For those of you who have been following our avocado plant that was snapped in half (see planting and snapped in half), we are happy to report that after two weeks of looking like death, there is life again. There are six tiny little sprouts coming out of the sides, and one in particular is taking the lead.

It’s taken time, but through a different sprout, new life is coming back. I’ve been thinking about one of my closest friends who has recently- and suddenly- lost the one most dear to her. There may never again be life nor joy from that painful place of loss, but I am praying and trusting God that there will be new places of life and joy sprouting with time and with passing seasons. It is God’s way with all of us to bring life from death and to do new things.

On another note, I shared in the original entry on planting the avocado seed about my neighbor friend, Nats. She and I read the Bible on that day for the first time – the beginning of God’s Word entering her heart.

Last Friday she stopped by our house to borrow some camping equipment. She was supposed to leave the next morning for a family camping trip with another neighborhood family- their first camping experience. Unfortunately, on this day-before, she shared that her 3-year old daughter had suddenly come down with a fever. Her son had been sick for 3 days with a similar summer fever. She was sad, but still hoping. As she climbed in her car, she looked in my eyes and said, “please pray!” I assured her that we would pray. Our family prayed at dinner.
That evening I text-messaged her and asked her how her daughter was. She replied, very discouraged, that her fever had spiked, and the weather was looking very rainy for the weekend, so she doubted that they would go.
Before bed that night, I felt a strong urge to pray – to really pray that God would somehow enable them to be able to go. And that through the reality of God’s answered prayer, she would move one step closer to believing in a personal, caring God. I got on my knees, and quite honestly wrestled between unbelief (realizing that this fever was humanly speaking going to last three days, and the weather forecast was even more dismal); and belief in a God with whom all things are possible. I prayed until I sensed the belief side win out.
I called their home the next morning, hoping that no one would answer. I was sad to hear Nats. voice. But she tripped over her words with joy: she had taken her daughter to the doctor that morning, who said it was fine for her to go and the fever would not last much longer… there was a break in the weather… they were leaving after lunch…and thank you SO much for praying and caring.
I hung up the phone and just wanted to hug God. A little thing – but it’s those little things that help people of unbelief become people of belief (even myself).
On Monday, I ran into the neighbor friend who had gone camping with them. The first thing she said to me was, “Thank you so much for praying. Nats’s family was able to join us and we heard it was because you prayed.”
Little sprouts. You go, God!