The First Daffodils

I awoke this cloudy morning to yellow buds on the mini daffodils I planted in memory of my mom last March. By the time I got home from church and errands this afternoon, a downpour had given way to sunshine, and the daffodils were fully open.

This transition from winter to almost-spring is a fitting picture of life infused with the presence of God. He is the rain that waters seeds of faith in cloudy seasons. He is the hope that flowers after the heart’s winter. He is the spring that brings redemptive life to places of pain.

This weekend I had the privilege to serve and speak at Caring Resource’s HOPE Workshop, where we teach that the fullness of God’s healing, renewal and hope is available to us as we walk in intimacy with Him. Part of deepening that intimacy is developing a relationship of emotional honesty with Him, according to Psalm 62:8: “Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

In every season of life, we can cultivate a personal history with God, expressing emotions and thoughts to Him, experiencing His presence and receiving healing and direction for life. After a year of processing the deepest loss of my life, I can truly celebrate the unfolding of delicate yellow petals in springtime and the fresh hope of knowing Him in the new season ahead.