There's a time for everything...

God wants us to be His rose garden. He wants us to have beauty and purpose, and to give out a life giving fragrance to those around us. But first comes the pruning. First comes the period of dead looking sticks...


When God wants to make changes in our lives He starts by cutting away all that is unnecessary. During this time He will strip us of everything that could possibly hinder our future growth. He may even prune us of our dreams just for a time to make sure our eyes are on Him and not on what we desire.
This time our life may look barren and even feel lonely but He is actually freeing us from ANYTHING that does not bring of forth life! This process of surrendering all to God is called pruning. It is during this time that you may feel hopeless or that God has left you. It may leave you asking Him WHY?
I've been in a state of pruning for about 2 years now and let me tell you it has been the HARDEST 2 years of my life... I've lost friends, family, a job, money the list goes on and on SO many things have changed it's almost like a big joke! I have to laugh sometimes :)  In the midst of all the heartache and loss I was still able to feel God's presence and hear Him telling me to trust Him. Some days were easier than others, some days I didn't want to get out of bed! God has taught me a lot these 2 years, how to completely trust ONLY Him in EVERYTHING, to go to Him first and my husband or friends second, to be in my word DAILY, to see thing through God's perspective and no one else's... I've learned that God's time of pruning is a time of learning, hard learning!It's a time of fully trusting Him and what He has planned for me. It's an experience I am still going through but one thing I can tell you is I know when He is done with me I will be like a strong tree planted by the water.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:8

This is where I hope to be planted :)

I pray that anyone who is going through a time of pruning will cling to God and allow Him to work... He is amazing and His plans are beyond our comprehension... TRUST HIM...