Ready for Renewal: Allowing God to Prune Your Life

Hello everyone,

I’m excited and nervous to write my first blog. I’m not thinking about how many people will like it, or even how many people will read it, but I am thinking about whether I will say something worthwhile.

Getting my first book out there took much time and effort on my part. But there were many others involved: My awesome life coach (Yul Crawford), the pastors and leadership team at my church, my editors (Jessica Glasner and Allison Ulloa), and finally all those who prayed for me. I’m not just talking about those who prayed for grace that I would actually finish the book - I am grateful for those prayers. But I am also including those who prayed for me as I went through all the challenges that I wrote about. It is because of those prayers that there is a book to write. Thank you ALL!

I am not a fashionista. My clothing choices are for comfort. Once I find something comfortable that looks good on me, I tend to wear it long past the ‘expiry’ date. The holes in the knees or elbows in my clothing are from wear, and were not there when I bought the item. I am happy to sell them to you if you want clothing with holes. For those of you who love shopping and wearing gorgeous outfits, please keep doing that. You make the world brighter and prettier!

One of my hobbies and part time businesses is gardening. I love being out in God’s creation. He has made so many beautiful things. Some of the tiniest flowers are the most intricately detailed, and insects (not the biting ones) are absolutely amazing! When I magnify them with a camera, I am frequently in awe of how very creative our God is.

Now that spring is on the way here in Ontario, I have to think about pruning trees and bushes before they start growing. First, we cut off the dead or diseased branches. This lets more light get through to other branches and to the plants that are growing underneath the trees. Removing diseased branches usually stops the disease from spreading. These branches also attract unwanted insects, like wasps, who are looking for a home. Branches that have spread out too far from the trunk are also trimmed. Shortening these long branches keeps the tree from growing over other plants and killing them.   It encourages the tree to grow tall and straight.   Removing branches that hang down too low keeps people from getting injured who walk close to the tree, and allows other plants room to grow under it. When we remove branches where they are too close together, more light can get through for the leaves to photosynthesize and feed the tree.  For fruit trees, we remove branches that are not bearing fruit. I generally do this in the summer after the tree has formed baby fruit.   Then, I can easily see which branches are not fruitful.   Pruning them lets more nutrition and light go to the branches that are producing fruit, so the fruit will be bigger.  The following year, there will be more fruit on the branches that remain. Trees and bushes that are pruned correctly grow better and produce more fruit.

As I write this, I am thinking about whether I need pruning this spring. Am I killing the plants around me by covering them with dead or diseased branches? One way to do this is to constantly complain to the people in my life. Am I growing tall and straight or spreading out where I don’t belong? I can spread out by taking on tasks that someone else should be doing. Are there branches in my life that aren’t bearing fruit and need to be removed? Are there some things I need to stop doing so that I have more time to do what I should be doing?

My neighbour has 3 apple trees that haven’t been pruned in a few years. He doesn’t eat apples so it doesn’t bother him that the trees are not pruned. The apples are smaller each year because there are so many unfruitful branches taking all the nutrition. When I try to pick some to make apple pie, it is very difficult because of the many branches in the way. The fruit is there, but no one can get at it.

The wonderful thing is that when trees are pruned correctly, they continue to grow, flower and produce fruit for many years. The tree doesn’t worry about pollinators, or if there will be enough rain or sun for the fruit to grow and ripen. When we let the Lord do the pruning in our lives, there is always fruit, and others will see it. We don’t have to make the fruit ourselves.

While I prune trees for my clients this spring, I’m also trusting the Lord to show me where I need pruning. And I’m eagerly awaiting the first daffodil or hyacinth to pop up through the melting snow. As spring comes, I hope you will pray about what pruning is needed in your life and grow a little straighter this year.

Blessings,

… Gayle

P.S. We are planning a book launch party in April. As soon as the date and location are firmed up, we’ll update the web page.