Fresh Start

Our Golden Elm finally sent out new leaves.

It’s always behind the others; and every year I wonder if perhaps the winter was too hard for it.

But there they were:

beautiful new leaves in that gorgeous new spring green colour.

Spring had certainly arrived.

Then…a killing frost...

the tender new leaves turned black and died.

I wondered if it would leaf out again...

Nothing happened for weeks,

until...a long-awaited rain...

followed by the warmth of the sun...

New leaves formed just behind the ones killed by the frost...

and the new leaves are more abundant than the original!

The elm tree got a second chance.

As I considered this 'miracle' today,

I thought about the ‘second chances’ in my life.

Aren’t you glad we all get second chances?

Ours is a God of second, (and many more) chances.

He doesn’t stop loving me when I mess up.

I can go to him in my brokenness, and get another start.

How marvelous to know this truth.

The Bible is filled with stories of many who received

‘fresh starts’.

Moses, Paul, the woman at the well,

are just a few who come to my mind.

I love the way the Message puts it in I John 1:9

If we admit our sins – make a clean breast of them –

he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself.

He’ll forgive our sins and purge us from all wrong doing.

Wow, that’s what I call a ‘fresh start’.