Prayer Of An African Violet

I have always loved the look of live plants. I certainly don’t have a green thumb. So, after a little investigation, I decided to purchase an African violet. The African violet originated from Africa and comes in a wide range of colors. They are quite inexpensive, so I found myself with 3 new plants.


I was so excited and anticipated each day looking for new growth and certainly the blossoms. I learned that the African violet doesn’t need a lot of water and actually thrives when the soil is “dry” to the touch. So, surely this was something I could do. I was expecting the most awesome plants by giving little water, little sunlight, and a little fertilizer.

Week after week, I would tend my lovely vibrant plants. After a while, I wasn’t as consistent. I stopped watering as much, thinking, “The plants look lovely, and don’t need any that much water anyway.”

Eventually, I stopped paying attention at all and noticed the plants slowly dying. The leaves would easily fall at the slightest touch and they discolored quite easily. I was so disappointed. But I already knew what had created the slow death of once lovely flowering vibrant African violets. It took a lot of effort, time, and energy to get the plants to begin to grow again. But they never really returned to their former glory.

That’s how we do our time with the Lord. Many times we hear a word or begin a study or hear a sermon and we feel convicted and committed to improve our relationship. We start out strong and energized. We pray diligently and earnestly. The Lord moves and allows changes in situations we are going through. Then we stop watering and feeding our spirit as much because things appear to be alright. The winds of life aren’t blowing as hard this week. The hail storms of the world have eased up a bit.

We began to slowing compromise and pray, but not study. Read, but not pray. Hear the sermon, but never meditate on the word. Then when became to notice there just isn’t enough to sustain us anyone. We have shunned and turned off our source and we began to slowly become spiritually sick. Our mood changes. Our focus changes. Our lives become out of balance.

But not to worry! The Lord is always there. He never leaves you. I want to encourage you to take your time with the Lord seriously. Begin your day with a special covering from the Lord in prayer. Take time to read scripture and always have a song in your heart.

By taking care of your spiritual life with some spirit filled water of fellowship with believers, the sunlight of prayer and fertilizer of the word we can certainly stay connected to the will of the Lord.



~Prayer Lord, help us to stay connected to you through your word and prayer. We ask for forgiveness when we have taken you for granted. Thank you for never leaving or forsaking us. ~Amen

Becoming a Mother

Day light, play ground

Weekend, circus clown


Innocence of a child

Joy of a girl

The world is my oyster

Life is my pearl


Wanna skip free

Laughing, jumping

Enjoying being me


"Now I lay me

Down to sleep"

Crying just from laughing

Gonna take a leap


Life is changing

On a different walk

Someone almost took my voice

Now I gotta talk....


Puberty in the air

Boys on my nerves

Female, male drams

All for the birds



Trying to find myself

Changing the way I look

Wanting to go back

To night lights and a book



Lord, I 'm praying the right path

Got tribulations and trials

Experienced love for the first time

Now, celebrating my vows



Our Father, who are in heaven

You taught us to pray

I wanna be like you Lord,

Each and every day.



Lord, have mercy

Have mercy on me

Carrying the burden of the world

Trying to get free



Gotta take off the layers

My spirit is being stirred

I give back my children

For them, you have a word



I wanna be like you, Lord

Saving Paving

Forgiving Living

Holding Molding

Keeping Weeping

Bringing Clinging

Springing Singing

Hearing Peering

Dying Crying

Liking Striking

Shining Dining

Healing Feeling

And

Blessing

Me!



Yolanda L. Grier