Part 2 - Now that we have decided to do something about it, what do we do? For some of us this has been going on for years and that little flower is under a mess of stuff and those walls are like the great wall of China, however, there is hope.

This is a good place to be. We have the chance to start over again. I am going to try and explain this as simply as I can with illustrations. Life is very complex and to make it simple is very difficult, if not impossible. Now, if you have come this far, then it means you felt the tug on your heart. This also means that the Lord has touched your heart and He wants you to get to know Him and His wonderful love for you. First of all, you need to know this. You really, really need to know this. If you were the only one on earth when He died 2000 years ago, He would have still died for you. He loves you that much. And the reason I am writing this is that I believe it too. You are precious in His sight, no matter what your life has been like. You can start over again with a new and wonderful life. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. It matters today what you will do with the rest of your life.

The scripture says that no one can come to the Father, except the Father must first put out the invitation. And no one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ. Now, you felt the tug, right? So you are being drawn to Him. You have received your invitation. So, how do we get to Father God? We get there by believing, trusting and relying on His Son, Jesus Christ. How do we do this? Who is He? He will become real in our life. That tug you feel is Him asking you to meet with Him.

Let’s look at a natural analogy. Let’s say that you are at an exquisite restaurant on the edge of the sea. The sun has just gone down over the horizon. The sky is showing all the magnificent colors of sunset. You are out on the patio and the sound of the crashing waves reaches your ears as the ocean mist touches your face. There is a beautiful lady standing by the rail. Her hair is flowing in the sea breeze. About twenty feet away from her is a handsome and distinguished gentleman. You watch them as their eyes meet for the first time. You can see the chemistry and you know there is genuine love in the air. Now what would happen if they just had that brief moment and then walked away from each other and never met again. It would be a sad story, right? But people do that every day.

So what will you do now. Imagine that you are like the lady by the rail. The gentleman has seen you and would like to invite you to his table. The choice is yours. Do you let fear have its way or some other memory from your past? Will you let anything spoil this opportunity at having a brand new life, a fresh new start? Well, if the choice you have made is to accept the invitation you can continue reading. Well, I guess you can continue no matter what your choice, I just know it would be better if you choose the former.

Okay! So Who is this person, this Jesus? That’s what it is all about. How can you know someone unless you spend time with them? How can you trust them if you don’t have a relationship? How can He be real to me? I want something more than just words on a page in some history book.

It’s simple. Ask Him to make Himself known to you. Spend some time with Him. Take walks. Read the Bible. Start with the New Testament. Ask Him to show you things you need to know in the scriptures. Ask Him to be your friend. Ask Him to forgive you of all your sins. Ask Him to place His love in your heart. Give your life to Him. What is it that you want? Ask your questions. It’s your life. If you ask for the truth and you really want to know, you will find it.

This is the beginning of your new life. This is the beginning of the change in your garden. The love that is placed in your heart will continue to grow as long as you nurture it and continue with the relationship. As time goes by, you will find places in your heart of bitterness, unforgiveness, vows, fears, judgments, self-pity, self-protection, and all kinds of things. These are the thorn bushes, briers and vines. Little by little you can get rid of them by His grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. Soon everyone around you will notice a different you. They will begin to see the beauty in the midst of your garden as the other things get removed. They will ask you what you have been up to. Things that used to bother you no longer do. You will see life differently. You will feel like you are alive for the first time in your life. There really is something to look forward to and to live for. Go ahead. Check it out. What do you really have to lose?

Are you feeling a war inside right now? What will others think? You know all those silly excuses that pop up. They really don’t seem that silly right now, do they. Let me ask you a question. What would it hurt to check it out and see if this might be real?

I had some doubts in the beginning. Now, I wouldn’t trade anything for this relationship. To find someone who cares for me and loves me more than anyone else in this world is awesome. Even if everyone were to leave me, I’d never be alone again. I have a purpose and a destiny. You know what, you do too. Go for it. Don’t let anyone get in your way.

Next time we will go more in depth concerning the enemies of your garden. Answers - Part 3

May the Lord, Himself show you Who He is. May He fill your heart with His love. May you find the thing you’ve been searching for all of your life. May you find your purpose and your destiny. Let His love pour over you and fill you fresh. Have a wonderful life.

Joseph