A Perfect Garden 8/21/2005
We are heading into the week feeling incredibly renewed and having a fresh hope for the future.
“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
We do not understand why God has brought us through all that He has, nor do we know what He will do next, but we have been given a glimpse of what God is doing in us. In a nutshell, we feel he is plowing us, stirring up all the hard places and and making our hearts ready for planting. We ourselves prepared the garden according to our own plans. We moved the soil around and prepared the rows for the seeds to be planted. Then we looked to God to deposit the seeds into the prepared rows. What we did not know or understand is that the Gardener has His own idea for how our garden should look, and He has been doing His own soil-readying process. It hurts being plowed, de-thatched, and rearranged, but who is the soil to question the Gardener? Being the Master Gardener, He will plant only the most carefully selected seeds into soil which is uniquely sifted and ready to receive these special seeds. When the soil is ready, God alone will plant the seed or seeds of His choosing into the readied soil, and the result will be nothing short of a perfect garden. Our family will be made in the Gardener’s timing and to His liking, and it will be everything that it is meant to be.
“I (Jesus) am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2
AMEN, SISTER!
Dear Jodi and Steve,
I knew you, Jodi, at Messiah in Chesapeake and have been following your story with your mother’s emails. Our home group is praying for you both – Salli Chamberlin is also a member. I know God is preparing you for the little one(s) He has chosen for you to parent, and I am praying you will know immediately you set eyes on them that this is your child or children.
God bless you for your faith and witness to us all of how He is preparing you for the task of parenting these special little ones in order that they may fulfil the roles he has for them!
Susan Adam
Jodi, Yes, yes, yes!
Surrender to the gardener’s will, he will plant a Garden more beautiful than you could ever imagine!!
Kay B.
Numbers 6:24-26
24The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
This is such the perfect, God-shaped attitude – I’m so proud of you, and inspired by you!! Hangeth thou in there, and He will give you the desires of your heart!
Love, Mom
When I tried to post a comment earlier, it kicked me off saying I was blocked or something because of spam. I’m not even sure what spam is, so this is just a test.
I didn’t get booted this time.
What I tried to tell you in the comment that “booted me” was there’s a place called HOPE & they help with overseas adoptions. It’s a Christian organization & if you haven’t already, you might want to check them out.
God bless,
Lisa