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Use life's hardships to move closer to God

"You have chosen me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you (I have planted you), that you might go and bear fruit ...

- John 15:16 (AMP)

When I see the tulips blooming each spring, it brings special memories of my mysterious tulips story.

I noticed a patch of bright, red tulips growing between my garage and my next door neighbor's fence. It formed a beautiful bouquet of at least a dozen vibrant flowers. Funny thing was, I didn't remember seeing tulips bloom there before. I wondered who planted them.

For days I couldn't get the red flowers off my mind. I considered having them transplanted to a more viewable spot. But I was still curious who planted them in the first place.

One night I asked my husband if he knew anything about the mysterious red tulips. He reminded me that, a few years prior, he had dug up some weeds that were growing too close to the house. He said he threw them in a large dirt pile next to the garage and doused them with some old paint thinner - he thought he was just killing off a pile of weeds.

The only thing he could figure was the previous owners of our house must have planted some tulip bulbs in the soil he dug up and buried.

Listening to his explanation, I thought how hardy those flowers were to push their way through to bloom under the conditions in which they were planted.

Life often plants us in unique circumstances. We may be planted as a parent, or in a particular job or vocation. We could find ourselves placed in situations we're dissatisfied with, such as living as a single parent or experiencing a loss of some kind.

God has not caused our hardship, but uses it to bring us closer to him, strengthen and teach us things we may never have learned.

Sometimes God wants us to be an example to others or make some kind of a difference where we are planted. Look at how God used many great men and women throughout history to blossom and change the world.

Wherever life has planted us today, we should pray and ask God to give us wisdom and insight to use the situation for our good and the good of others. We need to embrace change and challenge. As we submit to God's leading, we can move forward into his will as we choose to bloom where we are planted.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, motivational speaker, life coach and nurse. She is available to speak at your church or group. She can be contacted at (847) 543-8413; P.O. Box 532, Grayslake, IL 60030; or Annetteebudzban@aol.com. Annettee will be a presenter at the National Day of Prayer from 6:30-7:45 p.m. May 4 at Cornerstone Community Church, 40413 N. Delany Road, Wadsworth.

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