I AM BURIED. SURROUNDED BY DARKNESS.

It has been the longest winter. Cold, dreary, mundane. It is the time of year that we are stuck inside. The sun seems to be hiding and the wind chills you to the bone.

Cold, dark, depressing.

I AM COVERED IN DIRT. I FEEL IT’S WEIGHT ON EVERY SIDE.

As we are stuck inside in this cold, grey weather it is easy to contemplate all that we feel is going wrong in life. We feel the pressure of this world envelop us.Everything seems so much harder in the cold. We are dirty and exhausted from our daily struggle. It is the weight of this world.

I AM TRAPPED, STUCK IN THIS HOLE OF DIRT.

Will this winter ever end? The cold? The sicknesses? Will I see the sun soon? The winter is so long! I need to get outside! Feel the sun on my face and the warm breeze through my hair. I am restless. I am ready to burst out of this cold and darkness. I am ready to see the sun. To grow. And not just to survive but to THRIVE.

I will push through this dark season.

IT IS RAINING. I FEEL THE WARMTH OF THE SUN ON THE SOIL.

When I feel the darkness and cold of this world I know where to turn.

I turn towards the SON!

When I feel as I am stuck, weary or just had a bad day, I know where I can revive my soul.

I go to the Bible. I read and study God’s promises, linger in His presence and learn of His love for me.

It warms my heart and nourishes my soul.

I AM BREAKING THROUGH.

Instead of letting this long, cold winter bring me down, I will use my time stuck inside to study His word and reflect on all of the blessings He has provided. I will not contemplate on what is going wrong, but I will rejoice and be grateful for what is going right. I will break through.

I AM GROWING AND READY TO BLOOM.

I am me. I have had a season of struggle, but it has not defined me.

I am not one to stay in the dark, stuck inside to drown in my sorrows. I always see the bright side, I always have faith and hope. I know there will be hard times but I also know that the good times will outnumber the bad times.

I will raise my hands and give all GLORY and PRAISE to my God who is always with me and who will always rescue me from any pit that I may fall in.

No matter what.

I WILL BLOOM.

I will bloom. And when others see His beauty and love in me I hope it plants a seed in their heart that will grow into a desire for a closer relationship to Him-our Redeemer, our Savior, our God.

Grow with me!

Have you been planted? Did you think you were buried in the darkness?

Join me as I grow.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. I want to use the next 40 days to grow my relationship with Jesus.

Every day until Easter I am going to spend time in His word and reflect on all He has done for me. How I can be more like Him and how I can share His message of Salvation with others.

Will you join me?