ridicule of being the goody two shoes all his life, the isolation of having friends who weren’t true peers, the pain of being misunderstood and unrecognized, the rejection of a people He loved literally to death, the agony of the worst torture the Romans could dream up, and the spiritual torment of being forsaken by God his father while he battled Satan on our behalf – all to extend the invitation to you and me to have an intimate relationship with Him.

We’re worth that much to Him.

Could the joy of being in a relationship with that God also be sustenance through our struggles? Click To Tweet

  • When we feel crushed past our abilities to respond in love or patience.
  • When we feel the choking panic rise and aren’t sure we can rise above it.
  • When we physically suffer.
  • When we can’t relieve the distress of someone we love dearly.
  • When life’s situations have simply ripped our hearts out and stomped on them.

What if when we feel the pain of these moments we look up to God in faith, confident he still loves us, and we trust him even when the rubber that met the road squashed us flat along the way?

How can we look up when it kills us?

Let it.

Let it kill every false pretense that we’re ok without God.

Let it kill every lie that says God does not love us.

Let it kill our sense of pride and grow our gratitude for every good gift He gives.

When life drives over us and leaves us feeling more like roadkill than alive in Christ, may we allow the experience to kill the roadblocks in our relationship with Christ. And may God resurrect and restore our souls.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 1 Peter 5:10

Pearl Allard loves the sunflower as a spiritual metaphor. As sunflower buds track the sun’s daily movement, her goal is to follow the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Pearl is an imperfect Son-follower learning to enjoy grace and on mission to nurture others to enjoy it, too. She blogs weekly encouragement at Look Up Sometimes, has guest blogged for (in)courage and Breathe Christian Writers Conference and has additionally been published with Keys for Kids. She is happily-mostly-aftered to her hero of fourteen years and is stay-at-home mama to two crazy-wonderful kids in Michigan. Connect with Pearl on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

More about Liz

I'm a free spirit. I hate rules and legalism. I love art and nature, music, the beach and dogs. I like to garden, take pictures and read. I tend to speak my mind and have a rip-the-band-aid -off approach to life. (Brace yourself, this might hurt.)

26 Comments
    1. WOW Liz you were right. I connected with her immediately. Thank you for sharing her! God Bless you!

      1. Hi my friend! I know – she’s awesome! Thank you for reading, commenting and sharing – you are a blessing.

    1. Pearl, you have no idea how God used you to speak to my heart this morning, but He does. Thank you for this truth-bearing (with a twist of humor) post. I doubt I’ll ever look at roadkill quite the same again, although I try not to look anyway. 🙂 Blessings!

      1. Precious Cathy! That means so much. 🌻 Praising God that He met you this morning and encouraged you! (I’m with you – I’d rather not look, either.) Blessings to you, also, as we keep trying to be a living roadkill, er, I mean sacrifice! 😉

    1. Ah yes. Felt a lot like roadkill lately. Good food for thought…just never thought I’d ponder food from the “Roadkill cafe”. Seriously, Pearl, I always love your metaphors!

      1. Melissa, thanks for your kind words, sister. Praying for your family, for improving health, and for peace in the crazy. And praying nothing steals your joy as you move closer to publication! Hugs!

    1. I definitely seem to have the moments of feeling like roadkill (though I too avoid looking and will probably cause a huge accident in order to avoid CAUSING roadkill). I know I’m told that God loves me no matter what, but sometimes I just can’t imagine how he can love me, especially when I am my worst because I just don’t see that my best is even remotely good enough. It seems that Easter reminds me all over again that He must love me but it is often hard to keep that Easter reminder in my heart all through the year. Thanks for your message.

    1. Wow. Pearl, I love this post. I love the humor and then the depth of how you reached out to everyone who’s hurting right now. (I want to be like you when I grow up!) Keep on encouraging others– you have a gift!!

      1. Toni, I laughed out loud and considered crying! You are a gift. Grateful how God works and joins His kids together. You’re a huge reason I can persevere. Grateful if I can return the favor. 🌻

    1. So very thankful I didn’t pass this by today. Just what I needed to hear. Um – I mean, read ~ well…you know! “Life’s situation (and Rick) have definitely ripped my heart out and stomped on it”. And I wonder how much more I will be able to endure.
      Thank you. 😘❌⭕️❤️😍

      1. Love you sister ❤️❤️ hugs – I know you are going through it and must feel like roadkill…..my heart hurts with yours. ❤️

      1. Melody, just prayed for you…asking Jesus to hold you and the fragments of your heart tenderly. May He restore your soul. So much love to you. 💕

    1. Wow!! I love this post Liz and you are so right, Pearl you are Awesome. Your humor I just love (I didn’t know they made pink straitjackets) lol love it! This message is so encouraging and a reminder that God created us in His image and we are worthy of His Love a love that never changes no matter how many time we mess up! Thank you Pearl for your wisdom! Thank you Liz for introducing Pearl to me ! You both are a gift to me any many more.i really enjoyed this post today! God is Good! Awesome job to you both👍🏻🙏🏻❤️👊🏼

      1. Hi my sister friend! Thaaaank you! You are the gift – your love, support and enthusiasm mean more than you know. I’m so happy you found encouragement in Pearl’s post – I did too. She’s awesome! Be sure to follow her on social media – the links to her blog and where to find her are listed in her bio at the end of her post. She is awesome! Love you my friend!

      1. Sydell, your kind words soak deep. I have to echo Liz – your presence here is a gift.🌻 Humbled and grateful and thrilled to pieces to join Liz in her ministry today! I love how when God works, He always has everyone’s best interest at heart all at the same time!! Hugs!

    1. I’m a little late getting here but I love it! There are so many who can relate to what she has written. That would be me at the moment with my body being under attack. What an awesome gift she has for sharing God’s word with those who need it. Of course, I had a great laugh at the calendar! Very inspiring!

      1. Hi my friend! So happy God used Pearl’s message to touch you. I’m so sorry you’re going through such hardship. And yes, the calendar is awesome! How can you not love that? Hugs sweet friend – praying you find healing very soon.

      1. Oh Denise – my heart goes out to you! May you be given endurance and strength for your situation and if the Lord wills, complete and quick healing. Thank you for your kind words – so grateful God encouraged you!

    1. Thanks so much! I’m happy God used it. Blessings friend – glad you’re here.

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