By Cindy Allen
I am not a flower bed girl. My mom was. She had a beautiful flower bed and she loved nothing more than pruning, weeding and adding decorative elements to it. I am a plant girl. I can grow awesome ferns on the front porch. I have some marigolds in the front yard that actually overtook my husband’s pepper plants (that will need to be done differently next year). And then I have elephant ears. I love those big green things. Elephant ears make me smile. The more the better!
I grew some for a while under a tree in the backyard, which is exactly where they need to be if you live in East Texas and your backyard catches about 7 hours of afternoon sun. When they stopped growing, I actually got rid of the flower bed. Ok, it was really an elephant ear/caladium bed, but that is about all I had in me. When I dismantled it, I filled in a hole in the backyard with the dirt. And the next summer, a couple of those elephant ears came back. However, there were a couple of problems. One, they are now growing at the end of the breezeway, all up and around my husband’s grill. And two, they catch the 7 hours of afternoon sun. If you are not a plant person, they prefer partial to full shade.
But my elephant ears have flourished here for 5 or 6 years. The only thing I do for them is water, but it takes a lot. Many afternoons, their big ole heads are so droopy, they seem to almost give up. But come late evening, I water them well, and the next morning their heads are raised, ready to face another East Texas day.
While I was mowing this evening, I noticed the plants and decided today was water day. It has been cloudy and cooler (mid-90s) the last couple of days, and they are faring better, but the heat will be back. Then I thought about our lives with Jesus.
He does not always plant us in the easiest environments. There are things we all enjoy doing in service to God, but there are other things that are not part of our choice garden. Maybe He wants you to lead a Bible study, give a testimony, speak to a grumpy neighbor, tell someone you forgive them or go on a mission trip. Maybe He is asking you to be a WMA officer. God grows us by planting us in uncomfortable places.
But you know what? When he plants you there, He does not leave you unattended. Just like I check in on my elephant ears, He checks in on you. And just like I water them when their heads are droopy, He waters us when our heads are droopy. Maybe you see a beautiful sunset, or a friend calls out of the blue, or you are reminded of a Scripture that speaks right to your situation. God cares for us in so many ways and showers us with blessings in abundance. As a Christian, I don’t believe in coincidences; I believe my God is in control of everything. He sends the nourishment I need, just when I need it. True, sometimes I wish it would come a little quicker, but God’s timing and purposes are beyond question.
So, if you are feeling a tug to step out and step up, go for it. Your gardener will be there watching, watering and cheering you on. And if you are like my elephant ears, you might shine brighter in the new spot than you did in the old, comfortable one.
I am currently reading through I Timothy. It does point out some craziness going on in the church. In fact, much of it is similar to America 2025, but it is also very motivating. Paul is a great gardener!
If you’re considering a move that God wants you to make right now, pray and ask for His help, then take a step. If you don’t think God is asking you to do anything, pray that He will reveal His will to you. Let’s not be so rooted that God can’t use us.
