THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and more.
A QUARTERLY COLLECTIBLE | Heart & Home Inspiration
THE JOYFUL LIFE
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Blog
    • HEART
      • Faith
      • Bible Study & Theology
      • Marriage
      • Motherhood
        • Motherhood (ALL)
        • Parenting Toddlers to Tweens
        • Parenting Teens
        • Parenting Adult Children
        • Raising Boys
        • Raising Girls
      • Divorce | Single Motherhood | Blended Families
      • Adoption & Foster Care
      • Infertility & Miscarriage
      • Friendship & Community
    • HOME
      • DIY Projects
      • Family & Home Management
      • Fun for Kids
      • Homemaking
      • Homeschool
      • Hospitality
      • Recipes
    • LIFE ISSUES
      • Anxiety
      • Difficult Family Dynamics
      • Emotions
      • Health
      • Identity & Purpose
      • Loss | Suffering | Grief
      • Work & Life Balance
    • REVIEWS
      • App Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Product Reviews
    • FEATURED INTERVIEWS
    • SEASONAL & HOLIDAY
  • Daily Devotions
  • About
    • Meet the Team
      • Management & Staff
      • Editorial Team
      • Blog Contributors
      • Devotion Writers
      • Photographers
    • Statement of Faith
  • Work with Us
    • Write for Us
    • Advertise
    • Employment
  • Contact
  • account
0

Making Way For Growth

  • Laura Thomas
  • June 3, 2022
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Last December, a fast-and-furious windstorm wrought havoc in our neighborhood.

An alarming number of trees fell, including our biggest elderly pine at the front of the house. It thoughtfully fell onto the driveway causing minimal damage, but due to snow and a “very busy” tree guy, it has taken five months to remove.

The busy tree guy was followed by the messy stump guy, who spent a morning grinding down sizable stumps until the remnants of our lovely old tree were reduced to thousands of wood shavings and splinters smattered across the now-naked section of yard.

If I’m honest, I was rather sad to see the tree stumps pulverized. There’s something strangely nostalgic, something fairy-pixie-elfish about a lovely tree stump in my elaborate imagination…

But I also knew nothing was going to grow in that area while a hunk of wood and an elaborate, entangled root system took residence.

So, we’ve been working hard on ridding that area of all evidence that an aged tree once called it home. We’re making way for fresh growth, glorious color, and a new chapter for this eager stretch of earth to come back to life with beauty and health.

It reminds me of Hebrews 12:1 where we are told to throw off the sin that easily entangles us, that prevents us from growing and thriving as Christ followers: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (NIV).

Friend, I pray that we all might be aware of stumps and roots that are holding us back, bogging us down, blocking the Light. That we might, in God’s strength, do the heart-work necessary to be a glorious part of His garden of grace!

0
0
0
0
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Laura Thomas

Laura is a published Christian author who writes heartwarming encouragement for your soul. She has three Christian romantic suspense novels published, a Christian teen fiction trilogy, a marriage book, and a middle-grade novel. She also writes devotionals for Union Gospel Press, articles and stories in magazines and online, and shares musings on her blog. Laura is a chocoholic mom of three, married to her high school sweetheart. Originally from the UK, they live in Kelowna, B.C. as audacious empty-nesters. Find her at laurathomasauthor.com.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

VISIT OUR SHOP
  • DIGITAL BIBLE STUDY BUNDLE | Choose Any 3 Studies $32.00
  • Issue 01 | ABIDE — Digital Version $14.00
  • Issue 11 | REST — Digital Version $14.00
Follow Us on Instagram
The Joyful Life News
Sign up to receive Joyful Life Community news, weekly blog post updates, shop announcements, and exclusive offers for our subscribers.

AMAZON AFFILIATE PROGRAM DISCLAIMER | The Joyful Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links. Every purchase you make through our Amazon affiliate links supports our ministry at no additional cost to you.

  • BLOG
  • SHOP
  • WRITE FOR US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms
  • ACCOUNT
  • Contact
© 2022 The Joyful Life Co., LLC
Site Design by Maize Agency

Input your search keywords and press Enter.