My niece is a gardener- a tender loving care taker of God’s earth.  Her garden is a Renoir painting, the hues and values and placement of vegetables fill her burnt umber soil canvas. She is an artist professionally and that creativity spills forth into her love of the earth and its potential bounty. A tiny delicate, lovely young woman with a spirit that is strong and deeply grounded in her faith in the soil to produce a near perfect crop….every time.

She and I bought strawberry plants together, hers is still lush and full and mine is pitiful. Tonight I am bringing my nearly dead strawberry plant to her, the plant Dr. , so that she can nurse it back to health. I have total blind faith in her ability to raise my sick plant back to life.

I have watched her go through a big growth spurt recently, she took the high road in a situation where most people would seek revenge. She has moved into a better place, tending to her life now much like the way she cares for her plants with love and forgiveness. I am so proud of her mainly because that low road, with its dark and dreary way is usually the road of choice for most of us-a fast and easy way out.  Carefully watering and pruning day after day tenderly to the gardens of our hearts and soul is harder and takes far more time, yet the produce is so much better!

Over and over I tell my children and anyone that will listen, it is in the trials of life where our growth occurs, be it positive or negative, depending on your choices. Getting up in the morning is a choice, from that moment on we make decisions all day long, then do it again the next day. Our growth , like a garden, is a direct result of our behavior and our attitude; you can be pitiful or powerful, but you sure as heck can’t be both.

Have a little faith in yourself I tell them, believe that God guides us everyday and that you will make the right choice.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I made the right decision to take my dying plant to my niece so that she can bring it back to powerful. I know every single day of my life that I am powerful because my faith and strength comes from my belief that God covers me and tends to me and fills my spirit with the best choices for me. I am sure that He will care for me and meet my needs and I will grow into a fruitful person. His love will fill me so much that it flows over and out into the lives of others and they can see who Jesus really is by my fruit. That, is a garden worth growing, a lofty goal yet so attainable.

Regardless of the circumstances of any day I face now my goal is to keep Jesus close by me, and when I do I find no matter what comes my way my faith in Him carries me through.  He comes to my garden and walks with me and talks with me all through my day. Thank you Lord.

“Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:3

“The Lord is my strength and my shield.” Psalm 28:7