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By Freda Reynolds

I love pretty gardens, landscapes with lots of color, and fields of wildflowers. I have seasons where I enjoy spending time weeding, and deadheading blooms that have given their all. Their purpose has been spent. The plant is still doing well. Life is still there. Pruning love it or hate it still has a purpose. Pruning brings more beauty and health to each plant.

In our lives, we need pruning also. It isn’t fun. Sometimes it brings pain for us to let go of things that do not lead to a better life. Cutting away those things that are past, letting go of destructive relationships and replacing them with healthy habits. Most of the time, we need help in moving through this process. Emotions and physical addictions are tough to release. We all are addicted to something! Don’t believe me? Put down your phone, don’t look at Facebook for a period of time. You will see. Judgment doesn’t help with letting go.

Only one person can bring real help for us. There are NO easy answers. I have found that for real success in a beautiful purpose filled life, we need someone greater than ourselves. There is one who seeks to guide us in our lives. Our creator! The one who created our world and all that is in it.

Pruning requires cutting away the old so that new growth can occur. Once we clear up the dead in our lives it simply must be replaced. The space created left empty brings a hole in life. Fill it with good, healthy and faith filled things.

I find my family of believers helps me get through the struggles of everyday life. If you are finding that your life needs a little pruning or weeding, find a place where God’s word is preached and people are getting what is needed for a well-watered garden with life blooming. Not a place that looks perfect but one who seeks to know the Savior.