Burning Question:
Who in your life deserves a medal?
Morning Devotional:
I saw something in my yard yesterday that got me pretty excited. My lilac bush is budding!
I had wanted a lilac bush for years. When I was shopping for a new house and saw the lilacs in the back yard of the home I eventually bought, it was one of those God winks that told me He does indeed give us the desires of our heart when we delight in Him.
When I saw the buds yesterday, it was more than a delight. It was a sigh of relief because last fall, I wasn’t sure it was going to make it through the winter.
The bush didn’t look quite right last summer. The branches were scraggly and it barely flowered at all. My mom and I spent the better part of an early fall afternoon cutting away dead branches and pruning back the good ones. While she clipped branches, I prayed that the bush would roar back to life next season.
Before Jesus went to the cross, He gave a final message to his disciples. In it, He talked about what is needed to thrive spiritually. Jesus said in John 15:2, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” If you’re feeling the pinch of the pruning today, take heart. In time, you’ll be ready to bloom.
– Beth
Bible Quiz:
Question: What was the name of the disciple who replaced Judas Iscariot?
Answer: Matthias (Acts 1:26)
Storytime: My Stomach Hurts