The Planted Tree

With all the craziness that has been going on. I caught myself feeling anxious, worried and just speechless. The thought of being “stuck” at home just consumed me. I would just think, this can’t be real. There has to be something better. I decided to take a step back off social media. Knowing this was a HUGE part of my photography business. You just don’t realize how much power and mind control you can give to your devices. Honestly, it hurt me to even think about posting wedding images. While my upcoming brides were having to cancel or postpone their wedding day. Like how rude of me?! Right. But I’ve been a bride, I know all the feelings that go towards the “big day.”

Then, I sat outside on our back porch this past Saturday morning, with the cool breeze blowing. Silence in the air, as for the first time the world felt unmoving. The scent of the coffee and Gus’s chin resting on my lap brought such effortlessness, but I still felt my earlier emotions stirring up inside me. I caught myself asking God, WHY?! Please, please tell me why…How do I run my photography business without hurting others feelings, How can I enjoy my own memories from my wedding and HOW do I know what you want me to do through this???  Suddenly, something told me to go grab my devotional and bring it back outside.

As I opened my book, the verse read; “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trails of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete ,not lacking anything.” James 1:24

Right then, I felt like I heard the Lord loud and clear. Here’s the kicker…. Cody and I went over to our property a few hours later and we randomly decided to plant these two small oak trees. Cody grabbed the shovel and created a deep hole for me to place the roots of the tree in. Instantly, doing this together took me back to our ceremony, were we “planted” a tree to demonstrate how marriage works. The soil is the foundation and while the foundation is there. The roots from the plant will grow and get stronger through the years. As the tree can withhold the storms it will endure.

Regardless of the fear, the anxiety, the worry and the unknown. I know at the end of each day. I have the Lord, my husband and those two oak trees that are planted over on our land, as a lifetime reminder. That “whenever I face trails of many kinds” I will come out more mature and trusting in my foundation and roots.

www.courtneypricephoto.com