THE MASTER GARDENER

by Lorrie Manosh

Sitting in the garden the other night dead-heading the plants, I began to ponder its similarities to our own lives. You see, the purpose of dead-heading plants is to regenerate new growth, to rid the plant of negative energy use, and to redirect to more productive use, such as growing new blooms. It also gives better eye appeal as the worn and dying blooms have reached their end. Beautiful for a time, yet no longer thriving. When properly dead-headed the plant has the freedom to grow and bloom again. Its new blooms give off a fragrance, catch the eye of onlookers, and for a period show forth the beauty intended, but in time the dead-heading process must once again occur. Sometimes it is just one or two blooms within the plant that are cut back and other sometimes it is all of them at once. When we deadhead a plant, we get rid of the blossom that no longer blooms. Another process that can occur is pruning. Pruning is ridding any part of the plant, even recent growth. This is done to train a plant in the way you want it to grow, to restrict growth you do not want to happen, or to just help it grow healthy.

As I look within, I am reminded of the same process of dead-heading and pruning that needs to occur in me. What in me is no longer thriving? What in me is taking up energy that could better be served elsewhere? What reshaping do I need so that I can grow properly? Am I living in freedom and fresh growth or am I trying to survive and bring forth beauty from old blooms?

In John 15:2, the Bible states, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so it may bear more fruit.” Our Heavenly Father is the Master Gardener. Just as I needed to take the time to deadhead and prune my garden, we need to let the Lord do the same within us. As we allow Him to rid what is dead within us, what is taking up unnecessary space, we will have the freedom for new growth, new blossoms, and new beauty.

I recall a time in my life when things were busy... not necessarily bad, but just nonstop. I was working full time at a job I loved, raising kids, attending sports events, church ministry, and more. Life was good, and I was busy doing but my inner garden had become so overgrown. There were blooms that needed deadheading and so much that needed pruning. Yes, my garden was full, but it was not properly thriving. My roots were not getting the nourishment they needed, and many dead blossoms lingered on until I allowed the Lord, the Master Gardener, to come and change things. As I began to rest in Him and allow the process of deadheading and pruning to occur within me, there was a rebirth in my garden. New life was growing, and I had a sense of freedom from within as my roots were now being properly watered. The once overgrown spaces were carefully managed to allow light to come in.

What does your garden look like? Are you in need of the Master Gardener to do a work within? We have that choice to release it all to Him and to let Him deadhead and prune. I challenge you today to let go and let God.

Lorrie Manosh is a children’s author who is passionate about teaching, writing, learning, inspiring others and her faith in the Lord. Her first book, “The Feeling Closet What are you Wearing Today?” released in April 2020, is a book that inspires children to manage their emotions through the use of their feeling closet. Lorrie lives in Massachusetts and is a wife and mother of four with over twenty years of experience in the classroom as an elementary teacher, special educator, principal, professor, and leader in various church programs.

Follow Lorrie on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at https://linktr.ee/feelingcloset

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