A few weeks ago, a very dear friend gave my mother and me an Amaryllis bulb kit. Since neither mother nor I have a ‘green thumb,’ we were thankful that the kit contained everything that was needed to plant the Amaryllis bulb. After reading the “How to plant” instructions, my mother successfully planted the bulb in the provided six-inch plastic pot. Then following the instructions that stated the bulb needed full sunlight to grow, mother placed the potted Amaryllis bulb on a small table in front of the window in the dining room. Truthfully speaking, with our severe lack of gardening skills, we didn’t know if the Amaryllis bulb would grow and produce large, beautiful, orange flowers like those pictured on the outside of the kit…nevertheless, we were hopeful.
Daily, mother and I watched the potted bulb for signs of growth. We even did some research and learned that according to Wikipedia.org…“of all flowering bulbs, Amaryllis are the easiest to grow and most produce two to seven long-lasting leaves that are 12”-36” long and 1-2” wide. The flower stem is erect 12”-30” tall, 1-2” in diameter and is hollow. Depending on the species, it bears two to 15 large flowers, each of which is 5”-8” across.”
I’m happy to report that the instructions on the packaged Amaryllis bulb kit were true and “six weeks after planting the bulb” we had “stunning Amaryllis blooms in our home”. Yes, even though mother and I are like “Dumb and Dumber” when it comes to growing indoor plants and flowers…today; we are enjoying the beauty of a live Amaryllis in our dining room!
We did have one little problem however, and that is as the Amaryllis grew larger and larger it began leaning. Perhaps I should have transplanted it into a larger pot…I’m not sure. But for whatever reason the Amaryllis became top-heavy and needed support to keep the leaves from breaking off. So we stuck a plastic ruler in the soil and gently tied the Amaryllis plant to the ruler with a piece of yarn. Thankfully, it worked!
Speaking of support…for the past several months I’ve needed extra support. It’s one thing for God to put a dream on the inside of you and quite another thing to actually see the dream become a reality. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I’ve had to fight against the temptation to “give up”. And I’m not talking about giving up on God…but rather, giving up on the dream God’s given me. Sure, I knew there would be periods of “slow growth” and “little by little” but I wasn’t prepared for the dry season when it ‘appeared’ that there was absolutely zero growth. Though my spirit kept saying, “Trust God to fulfill the dream.” …everything else in me was screaming, “Give up! Give up! The dream’s too big!” I’m telling you every day I fought against the temptation to give up. And yes, to be transparently honest…there were days when I almost did.
But let me tell you…I’m so glad I didn’t give up! Praise God, He gave me the strength…the “support” to stand firm and upright so that I could continue to believe Him to do what He’s said He would do. And today the dream God’s give me is alive and growing…not only in the United States but as of today…it’s also growing in the United Kingdom! Glory to God!!
Readers, don’t you dare give in to the voices of defeat. Regardless if the voices are coming from your flesh or from the enemy, Satan. Trust God to do what He’s told you He will do for you and your family. Trust God to heal your body. Trust God to deliver you from harmful addictions and habits. Trust God as your Savior. Trust God.
“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”—Proverbs 3: 5-6 (Amp)
Debra Wallace is an inspirational columnist and speaker. To contact Debra call 252-568-3453 or visit her website www.debrawallace.com where you can sign-up to receive her free newsletter, Good News for Overeaters!
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