Grow Through It

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Every flower must grow through dirt. 

I've grown zinnias everywhere we've lived. The tall green stems topped with an array of color danced in my flowerbeds all summer—until we moved to the condo. The little plot where the lavender and black-eyed Susans thrive isn't good for zinnias. I'd given up trying to grow them from seed until a new spot opened on the other side of the porch. The HOA had removed a pine tree and left a gaping hole in the landscape. When the neighbor gave me several packets of flower seeds, I stirred the dirt, laid down some potting soil, and sprinkled the seeds with the hope of growth.

In about a week, little seedlings pushed through the dirt. Those tiny green sprouts brought me joy. Not all the seeds made an appearance, but the ones who did will show the colors of summer. I'm eager to see how they grow and bloom.

Like the seedlings, sometimes we have to push through the dirt to grow. The soil may represent a difficult time in our lives when our hearts are tested by sorrow, despair, or uncertainty. Or maybe we're in the wrong soil, like the zinnias. The dirt in the little flowerbed didn't allow for growth, but the other side had the nourishment the plants needed.

Maybe we're in the wrong place because we aren't listening to God. What if I've allowed myself to stop listening to the Holy Spirit, which means I've cut off my life's supply of grace and hope?

Regardless of where I am in life, I will continue to grow through as I go through. Whether I'm pushing through the soil or finding myself in the wrong spot, I need to seek Jesus and listen to the Spirit of God so my faith will produce perseverance and perseverance will bring me to maturity.

Have you planted your heart in God's soil?

He Cares

I love this time of year, before the temperature rises beyond eighty,
and the plants sprout from the ground. 

My flowers are mostly perennials that reseed and return year after year. 
I don't have to do much to the plants,
and before long I'll have a lovely rainbow of blooms.

I think God filled the world with flowers to remind us how much He cares.

"Consider how the wild flowers grow.
They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you,
not even Solomon in all his splendor
was dressed like one of these."
-Luke 12:27

Three Little Words

1 Thessalonians 1:3
We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faith, hope, love—three little words with huge impact.

On my journey as a writer, I meet a lot of interesting people. Some of my favorites are the folks who have dwelled on this earth for many years. On a recent trip to meet a group of senior citizens, (yes, I am one, too) I chatted with a couple of women in their nineties. Their sweet smiles and friendly voices drew me in. We talked about crocheting, knitting, and books. One lovely lady invited me to their crochet group. They had no idea the impact they had on me. I wasn't feeling well and had awakened that morning in a grumpy mood. Yet, these women, older than me, most likely with aches and pains of age, cheered me up.

Through their faith, love, and hope they gave me a reason to examine my heart. I thought I had come to brighten their day, but the opposite took place. They gave me more reasons to be thankful and praise God.

The church in Thessalonica was young, barely a year old, but they already had faith, love, and hope. Apostle Paul, the author of Thessalonians, acknowledged the faith they held onto in their work to increase the church, the love they showed others in the community, and the hope they held onto as they endured opposition. The Thessalonians knew Jesus promised to return in His glory. Until that time, they labored with love and worked in faith.

As a believer in Jesus, I know He will return for His followers. One of these days, the trumpets will sound and the angels will rejoice when we see Jesus. In the meantime, I'll work in faith and labor in love, as I hold on to hope.

Are you ready to meet Jesus?

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. -Matthew 24:44

*This devotion was inspired by Aaron Adams' sermon on Sunday. Thank you Aaron.

Contemporary Fiction Book Review: With Every Memory by Janine Rosche

Is the Life She Can't Remember One She'd Rather Forget

One year after her family was in a tragic car accident that killed her teenage son, Lori Mendenhall returns home with a traumatic brain injury that has stolen the last eight years of memories from her. She is shocked to find that the life she was leading before the accident is unrecognizable. Her once-loving husband, Michael, is a distant workaholic she isn't sure she can trust and her once-bubbly daughter, Avery, has spent the last year hidden away in her room.

For Avery, life stopped when she lost her twin. Now, if she wants to graduate high school, she'll have to accept help from Xander Dixon, her brother's best friend and the boy who relentlessly teased her for years. And if Lori wants to reconnect with her husband, she'll have to grapple with information her brain is trying to keep secret. With every memory that returns, she can't help but wonder if the life she can't remember is one she'd rather forget.

My Thoughts:
The author added a trigger warning to the book: "This novel contains difficult and potentially triggering topics, such as death of a child, sexual assault, adultery, and divorce."

This isn't a sweet candy-coated novel. It's a deeply emotional story of people who fail each other, even as they love with a fierceness. Rosche states that she tries to handle the trigger topics with sensitivity while showing the reality of the trauma. I believe she has done this. The book goes back and forth between two points of view: Avery, the eighteen-year-old daughter, and Lori, the mom, who has lost her memory due to traumatic brain injury. My favorite part of the story is Avery's point of view. She recounts the family's struggles as a teenager who has lost so much and is barely swimming above water. The story kept me reading because Rosche went so deep emotionally. She tapped into family dynamics and didn't miss a beat of the ups and downs. The beautiful part of the story is the grace and forgiveness she has woven in. Although not preachy at all, the reader knows there is faith and hope at the heart. If you enjoy realistic fiction that pulls at the heartstrings, you may want to give With Every Memory a try. I received a complimentary copy and my opinions are my own.

Better Days

The days I take the time to pray first thing in the morning

give me the confidence and courage I need to face a new day. 

Those days may not have better circumstances, or the best news, 

but I'm prepared because I've opened my heart to God 

and asked the Holy Spirit to guide me in my actions and thoughts.

No day is perfect, but the days I talk to God are a whole lot better.

 

Rest in His Shadow

Psalm 91:1-2
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
   will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress
   my God, in whom I trust.”

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,  
But I have promises to keep, 
And miles to go before I sleep, 
And miles to go before I sleep. -Robert Frost

Tim and I enjoy walking Rosie May at the local park. We often take her around the paved path, then let her run and play catch on the tennis court. The other day, as the heat of the day increased, we chose the wooded path for a short hike. As we trekked along the gravel trail, I looked up and admired the canopy the trees made as they bowed over the walking path. I welcomed the shade as the sun rose higher and the temperatures went up. The blue sky peeked through the green leaves and created a picture of the beauty God created. The woods were indeed lovely.

The canopy of trees reminded me of the shelter God provides. On that hot morning, He provided shade. The times when my heart hurts for this world, God offers comfort and confidence in Him. I'm thankful He is in control of this mess, and He will never leave me.

I rarely watch the news because I'm disappointed in how it's presented and in how people are falling for Satan's antics. They fling so much tragedy in our faces. It truly is a sad state of being, but my friends, we have hope and a place to go for comfort. As I continue my journey on this earth, with miles to go and promises to keep, I know without doubt, Jesus walks with me and His joy fills my soul. He keeps me moving forward.

Jesus' love gives us the hope we need to walk in this weary world, and God offers comfort and peace as we rest in His shadow. He is my refuge, and I trust Him.

Seek God's shelter.

One Step at a Time

I love the Appalachian Mountains, but sometimes 

I am surrounded by a different kind of mountain that I believe I can't climb.

Sorrow, grief, achievement, expectations, too much to do, and the list goes on.

What do I do when I lift my eyes to those daunting mountains?

I look to the One who gives me the strength and courage to climb.

I lift my eyes to God and seek Him as I take the mountain step-by-step,

because I know He walks with me, and His love surrounds me.