As I draft this letter, it is January 29th. I am looking out my window into an icy landscape that is glittering as the sun comes up. It looks peaceful and beautiful.
However, as I drive out of my neighborhood, I see trees fallen under the heavy weight of this ice. They have fallen on homes, cars, and streets, blocking our path and halting our way of life.
Have you ever felt like the weight of a burden you carry is going to split you in half? You’re going to break under the pressure and cause damage that completely ruins your way of life? I have felt that way before, and GraceWorks often meets our neighbors during their breaking point. Everything has or is about to fall apart.
But here is the good thing about ice—it often forces us to shed our weaker parts. The weaker trees break under the weight. Those breaks are mother nature’s way of pruning. Jesus talks about himself as a pruning gardener:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1–2 NIV)
I’m good with the first part of this verse—if it’s weak and not bearing fruit, get it out of here! The second part is harder to digest. A good gardener even prunes fruit-bearing branches—ouch! Even good things go through pain to grow.
GraceWorks has a front-row seat to many people who are actively breaking or regrowing. It is painful and beautiful all at the same time—a lot like this ice. In their painfully vulnerable moments with their clipped branches exposed, our neighbors muster the courage to lean into their community and ask for help. That is one of the most beautiful things you can ever witness.
I’ve leaned into community to help me during hard times, and I’m guessing you have too. Isn’t it also true that you look back on hard times with gratitude? They brought me closer to God, gave me perspective (maybe even some wisdom), and I grew stronger.
Ice has a sneaky way of teaching communities this lesson in strength—we came together during the weather, opened our homes for those who needed shelter, checked on our neighbors, sought ways to serve others, and became increasingly thankful for the little things we take for granted. Our community was strengthened.
So, let’s keep tending to our neighbors who are going through pruning. Keep checking on your neighbors, opening your homes, and being grateful. If you need a little boost, come to GraceWorks. You can support those healing neighbors every day through volunteering, donating items, shopping, giving, and praying.
If you are the one who is feeling the pain of pruning now, we are with you. Let’s muster some celebration together through the pain, because we know when spring comes the garden will be rich in blooms and fruit.
—Alicia