BLOOM Where You’re Planted

Have you ever felt that you couldn’t cope with relocating another time?

Facing change and uncertainty can be frightening. There are seasons in life, so change is inevitable. It’s how we view it that matters.

As a woman alone, I’ve relocated so many times that I’ve lost count!

Often there’s been an external dynamic that has precipitated the requirement to find alternative accommodation: graduation, rental / own house being sold, employment opportunities, family commitments, financial constraints, extended travel; a list by no means exhausted.

The potentially overwhelming factors requiring attention, especially with concurrent commitments, may include:

Reason: Is it from my own initiative or enforced change?
Organizing the relocation: Moving date; which Removal carrier firm to hire or private assistance?
Financial drain: Transportation, reconnecting appliances
Exertion: Packing, making decisions, cleaning
Re-establishing community conveniences; new neighbours and routines
Change of address notification. Not again! Many of my friends have lots of whiteout (‘twink’) beside my name!

‘Nesting’

We women, alone or married, are ‘nesters.’ It’s a normal component of how we’re created or wired by the Creator of the Universe.

Since leaving my family home for career training at the age of 17, I’ve had many opportunities to ‘nest’ in other places:

Hostels: Living in the Nurses Home and Bible College – a combined six+ years in small rooms in long corridors with communal bathrooms. The latter required that we pack all our belongings during the long vacations to allow our rooms to be used by conference delegates.

Temporary accomodation: Rental / shared Flat. In earlier days, many house-mates inevitably left to get married. Or house-sitting, sharing the owner’s possessions. Yet, despite not owning the space, I always found creative ways to make it my ‘nest.’

Then, as a woman alone, I had the opportunity to purchase my own home. I loved opening all my boxes to finally use my treasures and establish my own garden. But, I needed housemates to cover the mortgage. I also needed grace to share my house and choices with them; and adjust to changes as they left to get married!

Having to sell my home of five years, 30 years ago, I experienced the grief of releasing my ‘nesting’ instinct and living with the consequences of making challenging decisions. My surplus possessions were moved into storage with limited access for an unknown period, mice invasions, perishables expiring etc.

During this season, Holy Spirit took me through a wilderness time of understanding ‘tabernacling’. The Children of Israel learned, during their forty-year wilderness sojourn, that their God’s Presence, expressed through the sign of the pillar of fire and cloud, would lead them. When the cloud appeared, the Children moved camp. When the cloud stopped, and fire appeared, they camped.

As long as Father God was the initiator, and always with me, it would be ok. I held on to promises from His Word.

And the Lord said, My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:14 AMPC

… I send the Angel [of my Presence] before you to keep and guard you on the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Exodus 23:20 AMPC

I could put down my ‘roots’ – but not so firmly that when the ‘cloud’ moved, relocation would be too hard.

I’ve learned to BLOOM where I’m planted – to flourish and bear good fruit. Father God is the Gardener and Vinedresser of my soul; Yeshua/Jesus, His Son, is the Vine. I’m a branch drawing life from Him (John 15).

Will you allow the Gardener of your soul to help you BLOOM and flourish where He plants you? Ask Him what He plans to do in and through you, being willing to relocate with His plan.

The Master Gardener has planted you in a home, family, neighbourhood, town, city, and nation; a global garden, for such a time as this. See this as a challenge for Holy Spirit to BLOOM something new in and through you, to: