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Back in January, God advised me on numerous occasions that this would be a year of pruning. Sadly, I "thought" I knew what He had in mind but I did not have a clue. If you missed those messages and want to catch up, feel free to listen HERE.
The process began with a glimpse of 2019's focal point to, "Be Present". Slowly but surely, God's reminder of what was to come, came into fruition. And just as expected, the pruning hurt a bit.
To be gravely honest, this has been the toughest year to date but today while I was at lunch, I feasted my eyes on these beautiful olives hanging from a branch and instantly, one comforting scripture came to mind,
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit." - Jeremiah 17:7-8.
As 2019 comes to an end, my heart is joyful because I truly gave it my all this year in "Being Present". God held my hand through the entire pruning process. Not once did He let go.
The Lord pruned, He crushed and He pressed. He squeezed every ounce of what He knew was not beneficial for the Kingdom and matured me more in a year than all my other years put together.
In twelve short months, my life is almost unrecognizable. My priorities have changed, my mind has shifted, my faith has grown exponentially and what once was the most important aspect of my life, has been revealed was an unsuspected idol.
By grace, my level of mercy, compassion, and humility have evolved. Most of all, I'm beginning to see the breakthrough. I'm seeing my heart changed, God has officially picked me off the ground, dusted off my knees and reminded me the harvest is right around the corner.
Even in today's rainy, cold weather, I see joy. In this beautiful, slow-growing tree, I see peace, renewal and fruitful abundance. My eyes rejoice in the reds, purples, and vibrant greens that were never seen before.
So, let it REIGN because I see NEW LIFE sprouting right over the horizon.
