Bloom!

Flowers make my heart happy. Between the fields of green and the vibrant blooms all around Ireland, my heart was in a happy and peaceful place.

The hydrangeas were stunning and massive throughout Ireland.

• Listen, God is into the details.  When He was describing how the sanctuary and all of the interior and exterior were to be constructed (Exodus 25), God was thorough  in each component. On the Lampstand, God specified how “The lampstand must have six branches, tree branches on one side and three branches on the other.  Each branch must have three flowers. Make these flowers like almond flowers with buds and petals. Make four more flowers for the lampstand.  These flowers must be make like almond flowers with buds and petals.” (Verse 32-34).  Friend, God just isn’t  into the details of designing The Sanctuary, but the design He has for your life.  He cares about you. He into the details of YOUR life!
• I don’t know about you, but I am no “Green-Thumb-Gardener”.  When I purchase plants and flowers for my porch pots, I have high hopes.  They do look beautiful for a few days or weeks, but then I’ll either forget to water or go out of town or something, and those once lush blooms are not so luscious anymore.  The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8.  Praise the LORD that His word doesn’t have to rely on me for its richness.  God’s word will stand forever! If anything withers, it’s me. That’s when I I need watering by The Living Water.
• And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:28-29.  Y’all, did I mention how God cares about you? Yes I did, but I’ll remind you again…DO NOT WORRY ABOUT A THING…GOD’S GOT YOU!
• Rejoicing, being glad, dancing with joy…this all sounds good to me.  When we have our “God Goggles” on and desire to seek God, we will be like a dry desert who discovers life.  The dry desert will rejoice. The desert will be glad and blossom. It will be covered with flowers and dance with joy. It will be as beautiful as the forest of Lebanon, the hill of Carmel, and the Sharon Valley. This will happen because all people will see the Glory of the Lord. They will see the beauty of our God. Isaiah 35:1-2. Seek Christ.  Be joyful.
• Learning to bloom where you are planted has been journaled about a few times (Click on this link to read the journal entries:  https://soakinguptheson.com/new/?s=Bloom+where+you+are+planted).  Life doesn’t always come up roses.  Sometimes we may be amongst the thorns.  When that happens, and we know we are following God’s plan for our life, remember to “Each of you should continue to live in whatever situations the Lord has placed you.” 1 Corinthians 7:17a. When you are living in God’s will, choose to grow.  2 Peter 3:18 informs us how we should grow,  “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory be to him, now and forever! Amen.”  On a side note…when you are living outside of God’s will…don’t grow there, get with The Master Gardner and flourish with Christ.

I pray that you are encouraged to see God in your surroundings and stop and smell the roses in life…life is too short.

You must stop and smell the roses.