Exploring the Intersection of Art, Faith and the Human experience


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In My Garden

-By Pauline Williams  

 He was exhausted. He had done everything he had been asked to do. He had carried every message, even the ones that were no fun to deliver. He had just won an incredible victory and had seen some amazing miracles in the course of his work. But now, he was running for his life and he was just plain worn out. He was so tired, in fact, that he prayed for his own death. I’m speaking about a man named Elijah, whose life story is recorded in the Bible. He may have lived a long time ago, but his story is not a unique one.

      Maybe you’ve been there.  You have been working so hard and you even feel as though you’ve been at the top of your game lately. But then, adversity strikes and it hits so hard that you’re knocked down and can’t seem to remember all of the good things you’ve just accomplished. How do you find the strength to persevere? How do you find motivation to move forward again?

      For Elijah, rest was required. Then when his physical needs were taken care of, he went to a quiet place on a mountain top and waited to hear from God.  While he was on the mountain top waiting, a powerful wind swept through that was strong enough to shatter rocks. Then an earthquake shook the ground, followed by a fire. But God was not in those fierce displays of power. Instead He showed himself to Elijah through a calm and gentle whisper. It took time and it took quiet for Elijah to find his purpose in life once again.

      Could this be the answer for us? Do we take the time to be still and soak up the quiet to gain perspective and purpose? Too often we let our lives become like the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, a bustle of activity to reach our goals. But it’s in the quiet that we get in touch with our purpose and our strength. It’s in the quiet that we reconnect with why we do what we do every day. So, I encourage you to regularly take some quiet time to observe the lessons of nature and get in touch with your Creator. Don’t wait until you’re burned out and exhausted. Soak in the wonder of creation and take time regularly to feed your soul with the beauty of the world around you.

In my garden, I see life anew

In my garden I see the miracle of something growing from what seemed like nothing. A tiny seed, a lump of clay, but from it comes life and beauty

In my garden I’m reminded that anything worth creating takes work. Weeds are easy, a garden of beauty takes effort and care and tending.

In my garden I learn that life takes balance. Too much water and my clay is unusable. Too much sun and my plants wither and die. Soil that lacks nutrients won’t produce much.

In my garden I see that all of life has it’s seasons and each season has a beauty of it’s own.

In my garden I see that life has amazing variety and color and beauty and each created thing should be appreciated in it’s own uniqueness.

In my garden I see the circle of life as it begins as a seed and in the end returns to where it came from as a seed giving life to future generations of plants.

In my garden I’m reminded that all of life is a miracle. Life springing from a seed is amazing to behold and reminds us that we do not choose how we enter this world, but we can choose to live our lives with a sense of wonder and awe at the gift of life itself.

In my garden I am reminded that life can be fleeting so I should make the most of my time while I have it.

In my garden I see evidence of the Creator, who ingeniously mapped out a world that sustains itself and points back to One who created it.

In my garden I can meditate in the quiet of life and gain strength from the beauty I’m surrounded by, giving me strength and purpose to go forth every day and live fully and joyfully.

Pauline Williams is a Christian recording artist, teacher, and writer. She lives with her husband, John, and their dog in York Pennsylvania. Her son, Joshua, is the New Media Associate for Convergence. You can learn more about her music and ministry at her website, or you can listen to her music on Spotify or iTunes by clicking the links.




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