
Fearful things can happen. And do.
In this moment, we can get stuck,
for years.
In this season of our deep need
to be loved back to life, get through
to the other side, God is the gardener who knows
how to coax roses
back from wintery depths. And
whom he might employ—
to achieve this vision of loveliness
that never once altered
in his eyes.
This lovely rose is a photo by my son, Giovanni. Isn’t it lovely? Hard to find fault in this little gem of God’s Creation. And it’s like this with us, even after we feel stripped bare from our branches, uprooted from place, overlooked or unappreciated. There is this kernel of “unharmed” beauty preserved within us, speaking to the very heart of God’s redemptive, restorative, cherished plan for our life. Whether to promote or preserve us, or simply coax us back from winter into our summer glory, he has good things in store. Amen.