Bloom

I often get inspired during the Spring. A few years ago, when I was coming out of my darkest season, I noticed something that I've never noticed before. At the time, I was living alone in my studio apartment, and just outside my window was a bush. Day by day, as Spring approached and the weather started to lighten up, I noticed the tiny buds on the bush that eventually grew into full-blown green leaves. I witnessed the budding of a bush - something so very subtle, but significant. Because I never slowed down, stopped, and took notice of something like that before.

One morning, filled with the Holy Spirit, I took my camera, grabbed an iced coffee, and headed outside on a journey that I would never forget. I headed down to MLK drive and just started taking pictures of things that never caught my eye before. It was as if God opened my eyes and allowed me to see the beauty in the small things He created. Most of the pictures were of flowers, but I was able to be still and witness the process of blooming.

We often notice the flower after it blooms, after it has matured and reached its peak. But have you ever taken a moment to appreciate the bloom at its beginning? It's not as glamorous - but still significant.

Flowers aren't the only things that bloom, butterflies bloom too. They start off as crawling (creepy) caterpillars - not too pretty to look at. But they go through a process called metamorphosis, a Greek word that means transformation or change in shape. When the time comes, they become a pupa, also called a chrysalis. This chrysalis may be suspended under a branch, hidden in leaves, or sometimes even buried. This stage can last a few weeks, months, or longer. It may look like nothing is happening, but on the inside, major changes are occurring. When this stage has served its purpose, a beautiful butterfly emerges - completely different from what it was in the beginning.

I believe God uses nature to teach us things about ourselves. We aren't flowers nor are we butterflies, but we do bloom. We do go through processes, trials, and life changes. They refine us, prune us, and are often times very uncomfortable. But if we press in and trust in the Lord, eventually, if we allow God to complete his good work, we will come out on the other side completely different from how we went in.

So don't get discouraged if you're going through pruning. You're being changed, transformed, and refined like gold - and you will eventually bloom into all that God has purposed you to become!

A few pictures from that day:

March 30th, 2021:

If you'd like to purchase my Body cream "Bloom" inspired by this process, please click here. I also have a soap you can purchase here.