Tulips in Winter

It was January of 2014 and the promise of a great new year was beginning to vanish like a vapor.  As my friend put it, we were being slapped with either  “-20 degrees or  20 centimeters (of snow).” A bit of an exaggeration, but not by much. It was cccccccccccold  a lot and storms blew in on a regular basis.  The first month of the year came with 4 funerals, 3 accidents, 2 hospital admits, regular physiotherapy, 1 knee surgery and a slew of family birthdays without my beautiful sister who was called heavenward after a brave, brutal battle with cancer. Things were not pretty.

And then….a friend drops by with this beautiful sympathy bouquet of tulips in February.

Unexpected. The promise of spring in the dead of winter. Isn’t it just like God to send kisses from heaven to reminds us that spring is right around the corner and things will get better. In time.

It’s now late March and there been more funerals, a near-fatal heart attack, more illness in the family, heartbreaks, disappointments, loss. But somehow, I’m sitting hopeful in peaceful trust. Those flowers, together with all the little miracles of friendship, love and provision along the way, have put a spring in my step and joy in my heart. I’m still believing this will be a great year.

While I was thinking about my tulips in winter, this verse came to mind:

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. ~ Isaiah 58:11

The Lord spoke these words to foretell what awaits those who take care of others. Continual guidance, providence, and refreshment.  The beauty of it is how those exact things get passed on when we are there for others. We light the way, fill the need and refresh a weary soul “like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” We become like the breath of spring in the shivering winter wilderness. Like a warm cup of Coffee for Your Heart to encourage and recharge.

As surely as springtime comes, the winters that are hard as ice dissolve under the outpouring of love and compassion.

This week Coffee for Your Heart invited us to “just share whatever is on your heart that could encourage someone else.”  You can grab another cup of encouragement at  Coffee for Your Heart at Holley’s place  to hear her message and link-up to more inspirational posts from the Coffee for Your Heart Community.

 

Thank you  Holley Gerth
for the Coffee for Your Heart image

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