Susan LaffertyRefuge. In the tropical afternoons of my childhood.
I’m sitting on soft dirt. Amid twisted roots. Under a canopy of thick, intertwined bougainvillea branches growing by the backyard fence.
Shelter. From unrelenting sun.
Shade. For afternoon play with plastic teacups and bowls. A plentiful supply of leaves and blossoms within reach.
The secret place where I can rest. And just be.
Winter trees. In crisp air at dawn. Stark. Branches bare. Empty.
The fog drifts in.
As I walk in fading darkness, I think about friends and family members who are suffering.
Standing weary. In the fog of impossible circumstances. Living with ongoing crisis. Conflict. Some with never-ending pain.
Cold and unrelenting winds whip through the lives of these loved ones.
And I ask how to pray.
What is His way for trees in winter?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart….” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
All? Yes, all. Not the part. But the whole.
“Search me, O God and know my heart…” (Psalm 139:23-24) And He does. Revealing hidden chambers. Locked tight. Corners where I hold fast to self-reliance. Secrets. Pride. Fear.
Can I trust Him with even these? Yes.
