My favorite plant is a Fiddle Tree, also known as a fiscus or fig. I can spot them a mile away, and I do. Whether it’s in a commercial, a television show, or at the mall, I’m finding them every where I go, and I’m excited each time I do!
I’m looking at one right now in our livingroom by the front window. The violin-shaped leaves are ginormous, which is where the name Fiddle Tree comes from. There’s a second one on the book shelf beside it, and if I have my way I’ll pick up another one soon.
When it comes to the plant shelf at Walmart, I’m a bit of a softy. Like stray kittens longing for love, they’re calling my name. I want to rescue every one of those plants, and give them a loving home in the sunshine.
According to thebiblicalnutritionist.com, figs or fig trees are mentioned almost 200 times in the Bible. Even Jesus Himself talked about figs.
In Mark Chapter 11, we read about Jesus cursing the fig tree. The Bible tells us that there were leaves on the tree, and in fact He could see them from far.
What does that tell us? That it wasn’t merely a fig tree without fruit, it was a tree in full bloom, giving off the impression that there would also be fruit. Like so many Christians today, the tree appeared one way, but was living another.
There’s a lot of hoopla in the churches today, isn’t there? All of the bells and the whistles are present, but where is the fruit? Is it there upon closer inspection? More specifically, is it growing in you?
I’m only asking this because I’ve been there. I grew up in a home where church was nothing more than a social club–a place we went to on Sunday and left behind us on the Monday. We didn’t know there was more to all this. We didn’t know the beauty and power of a life intimately connected to God until I was 11 years old. Until we handed our hearts over to God and invited Him into our lives.
As a family, we didn’t start growing until we were rooted in faith. Like the fig tree that didn’t bear fruit, we had the appearance of faith. We wore matching dresses to church. We sat in the pew with our neighbour’s and friends. We gave up candy for lent.
Things only started to change when our hearts changed. Something happened that day when I knelt on my knees by the sofa. Something started to grow and bud from within. Something that left me hungry for more on a Monday. Something that only the Spirit could quench.
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Every difficult day and every trial we face is an opportunity to connect with God in ways we might otherwise miss. And when we do trust in God? We open a door to deliverance, mercy, and grace.
And so, I’m asking, will you give me 21 days? That’s all I’m asking you for—3 weeks, 10 minutes a day, and a gentle heart that’s willing to yield. Give me 21 days to show you what God can do for your marriage. 21 days to remind you that marriage is a gift worth fighting for. 21 days to love on and pray for your husband. 21 days to a life filled with love, joy, and peace. 21 days to a life-long commitment.
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Tilling the Soil
Read Mark 11:12-24.
Planting Hope
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)
Darlene Schacht and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve come to learn that relationships aren’t always easy, but that marriage, the way God intended it to be, is a treasure worth fighting for.
She began her publishing journey about twelve years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.
It was also during this transition that she worked alongside actress Candace Cameron Bure to write the NYT Best-Selling book, Reshaping it All: Motivation for Spiritual and Physical Fitness. Reshaping it All was the winner of both the 2011 USA Best Book Awards and the 2012 Christian Reading Retailers Choice Awards.
Author of more than 15 books, Darlene continues to write and to minister to her readers through her blog at TimeWarpWife.com.
Connect with Darlene:
Facebook: @timewarpwife
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Twitter: @timewarpwife
You are loved by an almighty God,
Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife