I love the artistry of hand painted matryoshka dolls — and I like the visual reminder that we all have stories to tell just beneath the outer surface.
Most of my Russian nesting dolls show women in beautiful aprons, and others display Russian cities. But my favorite in my small collection shows a series of religious icons, starting with Mary and baby Jesus. The last time I opened that set up to display all five of the icons, I paused when I got to the one that showed Jesus as an adult. I admired the gilded halo and the soft eyes, but just as I started to set it down, I noticed the empty shell of the larger doll.
To make room for Jesus, the shell had to be emptied. The wood had to be carved and shaped and then, ever so carefully, crafted to fit back together.
Is it really so different for us?
How do we make room to recognize God as part of our story?
