Blossoming in His Presence

Does this season look bleak to you? Has the thought of a new year caused heaviness in your soul rather than joy? Maybe there have been moments where you have asked the Lord with tears streaming down your face, "When will this pressure/storm/wilderness season end?" Things may look dark and the pressure may feel unbearable, but you are not alone, my friend. Jesus wants to weather the storms with you. He wants to hold you within the shelter of His strong arms. Perhaps this season has been one of refinement in your life. Refinement often comes in an uncomfortable format, however, it leaves behind a treasure in its wake. Pearls are formed in the midst of discomfort and irritation. Diamonds are formed under conditions of intense heat and pressure. The refinement of gold uses hot fire. In this process, the dross (impurities) rise to the surface and are scooped away by the refiner. The fire is kept at a maximum temperature until the refiner can see his/her reflection in the molten go

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever experienced the overwhelming desire to get to know someone better? When you first fall in love with someone you want to learn everything you can about who they are, where they come from, what they cherish, what repulses them, and where they dream of going. The time you spend with them never seems to be enough. They are your first thought when you awaken and the last when you drift off to sleep. All throughout your day the simplest things seem to remind you of them. You leap at the chance to converse with them and every word they speak seems to brand itself in your memory. Simply put, you want to become as close as humanly possible because you value them deeply. They hold a treasured space in your heart. Have you also ever felt distance grow between you and the one you love, so you do everything within your power to rekindle the flame you have for them? This is usually accomplished through intentional actions such as setting a specific time asid