” Here I go with my hard sayings again, but I keep thinking of a little seed we plant.  It grows first of all maybe one a beautiful flower and while it is there nobody sees it much but it can see an feel the warm sunshine and feels a measure of safety and familiarity. When the flower starts fading, that little seed is ready for something, but first of all it gets stripped away from it’s hiding place either by the wind or some strong hand;

However it happens, that little seed has a lot of potential that will only be fulfilled one way…So into the ground that dear little thing goes, buried beneath the cold unforgiving soil where it can no longer see the hand that buried it and the warmth of the sunshine is distant at the most. How forsaken it must feel! I wonder what it would say if it could speak… Do you think it longs to see or at least feel the sunshine?  But it’s left to a lonely death with no evidence that there is any future ahead—

Why does a seed even begin to grow out of such a miserable state?  How can it?  If you will notice= it doesn’t begin either until a bunch of rain (trials? tears?) dumps on it… more misery, we think.  And why does the gardener smile when it rains?

I wonder… what could ever grow up out of such conditions?  But it does.  What is inside that little seed?  A promise, a life, a future beautiful and perfec t(it can’t change into something less)… Why then must it go through this death process so brutal? But something stirs deep inside as the sun begins to draw life through the dark soil.  The sun is there, unchanged, warm and faithful- real, alive.  The seed can’t feel it’s direct rays but it knows somehow that it’s up there somewhere.

 Brave little seed, you will grow if you reach for the sun… You feel forsaken, but you are not.  The sun is warm and true above your cold coverings.  You will see it soon if you yield yourself to the Hand that tends you.  Oh, how He must long to uncover you and protect you from death.  But He knows it would ruin you… and so He waits for the rose.

Hey, and just for your encouragement, I see a little seed hurting like crazy all cracked and splintered cause there is new green life bursting up from inside of him… COURAGE, my friend!  We love you very much.”