Budding Promise
I have a cousin who is one of my favorite people in the world and she has an amazing green thumb. Not just for growing flowers and shrubbery but also for fruits and vegetables. Over the last year or so, she has really taken the time to cultivate her craft. She has acquired calendars for seasonal crops, lights and shelves for her seedlings and has hand built two raised garden beds. Once her seeds have been tended to for a certain amount of time and have been given the opportunity to get a strong start, she transplants them into the ground in her garden.
Prior to beginning anything, she does her research and watches tons of tutorial videos to get an understanding of what to expect. By the time she has gotten to the step of planting, she has already gone through the process of reading and learning so that she is aware of the time required to produce fruit. Proverbs 4:7 says “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (KJV) Having an understanding of what is required prior to committing to any task is vital.
Initially she started her new hobby because her youngest daughter was going away for college and she wanted something to occupy her time. Therefore, with careful planning she started prior to her daughter graduating high school so that she would be well into it when the time came to take her baby to school.
One of the many things I have learned along this amazing journey in life is that there is truly a season for everything. Think back to the hardest places in life you have encountered. Think about the anguish, confusion, pain and discomfort you experienced. At some point, you probably thought and even felt as though it would never end. Now bring yourself into the present. Be mindful of the fact that I asked you to think back. Meaning you had to reflect on a past experience. At the time, it may have been or even felt unbearable but today you can declare out of your own mouth, God is able! You have, I have, and we have seen the works of God’s hand within our lives. Even in those moments, seeds were being planted in our lives. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 the word of God speaks to us about time. Carefully reminding us, everything in this life has a time and a season. Imagine the level of love, (agape love-pure, willful, sacrificial love without condition), God has for His beloved children to place instructions and guides in our lives to encourage us to keep moving forward.
An important yet tedious task when gardening is making the time to consistently nurture your seeds. Nurturing meaning to protect, water, clear out debris, monitor, ensure enough sun or shade is being provided. Nurture your seeds, the seeds that have been planted within you! Respect the process but at the same time make sure you are doing your part. Psalm 25:5 says, “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (NIV) God I am relying on you. I have nowhere else to put this desire, this wish, and this thing that is within me. My every hope is in you!
Now, once my cousin has given her seeds everything they need she has a great expectation. Eventually little leaves begin to spring up above the soil and they will continue to grow tall until flower buds appear, and she expects to soon thereafter see fruit. Why? Well, she knows she has taken great care of her crops. She knows she did her part. She was mindful of the type of soil she planted her seeds in. She was mindful of the frequency of water she gave her seeds. She was mindful of the environment she provided. Therefore, she should absolutely expect goodness to come shortly after the buds appear. In addition, if her process is fruitful, she will repeat it. In Lamentations 3:24 it says “The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.” (KJV) The flower buds represent promise and change on the horizon. The buds are a sign that a transition has taken place. They are a sign that the harvest season is near. Take time to remember the seeds planted in your life. Have you nurtured them properly? Have you been mindful of the environment you have placed the seeds in? Can you rightfully expect a harvest? Today I am ever so encouraged to take my journals out and review seeds, words from God, encouragement that I have received along the way. Perhaps I have not done my part and that is why I am still waiting on some promises that showed me flowers but no fruit. Moreover, for the seeds that I have and am continuing to carefully tend, I am definitely going to enjoy my fruit.
Rochelle is a native to Las Vegas, Nevada and has been married to her high school sweetheart, Bryan for 20 years. They have three children Daviontae-21, Jordan-19 and Saria-4 years old.
Rochelle’s passion for writing started as a young girl when she used journaling as a way to voice her emotions. Over the years, God has taken something that was solely therapeutic, gave it a voice and is now using it to encourage and uplift women and people from state to state.
Rochelle has worked in healthcare for over 15 years. In her “free” time, she enjoys writing, cooking/baking, creating new recipes and spending time with her family. Having a strong inner circle as well as nurturing the lives of others is very important to her. Rochelle has a passion for encouraging women and helping them to see the value in knowing their self-worth.