This sweet little bouquet of buds was a gentle reminder of hope for me today. I didn’t expect to see it on the old, neglected apple tree that has appeared lifeless since well before last Winter.

As you can see, these tree branches have seen better days. But these branches are from the same tree with the bud bouquet and the photo is taken on the same day that I took the first photo. What is seen depends on the vantage point, the perspective, and the lens one looks through. I chose to zoom in on the life coming out of what appears lifeless…a little reminder of the beauty and miracles all around.

It’s a discipline of sorts– this thing called perspective, this focus of mind, this walk of faith. Because all around us in this world are pretty apparent reminders of dormancy, of lifelessness, of loss. The brittle branches are reminders to me of that. What a sweet surprise the buds were! Oh the beauty we will see as we seek God in the midst of what might appear hopeless.

As Easter approaches, I am choosing to bring to God “the brittle broken branches” in my life and ask Him to renew, restore, and revive hope. I will choose to offer up and lay down those places in my life where I need a bit of a bit of hope, a revival, even yes- a resurrection of sorts. I will pray through the impossible situations and ask the God of all creation to do a work that only He can do. He asks me to “pour out my heart to Him, …to trust Him at all times”… and I’m going to do just that. There’s so much in my life I have to be thankful for on the daily, but those brittle branches? I’m gonna boldly ask for God to breathe life into situations in the way that only He can.

I don’t know what “broken and brittle branches” you might have in your life. But I’m gonna encourage you as I’m encouraging myself– to bring those broken places to the foot of the cross –on the daily. Cast those cares on Him and ask Him to restore, revive, and renew…and to give you little reminders of hope. You never know– those little reminders of hope might pop up in the most unexpected of places…

By His Grace~

Heather