{{item.title | uppercase}}

A couple of weeks ago, I stepped outside between rain showers and discovered an itsy-bitsy teeny tiny baby bloom on one of my rose bushes. Out of five bushes, just that one tiny bloom. But somehow, that determined little flower infused my heart with hope, serving as a powerful reminder of the cycles we all go through in life.

When I first planted these rose bushes earlier this year, they were full of blooms—beautiful, vibrant, and flourishing. Each morning, they greeted me with their exquisite hues, never failing to put a smile on my face. They added such joyful splashes of color to my day.

Then one day, I walked outside and stopped dead in my tracks. My once beautiful, colorful, vibrant rose bushes were ruthlessly stripped completely bare of all their leaves, buds, and blooms. Everything beautiful to the eye gone. All that remained were the buried roots and ugly, scraggly branches. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought all hope was lost.

But thankfully, the roots were solid, and despite their appearance, the branches still had life coursing through them. They just needed time—time to gather their resources, to heal, and to begin growing again. And one day, I hope, they will thrive and flourish once more.

Oh, how I relate to these rose bushes.

I’ve been in a place where my life felt stripped completely bare of every beautiful and vibrant thing, where I lost the ability to see color, and where each day felt heavy, hard, and arduous.

The kids and I were like those scraggly branches, held together by His love for us, our love for each other, and by our roots grounded in Christ. And He is the only reason we’ve made it this far. He is the reason we’re beginning to see color again. Our vision might not yet be clear enough to see the full vibrancy of those colors, but God. He gives us life and breath and He sustains us. He gives us hope that our lives will once again thrive and flourish as we continue to trust in and wait on Him.

Until then, we will continue to grow—in beauty, in grace, and in the strength that only comes from Him.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)

Heavenly Father, we come before You with open hearts, ready to receive new life. This journey of loss is so hard and heavy. But Father, we ask for You to clear our vision and allow us to see color in it’s full vibrancy. Help us to recognize Your hands at work in and around us, and help us to thrive and flourish as You heal our hearts and minds. Thank You Father for Your tender-mercies which are new every morning. In Jesus’ name, amen.