Growth In Drought

Currently, all we hear of in the news is about a drought that has hit Europe; wreckages and ruins that are now on view, some that haven’t been seen for decades. Many of us have been advised not to use a hose pipe to water our gardens. I’ve been watching the earth get dryer and dryer; lighter in colour, becoming more like the texture of sand. Flowers are loosing their brightness, their happy vibe and many have started to let their heads hang low under the heat.

Among the desperately thirsty looking flower bed however, there is vibrancy and life, especially when it comes to my lavender bush.

Vibrant in colour and perfume, attracting life in the form of bees; at one point on one plant there were 12 bees buzzing around, hard at work collecting nectar from a source that was still full of life, even though the ground was so dry.There was still enough nourishment underground for this lavender to thrive and a whole load of other plants too! The newer plants, whose roots were still being established in our flower bed, weren’t deeply rooted enough to reach the source of life that quenched the thirst. It has been growing in that place for years and its roots reach deep; deep enough to access the life giving source. That’s how they’ve thrived; while others, that dont’t require much water, became parched with their roots not reaching deep enough.

All this got me thinking about life, my life in particular, the season in which I now stand.

What does it look like right now?

Over the last few months, I have battled an ear and throat infection, followed by a COVID infection which really affected my muscles and bones, then at the start of the summer holidays I landed up on crutches. Physically I’ve been knocked back again and again, which inevitably has had an effect on my emotional and mental state.

I started doubting myself; doubting how good a mother and a wife I am to my family, it made me feel like I couldn’t do anything, there wasn’t any point because it would just go wrong. But while I was having some quiet time, reading and listening to music, I was reminded of when I landed up on crutches last time. It was 13 years ago and my right leg just gave up suddenly, all I enjoined doing was stripped away and I found myself questioning. But, it was during this time in my life that my faith grew deeper and I really began to understand what it is to have hope in Jesus, hope that He would see me through, pave the way, and that in drought there would be growth. That’s exactly what happened.

It was actually in that season that I came to know Jesus deeper and accepted Him into my heart as my Lord and Saviour, I got baptised, relocated to South Wales, got married and became a Sunday School leader.

Another season I battled through was our adoption journey; waiting to know if I would be allowed to become a mum, at points during that wait, if anyone mentioned the words ‘hope’ or ‘peace’ I would cry. I was doing my very best to hold on to those two things, to keep hoping in Jesus and who He is and to allow His peace to wash over me, soak into me and not to just brush it off.

I was back in a season of drought, feeling dry and burdened, but…

During those couple of years God grew me in a way that still blows my mind even now, I started preaching, running mid week groups, became a woman’s ministry leader and ran the kids work in our church. I could not have managed any of that in my own strength, it came from trusting God and pushing into Him during the drought.

Thanks to this reminder from Jesus; my frame of mind switched, it was as gradual switch, but I got there, I know He is at work in this season of drought. I need to trust the process; to keep pushing into Him, keep soaking myself in His Word, allowing my roots to reach deep into the life giving water which is Jesus and out of that, growth and blossoming will come.

If you are in a season of drought right now; plant yourself by the stream of living water. Read, Praise, Worship, Pray and Listen as you are right now.

Allow your roots to reach down deeper and deeper into that water; soak up the goodness, the light and the love that is Him.

Growth will come your way.

A blossoming you will know as He paves the way forward from your pain.

Allow your pain to be He is gain.

The desert place

Before me a cactus 🌵 stands

so bright in colour

This I did not expect

Standing strong

Life in such a place as this

A place so scorched by heat

A place with no visible water to drink

In the space it stands

That cactus receives all it needs

Trust and know

If you are in the desert place this day

You too will receive all your soul requires

For our God

He who created the cactus and placed it in the place it stands

Is right there beside you holding your hand

He will not leave you on your own

Of nourishment you will not run out

Every step you take will be fuelled by him

He will shield you from the heat

Protect you when the sandstorm rages

Sustain you He will

As you make your way through the desert place

by LWJ

Remember,| I am penned in love and so are you!