Seeds of Hope (Abby)

I'VE GOT SOME GREAT NEWS!!!

Our onions sprouted!!!! At least some of them did 😁. Mom and I were in the kitchen on Friday and I was watering some of the onion plants when I saw GREEN!!! I was so excited I may or may not have squealed (ok, I totally did). Mom joined in my excitement and we stood there for several minutes, leaning as close as possible to the surface of the soil in hopes of glimpsing more green sprouts.

I was thinking about it later, and I feel like there is kind of an underlying meaning in the joy we feel when we saw the first sprouts. Most seeds need darkness in order to germinate, or sprout. In the darkness, buried under soil, is where conditions are ideal for the previously dormant plant inside the hard seed case to push through and reach for the light. This same process can be felt by us as humans too, right? 

What I mean is sometimes we're surrounded by darkness, perhaps even spiritually. We feel buried under weight, and we feel that pushing through is next to impossible. Perhaps you, reader, are feeling the same way... that no matter what you do and no matter how hard you try, you just can't find the light. I've been there; in fact, more than once or even ten times. Yet, have I got good news for you! 

As I've said before, I'm a Christian. In Christ, not on my own strength, I have hope! "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5). If you're a Christian, too, then just hang on! Don't forget that "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:5). If you're not a Christian, however, just because these truths don't currently mean anything to you or maybe seem just out of reach, doesn't mean that they CAN'T mean something to you! In Christ all things are possible. The God of the universe loves you and cares about you more than you could ever imagine, in spite of whatever circumstances you're going through right now.

No matter where you're at or what you're going through, don't forget, reader... every seed has a different length of time that it takes before the plant can break through. For some (e.g., radishes) they can sprout in just a couple days... but for others (e.g., celery) they can take a couple weeks!! Each one of us has to face darkness for a time... but remember this as a seed of hope... joy comes in the morning. The darkness can't and will NOT last forever.

Growing in Hope,
Abby

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