a tree

My friend Erin lives in Tanzania. She is amazing. She just sent an update on her life there and I had to share one of the best descriptions of what I so often jumble up when talking about, "stop trying, start dying" . . .

On Wednesday in our staff meeting, a teacher remarked that a tree doesn't have to "try really hard" to produce fruit. If that tree is near the water source and near the light source, with its roots firmly planted, it WILL bear fruit. There is no effort required. And the same applies for us. "Blessed is the man who's.... delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law He meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither. Whatever he does prospers." (Psalm 1:1-3) When we stay close to our source of *light* and water (living water!), and keep our roots firmly planted in Him and His word, we WILL bear fruit. We won't need to "try really hard" at it. It will happen naturally.