Life Lessons from a Seedling

This morning I was standing in my kitchen looking at some tiny vegetable seedlings I had planted a couple weeks ago. The other day the weather was beautiful, so I thought I would put the seedlings outside to get some sun. I got so busy that day and had forgotten to bring them in that night. Unfortunately the weather dropped down and we got snow in the mountains around our valley. That morning I looked outside and remembered that I had put them out there. When I brought them inside I noticed the leaves were now withered. I ran some mild water on the roots, then put them by one of my kitchen windows.
Today, I noticed that while the leaves were still a little withered and beaten, there was new growth coming up from the core. I have really fallen in love with gardening, there are so many lessons to be learned from it.
Here was this tiny plant that had been beaten by the weather, that had appeared to be dead, but had new life growing out from it.
How many times in our lives do we get beaten by weather (storms, the trials of life) and count things dead in our lives. Maybe you are waiting for something to happen and it has not only been months, but years! Do you count that thing dead? I believe just as my tiny plants had new growth, God wants to bring new growth (life, faith, joy, etc..) into our lives. Do not count something dead because life (dreams, progress, etc) has not yet came. Growth can spring forward fast at any moment. Continue to grow in faith and see those things you counted as dead, begin to come to life.
Matthew 17:20 "For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed. you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

Have faith!

Leah

In the Bible there is a lot of great heroins, but my favorite ones are those that rose above their circumstances to become the woman God had created them to be. Leah is one of my favorites! I think about how strong she had to be in her faith, to walk through so much hurt and disappointment, but God loved and honored Leah. I have had this is my bible for sometime about Leah and thought I would share. Enjoy.

She was the unwanted one, the unattractive one, the one her father used as a trick. She was Leah. By birth, she was Rachel's older sister. And, by deceit, she was Jacob's first wife. She must have seen the disappointment in his eyes when he discovered she wasn't the woman he'd spent seven years longing and working for. And she must have known, as well as any woman today, the deep and lasting sting of rejection.
But, for all his weakness and all his cunning, her father did provide for her. And for every woman who stands in the shadow of one who seems more beautiful or more brilliant, there is a Father who says, "This one is worthy." There is a Father who is looking out for you. There is a Father in whose eyes you are the loveliest of all. He is a Father who delights in you so much that He sings and rejoices over you. It is time to see yourself as He sees you - the apple of His eye, the joy of His heart, the masterpiece of His hand.
Leah may have felt inferior to Rachel, and we know she felt unloved by Jacob; but her heavenly Father had a purpose for her life. She bore Jacob a daughter and six sons, among them Levi and Judah. From Levi, the priestly tribe arose and ministered to God for the entire nation of Israel. From Judah cam King David and his royal lineage, which included Jesus Christ. God has a destiny for you, too. Find a place to be alone with Him, not simply to seek His will, but to let Him show you who He created you to be, and to let Him tell you how beautiful He thinks you are.

The Sweet Smell After the Storm

Have you ever smelled the sweet smell right after a rain storm? Felt the breeze, knowing that a storm is over?

I have been thinking a lot about rain storms lately. Living in Southern Oregon we are very blessed at experience rain storms at any given time this time of year. As a matter of fact we had our pre-adoption photo shoot planned today and had to reschedule for next weekend due to the rain.

This last year has been really rough for my husband and I. He had an accident and had to have major surgery, which he is still healing from, but it is getting better all the time. It has been really rough to bounce back financially and has felt like one storm after another. 

Today we went to church like we always do then, had another one of my favorite things happen. An afternoon talking about the dreams and paths we believe God is going to take us. What does this have to do with the smell after the storm? What does this have to do with the storm?

I sit here and close my eyes and think about what it smells like after the rain comes down. The smell is one none of us can forget nor do we want to.we even try to put it in a spray and candle form. It is the smell of cleanness and purity. I believe that my husband and I are in this season. Right before God moves, He takes away anything that is keeping us from the journey He has for us, it is the sweet smell of change and anticipation. You know that at any minute the winds are going to change and the storm is over!!

While things have been really rocky and the storm has seemed bigger then I could have ever imagine. I now feel that the winds are changing and that our dreams are ever closer. I may not have liked the storm, but He has always been there, helping to rise above, increasing my faith, and helping to see that He is bigger than any storm I will ever face. Psalms 107:29-31 "He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness."

In the Stillness

Tonight my husband and I went to a prayer meeting that we go to every Tuesday night and our Pastor asked people to get up and thank God for what they are grateful for about Him. Not what He has given us, but specifically something about God that we are thankful for.
While I did not get up and pray, I sat in the pew thanking about my relationship with Christ and what I am thankful for. One of the many things that came to my heart was His presence.
I know that in my life things get hectic, busy and loads of weight is put on my shoulders from the cares of this world. Something happens though when I take time to just sit still and talk to Him. I feel an overwhelming sense of peace, tranquility and reassurance. I feel like the problems and cares that I have are for a moment in time gone and the only thing I want to do is stay where I am at and not move.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." God beckons us to come to Him when the cares of this world are heavy upon us and to sit, be quite and allow Him to speak to us and give us rest from our cares. It is at this time I get to sit at my Father's feet and get a hug from God.
If you are heavy laden, burden, overwhelmed, depressed, etc. and have a relationship with Christ, stop what you are doing, take time to just sit and allow Him to take the burdens you have off your shoulders.
If you do not have a relationship with Christ, the first thing you have to do is ask Him to forgive you for your past and then ask Him to help you walk with Him, allow Him to come into your life and begin to work in you. As you walk with God take time to talk to him and watch as He is faithful to be there!