Give Your Garden Time to Grow

I am currently reading the book Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge. And let me tell you... It is rocking my world! I'm not even much of a reader, but I highly recommend it to any woman to read! It discusses how God is the very essence of beauty. Us women being created in his image, are therefore the very essence of beauty as well. Each woman has beauty within her and realizing the love affair Christ desires so desperately to have with us will unleash this beauty. It will give rest to your soul so your beauty naturally spill out rather than in a striving, not-so-pleasant manner. God is a huge romancer and just as much as us women long to be pursed, desired, and romanced, he has the same urges. Only Jesus can bring complete satisfaction to us and when we say yes to Him, he is satisfied in us as well.

I wanted to bring attention to one particular passage I read today (although there's so many I could go on and on). For those of you who have the book, it's on page 145:

"But a newly planted rose's presentation in its first year is nothing compared to its second. If properly cared for, its second year's display doesn't hold a candle to its third. Gardens need to become established; their roots need to go deeper through summer rains and winter frosts. A garden's beauty does not diminish with age; rather it takes years for it to become all that it can become."

Not only does this speak to revealing inner beauty, but I believe it can be applied to many areas of life. Things take time! The past year was my freshmen year away at leadership college. Oh boy did I love it, but I had some major heart aching moments; they were moments of failure and hardship. One of my biggest fears is failure! But reading this passage today brought such strength to my heart! The things I feel I have failed at can only get better with time and effort! This first year away was like a rose in my garden. Next month I go back to school, and I cannot wait to see this rose again! I really believe God is going to move in miraculous ways. Yesterday's post I discussed how life is just brutally hard sometimes. But with God's help we are surely able to come out victorious! I believe God can do the impossible and will answer when I ask for his help. However, it does take some effort on my end; I can't just sit around saying, "Well God can do anything so he is going to make me a pianist." If I want to be a pianist, I have to work at it and God will help! It's a joint effort just as my relationship with him is. I've made goals to go back to school with to help me achieve the things I want and I've been covering them in prayer asking God to go before me and anoint my work I've been trying ever so hard to do! And then comes faith... Oh do I ever have faith in my God that he will show up and do the impossible! Be encouraged today that your "roses" takes time to grow. You help nurture them and God will help them grow. Your life is a beautiful garden filled with roses God has given you which are constantly blossoming only to become more enchanting. In all that you do, look at it as a process which takes time, effort, and faith.

Happy Tuesday!
❤ Ariel Christine