This is my favorite time of year. I love the sunshine, the green grass, the blue skies and my personal favorite the colors of the trees and the flowers. I love watching things grow and seeing the beauty of what God created. Gardening is therapy for me. I love to plant flowers and take care of them. If I could own every flower there is, I would!

When I picture myself alone with Jesus, I am in a garden with Him. We sit on a bench and talk. The beauty of the garden is all around us. I feel safe here and very happy. I have realized that this is where He wants me to be with Him. He wants all of us to be with Him in the garden. Gary Moon says a lot of amazing things about the garden. I would like to share some of his thoughts with you.

Gary says, “Over and over I choose control, perfectionism, drive for success, and myself over trust, acceptance, enjoyment of the present moment, and God. God is homesick for me, and desires to spend endless amounts of his time with me, talking with me, and just being with me for the joy of the relationship.” I can’t tell you how much I needed to hear that God is homesick for me and desires to spend time with me. The fact that the God of the universe wants to be with me blows my mind still to this day! I have chosen so many other things on my to-do list over Him more times than I would like to admit. When I picture Him sitting there waiting for me to come to Him and I choose other things, it makes me cry.
Moon says, “I want to confess again, I’ve eaten from the wrong tree. I’ve returned to the slop of self-rule. But my father isn’t listening to me. His heart is pounding too loudly with anticipation of my return. He wants to hug me so tightly that we become one and I never again choose to run.” That little girl inside me needed that father so desperately. She needed someone to pursue her and hug her, and wait for her, and calm her down so she didn’t want to run and hide any more.

I am sure the beauty of the Garden of Eden would have taken my breath away. God created it for Adam and Eve. He gave them everything they needed in it. He walked among them. He pursued a relationship with them. They were alone with the God of the universe and it wasn’t enough for them. They wanted more. Moon says, “The imagery of the Garden of Eden portrays God’s intent for humanity. They were prince and princess living in paradise. Their relationship with God and each other was happily ever after. But, they thought there was more. In grasping for the wrong tree, they voted that they cherished control, independence, and self-determination more than surrender, community and abandonment to the love of God.”

Most of my life I lived in shame because I thought God was mad at me. I was grasping for things that weren’t good for me and then I would run and hide thinking I was going to be in trouble for what I did. I was just like Adam and Eve. I thought God was holding out on me. I seriously didn’t understand the goodness of God until I was in my forties. I battled grasping and hiding for years!

I wrote in my journal, “If you took the time to create me, then why wouldn’t you love me and care for me. You want me to succeed. My true home is with you. You created the perfect environment for all of us to live in: an environment where we walk and talk with you all day. True fellowship exists here. Nothing else matters.”

I don’t want to grasp and hide anymore. I want to live in fellowship with God all the time every single day. Moon says, “Salvation means recovery of the lost Eden, the Kingdom of God, and the possibility of a transforming friendship with God. We are saved from grasping, hiding, self-rule and isolation to a life of living in interactive relationship with God.” I have realized that I have a place in the garden and it is with my heavenly father walking and talking with Him. I want to meet with Him every day and listen to what He says to me.

When I was a little girl I loved Cinderella. I still do. I wanted a prince charming to come and rescue me. I didn’t realize I had one until I met Christ. He is my prince charming. I do get to live happily ever after because of Him. He rescued me and He will rescue you. Satan has duped us into believing the lie that “Happily Ever After” doesn’t exist. Oh, but it does dear friend. It exists because we get to live with Christ forever in his kingdom.

Please take the time today and go to Him on the bench and talk with Him and listen to Him. If you haven’t accepted Christ into your heart yet, I invite you to do so. He is waiting for you with open arms. He doesn’t want you to hide anymore! I love all of you so much! Thanks for reading and following along with me on my journey! Until next time….

Hebrews 10:22-23 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”