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EN(dur)ANCE by Robin Gudal

I recently heard this flower analogy one can use when checking in with how people are: What is your rose or current season of joy and happiness? Your thorn or hardship and hurt in life? The forthcoming bud or your dreams?

I am not a gardener; however, I come from a family lineage of gifted floral and vegetable gardeners. At our home, Greggy is our gardener. I have beautiful flower planters to view daily from my windows all summer long. I truly enjoy them!

If you enjoy reading, I suggest the books “The Language Of Flowers” and Francine Rivers’ “Leota’s Garden.”

The garden was man’s first dwelling. Jesus was betrayed in the garden, and Adam and Eve fell in the garden.

Firstly, the garden can be seen as a place inside us. It can be the secret place we carve out for God in our heart just like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane where like Jesus we separate ourselves inwardly and outwardly and cry to God to prune us, trim us, weed the unwanted plants in us, cut out the withered leaves and where we tell God to plant new seeds of love, joy and the fruits of the spirit. The garden can also be our personal and solitary altar between us and God.

“Leota’s Garden” insight from Tarikabor Lois, public speaker, panelist, content creator and blogger:

“A beloved song, ‘In The Garden,’: I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses; and the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. (Refrain) And he walks with me, and he talks with me, and he tells me I am his own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

“(Verse two) He speaks, and the sound of his voice Is so sweet the birds hush their singing; and the melody that he gave to me within my heart is ringing.

“(Verse three) I’d stay in the garden with him tho’ the night around me be falling; but he bids me go; thro’ the voice of woe, his voice to me is calling.”

As summer draws to a close and gardens change from vibrant to brown tones and begin to change for a cooler season, may we call upon Jesus for our sustainability in all seasons of life.

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” — Psalm 145:18, NIV

Robin (Beckman) Gudal is intentional in life, a wife, a momma, a nana, a friend and a flawed and imperfect follower of Jesus.