Prune
verb
trim (a tree, shrub, or bush) by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth.
It seems oxymoronic to cut something to encourage growth, but the laws of nature don’t always make sense. Pruning is the process of removing the damaged areas of a plant or tree to regulate flowering or fruiting. We let our stylists trim our hair so it can grow, but we struggle with cutting people out of our lives. We remain in toxic situations that are stunting our growth. We need to prune some people, places, and things from our lives. It will hurt. It will be uncomfortable. It will not be easy, but it is necessary. If you really want to grow, prune!
Grow
“People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.”- Plato
We don’t see our progress. We don’t see how far we’ve come. We don’t see our growth until someone points it out. We can’t stop it. It just happens. We heal. We move on. We get bigger. We get wiser. We grow. Embrace it. Love it. Fight it. It is still going to happen. We grow when we least expect it. It comes in spurts. It comes with pain. It comes with joy. We grow.
Bloom
I love cherry blossoms. I love how they look when they are in full bloom. Their beauty is something to behold. I imagine that God has the same expectation when he patiently waits for his creation to bloom. We are God’s creation. We are being planted when things feel like we are being buried. It’s dark. It’s uncomfortable. It hurts. It’s all part of the process. We will grow. We will mature. We will develop and we will emerge in full bloom.
Faith
How big is your faith? I was inspired by a fellow blogger, Brittany Bonnaffons. She is a former classmate of mine. She has a blog that is nothing short of inspiring. So much so, that it inspired this Facebook post in response to her post.
For those of you who have given up....for those of you who have thrown in the towel....for those of you who have said, "I can't take anymore!" For those of you who think that you are beyond broken and beyond pressed...it ain't over till God says it's over! This too shall pass and you shall come out as pure gold. The test is only for a season. Big prayers don't always require big faith. Remember the mustard seed. Hold on!
Mustard Seed Facts:
Seeds are usually about 1 to 2 millimetres (0.039 to 0.079 in) in diameter.
They are an important regional spice.
Grinding or mixing the seeds with water and vinegar produce mustard.
Mustard seeds take seven to ten days to germinate.
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed:
It doesn’t require Big Faith.
Your faith is important to your region. (Matthew 5:13- You are the salt of the Earth)
If you mix your faith with something else, it can produce something on your behalf.
It won’t take long for your Faith to grow.
According to scripture, you can Move Mountains.
Nothing will be impossible to you.
Matthew 17:20-21- Because you have so little faith, " He answered. "For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there, ' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
ROI
ROI measures the amount of return on an investment, relative to the investment’s cost. To calculate ROI, the benefit (or return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment. The result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.
"So, what's in it for me?" Most people want to know if they give you something how it will benefit them. ROI is easy to calculate when you are talking about tangible investments. What about time? What about emotions? What about expectations? When we invest in people, we don't always see immediate results. We don't always reap the benefits of everything we sow into people's lives. It's ok. Life has a funny way of bringing things full circle. Continue to live. Continue to grow. Continue to sow.