A Word of Encouragement

During these recent weeks I have been (slowly) working to organize the thousands of photos we have accumulated, both in print and digitally, in the years we have been married. Looking back at the photos, and remembering the time and place, has been one way to cope with the craziness we have experienced in these very strange times. This week I came across some photos from our years living in the North Carolina mountains.

When we lived there, I so looked forward to spring each year. Winters in the mountains are often long and hard, and sometimes seem as if they will never end. But at the end of the long, cold, harsh winter comes a beautiful spring. Plants that seemed dead come to life again and even flourish.

My favorites were always the rhododendron. Many times, before winter ended, I would be convinced they would never bloom again, and each spring I was proven wrong.

Perhaps plants need to go through these really hard winters in order to flourish in the spring.

I think these plants provide a life lesson for us. Perhaps, like the plants that surrounded my home in the mountains, we too need hard winters in order to fully blossom in the spring. Just as the plant experienced the difficult winter and then thrived in spring as a result, we can come out on the other side of our difficult winters with beautiful blossoms as well.

If you're experiencing a difficult season, whether because of the virus, or because of something else, let that be an encouragement to you today.

"But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." 
(Job 23:10 NASB)