Every spring I anticipated the white and lilac blossoms of my wisteria bursting from the branches. I was always surprised by their beauty. But for the last two years my plants have had fewer blooms. Virginia Creeper vines were slowly strangling my wisteria. Every time my husband and I removed a vine, another one would take its place.
Similarly I have allowed my own circumstances to stifle my relationship with God — losing my son in a car wreck, caring for my mother as she slowly slipped away due to Alzheimer’s, and watching my husband struggle with cancer. I was trying to handle all of this alone and found it hard to give control over to God. Instead, I began questioning the challenges. Why was I experiencing so much heartache?
As time passed, I realized I could never bloom alone. I needed to remember the promise of Jesus. He is the true vine, and when we remain connected to Christ, we can find new life springing from heartache or despair. | 
