"Life is a flower of which love is the honey." ~Victor Hugo

I was out in my garden today. Each time I venture there it is like the whisper of the Lord's Voice meets me, saying, "Here you are, our time together again....I've been waiting for you."  I don't know what it is with me and my Lord amongst the petals in my quiet sanctuary, but that is exactly what it is, my sanctuary. My garden is a place of refuge for me, always has been that way. The busier life gets with the responsibilities of family life I find it harder and harder to find the time to meander amongst the flowers; each time I do I wonder what took me so long to get there. Isn't that always how it is with the loving comfort of the arms of the Beloved? The warm embrace is like a gentle kiss and comforting and encouraging word to strengthen our soul. For you, it may not be found in the flower beds, but it is somewhere, you know where, find it...run to it...do not deny it. That time of quiet reflection is needed and refreshing.

I bought some flowers yesterday. I had intent to fill a spot where a miniature palm tree had been, but is now transplanted into a pot on my back porch. As I groomed the soil and plucked at the weeds a thought came to me... No one really loves to weed. Though I may not mind it, it's not my favorite aspect of gardening. Even though I don't particular enjoy it, I know it is a very necessary step to the grooming of a yard and preparation for the fun part...the flowers. How true this statement is also with our hearts. If our heart is like a garden that must be cultivated, nurtured and loved, so too, we must tend to it and pluck the weeds.

We must always press on and challenge ourselves to grow, to expand to become our best possible version of ourselves. We must embrace the destiny and potential that God has locked inside us, each and everyone. Our thank you and act of worship to God is to be faithful stewards of our potential and seek to maximize it. Do not misunderstand me; I am not speaking of striving. Striving is the fleshes attempt to accomplish something. Our "flesh" is anything we do of ourselves by our own efforts, excluding God from the process. Striving is futile. However, when we seek the Lord and ask, with yielded hearts, 'search me God and make my heart clean'. We are actively giving God permission to pull some weeds. He will use His Word, circumstances, experiences and even the mouth of others (whether they are well meaning or not, intentional or not) to address the weeds in our heart, bringing them to our attention. I love this passage of scripture;

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him...Love is made complete among us." 1 John 4:16-17

When we allow God to probe our hearts and are open to his correction and refinement we are giving ourselves the opportunity to have more of His Love, Peace and Comfort in our lives. He wants to drive out the "dead wood" so he can give us life and give it abundantly. If our heart is full of weeds there is little room for the bloom of His Love. How beautiful is it that God would love us so much as to want to take the time to reside in our hearts, take up ownership as Master Gardener and remove the dross and mire, all the things that hold us back. There is no shame or condemnation from God. He knows every detail about us, but he wants us to always be moving toward him, not pulling away. Shame and guilt cause people to move away from the things God has for them. God doesn't want that, it is not of Him. God's Love is Pure and True and willing to be Truthful and honest, but with the best intentions to bless. Though the "weeding" process is painful, the relief and freedom that comes once the painful stain of the past or negative thought patterns or habits and behaviors are gone, then we become truly free! Once we are free of those weeds that entangle us (sin) then we can truly blossom and grow to be all we are destined to be!

"Love is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination." ~Voltaire

God's love is the great Beautifier and Amplifier of our hearts cry to be loved, to be held, to be free of all the inward struggles that bind and restrict. He sees you...He knows you...He is aware of all the inward struggles that cause weeds to erupt in your life. Allow Him to tenderly poke at the soil of your heart and gently pull out that deep thing that you have ignored or protected (for fear of pain) for so long. No one is going to hurt you, God is going to protect you and bless you and erect you into the Man or Woman of Destiny you were created to be. I believe in you and pray that one day you will see in yourself all that I see in you, too...Beautiful.

Dare to imagine...you are Greater still...

Blessings, Nicole