Growth

Dear Lord, you are the Gardener,
The one who plants the seed,
Provides the best environment,
And everything I need.

You shower your refreshing rain,
Prepare the soil just right,
Supplying all the nourishment.
And shed your warmth and light.

But I must send my roots down deep
To where they truly belong,
Anchoring them upon Your Word,
Well fed to keep them strong.

Grounded on your firm foundation
To face the storms of life,
The winds of great adversity,
The conflicts and the strife.

Then only when established
Can new life upward flow
As branches first appear,
Then leaves and blossoms grow.

So this tree that you have planted
May bear the fruit you planned,
Pruned and cultivated
By Your gracious, loving hand.

Honoria A. Groves

May 24, 1999