A Beautiful Gate

A Beautiful Gate Writing my heart out — Jeanna’ Mead > “Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.” > (Acts 3:2) I had never noticed this verse before — I had skimmed past it in my Bible readings and morning devotionals.

But this time, the words jumped out at me. Tears filled my eyes as I thought about what the word “beautiful” means to me — and how different it feels these days. “Look at us!” Here, Peter tells the lame man to look up at him and John — and suddenly, it made perfect sense to me.

The lame man was embarrassed, even ashamed. He most likely kept his head down, gaze lowered, posture defeated. He had spent his whole life begging for scraps — scraps of money, scraps of kindness, scraps of anything to get by one more day. He didn’t expect to be treated with respect.

He didn’t expect anyone to REALLY see him. He didn’t expect to be looked at as a man created by God, known and loved. He was most likely seen as a problem — maybe even an eyesore. Maybe even a burden. The scripture says someone carried him to the gate every day.

I wonder who carried him? Did they leave him for hours without food or water? Did they stay nearby to protect him? Did they let him sit alone so strangers would feel more mercy? Did he even have a home to return to? The Bible doesn’t tell us those details, but it tells us what we do need to know — what makes my heart dance with joy: > “Silver or gold, I do not have, but what I do have I give you. > In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth — walk.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and helped him stand, and instantly his feet and ankles became strong.

Let that soak in. This man was touched. Not just spoken to — touched. As a massage therapist, a writer, a woman living with hearing loss, and a granddaughter of a touch-centered Mema, touch is my love language. It is who I am. It is what I do. So reading these words is like a balm to my soul.

Peter helped him up. Simple. Sacred. Holy. To help someone rise means your heart moves first. Your eyes see them. Your body acts. You become a vessel of love — the very thing God created us to be. > “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, > which God prepared in advance for us to do.” > (Ephesians 2:10) How often do we see someone’s hardship as our invitation to be a blessing?

Not to judge. Not to ignore. But to say, “Here is my chance to share what God gave me.” That’s what the last four years have been for me. My own Beautiful Gate. My own wilderness. My own battleground. It has changed me — from the inside out. --- ## He Became Strong The man was lame his whole life, and then instantly he became strong.

That’s how we should believe in God’s power. Not timidly. Not cautiously. But boldly — knowing He can change everything in an instant. > “Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord, and work. > For I am with you.” > (Haggai 2:4) Once the man’s legs became strong, he jumped and praised God. Worship is work — holy work.

Sometimes we have to stay strong while we wait on the Lord, but waiting is not wasting. Waiting prepares our hearts. Waiting deepens our faith. Waiting grows our roots. The man didn’t give up — he returned to the gate day after day. And when the moment came, he looked up, reached out, and rose.

We must do the same. --- ## They Recognized Him > “They recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful…” > (Acts 3:10) Here is where I get raw. Four years ago, I got sick — really sick — with Covid. It became a wilderness I never expected.

My small Texas town grew fast, but it’s still small enough that people know you — sometimes by what you do, sometimes by who you’re related to, and sometimes by what they think they know. I was “the gym girl.” Always at Legends. Always at Anytime Fitness.

Always working out. But I was also hiding. Hiding my profound hearing loss. Hiding the exhaustion. Hiding the self-doubt. Hiding how hard it was to keep pretending I could hear what I couldn’t. People told me I would fail. That a “half-deaf woman” couldn’t succeed in business.

So I pushed myself harder. Proving. Performing. Pretending. Then Covid hit. My legs wouldn’t hold me. My vision blurred. My speech slurred. My lips went numb. I didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror. And everything I built fell apart. But God met me at my Beautiful Gate — again and again and again.

My husband and my children showed me love and patience I didn’t think I deserved. I stopped being ashamed of my deafness. I stopped believing I had to be “enough.” I stopped working to earn love. I started receiving love. Real love. God’s love. I became weak so I could feel His strength.

I lost my vision so I could gain His. I stopped seeing myself as a wildflower and began seeing myself as a tree: > “But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; > I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever.” > (Psalm 52:8) --- ## By Faith in the Name of Jesus The man at the Beautiful Gate was healed by faith in the name of Jesus.

I believe the same for me. > “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” > (Philippians 1:6) I believe in faith. I believe in Jesus. I believe He is healing me — body and soul. The wilderness is ending. A new season is beginning.

The gate is opening. And I will praise my Savior all the day long.