From Weeds To a Flower
All my life I have felt myself stumbling… Stumbling through life as if I was looking for something in specific but had no idea what that object was. At a young age like most children raised in a Christian home I was “SAVED” at a young age. I was baptized and like most, went on with my life. From a young boy to a young man in high school God was in my own little box. I pulled that box out whenever I was sad, angry, lonely, or just needed something from him. God became more like a genie from Aladdin than the One True King. Whenever he did not answer my prayers or I felt like I was just talking to a wall I became angry with God. Questions flooded through my head like “Why are we here” and “Is this just a game to him”. My heart became hardened and I became bitter the more I thought about the bad in the world and not understanding why God wouldn’t fix it. Then, I never felt like I was good enough for God. I felt like I had fallen short in Gods eyes and that I was not a good enough candidate to go to heaven. The devil loves when those thoughts come into our minds. Just like a weed in a beautiful flower garden… If you don’t pluck it and remove the weed you will find that the weed will spread like wildfire. Before you know it, your beautiful garden is covered with weeds. Your beautiful flowers will begin to die. The weeds take all the good nutrients leaving nothing left for the once beautiful flowers. To those who have given their lives to God, We are flowers ladies and gentleman. This world we live in is dark and full of sin, sorrow, greed, hate and agony. It is by God’s grace, love, compassion and mercy that we can grow. He is our soil, our water, our nutrients, and the sunshine that makes us grow. Without God we can never find peace in this world. We will never be content with life. No amount of money, or worldly desires can make you happy. We have one purpose… one beautiful purpose. That light that God soaks in you and I can burst out of you if you desire. BE THE LIGHT. Be the flower and not the weed. I was a weed, lost like the other brothers and sisters in this world. They are out there begging for a meaning to life, wanting a purpose and not knowing what to look for. Ironically, God was waiting for me on a mission trip I was all but forced to go on by my parents. It was in Juarez, Mexico. We were working at an orphanage loving on children, giving them food, clothes and just spending time with them. One Sunday in Juarez, our group attended a church service. Unexpectedly, the pastor called all of the missionaries to come forward to offer prayer for anyone there who wanted it. I couldn’t move. Others went to pray as I was being attacked. The devil was trying to keep me a weed and God was lovingly asking if I wanted to be a flower. I felt so unworthy. I was telling myself, my sins are too great and my heart is too hard. Then an older woman from our church in Amarillo, Texas walked towards me. She was my pastor’s wife. She walked from the front of the church where she was praying for others. Her eyes were locked on me. She placed her hand on me and said God forgives you and he loves you. My heart broke like a dam and with it the weeds flowed out. That day I re-dedicated my life to him. God planted a flower. A flower that cannot be harmed by this world if you trust, love, and lean on God. It is because of free will that bad things happen in this world. God created you and me to be the difference. You may ask God, “Why don’t you do something?” He did, he made YOU. His light shines through us if we allow God to take complete control of our lives. My life changed in Juarez, Mexico. I know that this is just the beginning of his plans for me. I know God is calling my team and I to go on this mission trip to Guatemala, Botswana and Malaysia. Pray that we shine bright in the dark and that hearts are healed and lives including our own are transformed. God want us all to be flowers. We will still fall short from time to time but because of God’s grace and mercy we are forgiven. Our weaknesses make us strong because it reminds us every day that without God we cannot do it alone. I look forward to seeing all you flowers in God’s garden someday. BE THE LIGHT!
