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Broken. Bent. Built Back Better.


By Sharon Manker, M.Ed.


If you've been following my Professional Chameleon™ journey, you've probably heard me say, “Sometimes what feels like the end is actually the beginning of becoming.” It's a truth I didn't always understand. In fact, it took some of life's hardest seasons for me to truly believe it.


Life has a way of bending us. Disappointment bends us. Other people's expectations bend us. Loss bends us. Rejection bends us. Unexpected transitions bend us.


For a long time, I believed that if I was bent, it meant I was broken. I thought broken meant I was disqualified. I thought setbacks meant I had somehow failed God.


But over time, I've learned something powerful: broken things in God's hands become testimonies.


Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”


Notice what the Scripture doesn't say. It doesn't say God avoids broken people. It says He draws near to them.


That changes everything.


Broken


There are seasons when life strips away everything familiar. Titles disappear. Friendships change. Family relationships become strained. Dreams pause. Plans collapse. The future you imagined suddenly looks nothing like the one you're living.


In those moments, it's easy to believe that because life feels broken, you must be broken too.


But there is a difference.


Circumstances break.

Your identity does not.


Your circumstances may change, but who God created you to be never does. Your value isn't determined by your title, your success, or the opinions of others. It was established long before any of those things entered your story.


Bent


Being bent isn't a sign of weakness. It's a picture of flexibility. It's surrender. It's learning to trust God when life refuses to go according to your carefully crafted plan.


Think about a tree during a storm. The trees that refuse to bend are often the first to snap. The ones that bend with the wind survive because they remain rooted.


Faith isn't pretending storms don't exist. Faith is trusting the One who stands with us in the middle of them.


Isaiah 43:2 reminds us, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”


Not if.


When.


Storms are promised. So is God's presence.


Built Back Better


Today, I no longer want to simply bounce back. I want to build forward.


I want to become different. Wiser. More courageous. More compassionate. More authentic. More aligned with God's purpose for my life.


Romans 8:28 reminds us that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” Not some things. All things.


Even heartbreak.


Even layoffs.


Even disappointment.


Even betrayal.


Even seasons of waiting.


Nothing is wasted when it's surrendered to God. Every challenge becomes part of the foundation He uses to build something stronger than before.


The Professional Chameleon™ No More


For years, I became an expert at adapting.


I changed to fit the room.


I changed to fit the conversation.


I changed to feel like I belonged.


I wore whatever version of myself I believed others needed, slowly convincing myself that acceptance required constant adjustment. Somewhere along the way, I confused fitting in with fulfilling my purpose.


Not anymore.


Today, I choose authenticity over approval.


I've stopped shrinking to fit rooms that were never designed for me. I've stopped apologizing for the gifts God entrusted to me. I've stopped measuring my worth by applause, promotions, or other people's validation.


Instead, I choose:


Purpose over performance.

Faith over fear.

Calling over comfort.


Every day, I remind myself of this simple truth:


Broken isn't your identity.

Bent isn't your destination.

Built Back Better is your testimony.


Your Next Chapter Starts Here


Maybe today you feel weary.


Maybe you've questioned your calling.


Maybe you've wondered if it's too late to begin again.


Friend, hear me: God is still writing beautiful stories with people who think they've reached the last chapter.


What if this isn't your ending?


What if this is your rebuilding season?


What if God is preparing you—not despite what you've endured, but because of it?


You are not forgotten.


You are not disqualified.


You are not defined by what happened to you.


You are being rebuilt with greater wisdom, greater compassion, greater courage, and greater purpose than before.


So keep walking. Your steps are already ordered by the One who sees the entire journey. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Because what God rebuilds is often stronger, deeper, and more beautiful than what existed before.


As I often remind my Professional Chameleon™ community:


Stop shrinking. Start shifting.

Stop surviving. Start thriving.


You may have felt broken.


You may have been bent.


But God is building you back better.


May that become not just your story—but your testimony.


A Closing Word from Cheryl


What a joy it is to share an article that so beautifully affirms what is at the heart of everything I desire to pour into others: your circumstances may shape parts of your story, but they do not get to define your identity.


Thank you, Sharon, for reminding us through your words that even in the breaking, the bending, and the rebuilding, YOU still Matter. ❤️

—Rev. Dr. Cheryl A.S. Hurley


Connect With Sharon


For permissions, speaking engagements, or collaboration opportunities, please contact:


Sharon Manker, M.Ed.

Founder, Professional Chameleon™ & SourceWorthy™



🎙️ Catch Up on Episode 6 of the YOU Matter Podcast!


While Episode 7 of the YOU Matter Podcast is in the works, Episode 6 is still available for your listening pleasure!


“You’re Not Behind, You’re Being Positioned” is for anyone who has ever wondered, Did I miss my moment? Am I falling behind?


Sometimes God’s timing feels slower than we’d like, and sometimes the waiting feels long. But waiting doesn’t mean God has forgotten you. Delay does not mean denial. God may be preparing, protecting, and positioning you for what’s next.


So, if you haven’t listened yet, or perhaps you need to hear it again, take a moment, tune in, and let it encourage your heart.


And stay tuned… Episode 7 is on the way! 🎙️


YOU Matter.Take a moment. Tune in. Let it encourage your heart.


🎧 Listen now + go deeper:

👉 Click the image to listen on Spotify.

🔗 Or listen directly here: https://bit.ly/3R0apzm

 
 
 

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