Poinsettias and Colombia

I’ve never pretended to have a knack for gardening. In fact, my experience has been quite the opposite. That being the case, when I was given a poinsettia plant last December, I expressed my concern to the dear lady sitting next to me. 

“Oh, honey, you can’t kill it,” she reassured me. Little did she know! 

I’m sure she’d never met someone like me before, someone who just doesn’t hear the cries of a plant for water — or the gurgling sounds it makes as it attempts to scream, “Enough! That’s enough!” when later it is flooded with an overabundance of water. I just don’t seem to get it right.

Christmas came. And so did my parents. My green-thumbed mom took one look at the stalks that remained of my poinsettia plant and wasn’t quite sure what to say. I’m sure she felt sorry for it. A few flowers hanging on for dear life were all that identified it as the beautiful poinsettia it once was. 

After the last petal fell to the dirt beneath it, I took it out to dispose of it but stopped short of throwing it in the trash. I placed the withered poinsettia by the side of the trash can.

A few months passed by with my being oblivious to the fate of the dried-up poinsettia. Then one day, I noticed it. In full bloom. With beautiful flowers. And I smiled. 

I had left it outside in the elements, in the elements that God created, and it thrived. It became beautiful again. 

That made sense. I’ve always said that my only surviving plants are the ones that God looks after — and He does a great job of it! This reminded me of how God looks after me. And I smiled again.

I love how His care for me reaches into my everyday life, into the expected and unexpected plans that are materializing for this year.  

After initially having no plans to travel overseas for ministry projects this year, I just booked tickets yesterday to go to Colombia to do interviews for a video project that we’ve been asked to do. Prayers would be appreciated as we move forward with this project.

I also love how His care is shown through people like you. Thank you for being part of God’s blessings in my life. Thank you for partnering with me in the ministry so that together we can see a thriving church for every people group.