A Gentle Reminder: Cotton Balls, Healing, and the Hands of God

Quite unexpectedly, I received two large cotton balls from our dear volunteer, and my friend, Ms. Laura. For the laundry? No. Oh, for my hands? No. So, what are they for?

Laura knows my history. As a T-shirt my son gave me comically proclaims, as it depicts a figure with his arm in a sling, “I do my own stunts.” Two major traumatic accidents in four months. Laura also knows that, somehow, I keep reaching for power tools. So she gave me these cotton balls as a reminder: be gentle with yourself. Don’t hurt yourself again.

Two cotton balls versus a “Male Habit of serious injury? But, that’s how God often works—through small, humble things offered in love.

Power Tools and Butane

There’s something in us Floridian’s that wants to push through, tough it out, prove we’re just fine. We reach for the power tool when we should reach for rest. We rush headlong when God is calling us to trust Him with the timing.

Recovery isn’t a race. And self-care isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. We want the dramatic fix. God so often meets us in the small things instead.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9

Paul begged God to remove his affliction. God’s answer wasn’t removal—it was presence. Grace. The promise that even in our most fragile moments, His power is at work.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — Psalm 147:3

God binds wounds—physical, emotional, spiritual. He doesn’t rush the process, and He doesn’t abandon us in it. Recovery is rarely a straight line. Good days and hard days. Setbacks and small victories.

But every small step matters. And you are not alone.

· Your healing matters to God — big things and small things.
· Small steps are still steps. You don’t have to heal all at once.
· Grace is enough, especially on the days you feel weakest.

Hope at Gateway to Hope

This is what Gateway to Hope is about: coming alongside people in vulnerable moments with real, practical hope. Hope that doesn’t pretend everything is fine, but says, “You are not alone. God sees you. There is a path forward.”

Sometimes that path looks like a dear friend handing you a couple of cotton balls, with a gentle nudge — to try and be a little more careful!