May 21: Blooming Where You Are Planted
Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventist
In 2019, the Lord called my husband and me to serve as a pastoral family in another country. Even though we did not know where we were going, like Abram, we gathered our belongings and journeyed into a far land. This was because of the commitment we made when we accepted the Lord—to go wherever He leads.
As a teacher, I had never worked outside of my homeland, and being in this new place meant that our expenses required me to find a job. My family and I began to pray. I desired to work only three days per week, wherever I could find employment, except within the school system.
For more than two years, we prayed, and nothing seemed to happen. In the third year, we acquired a home, and we praised God—but our financial responsibilities increased even more.
The church we were called to serve was a constituency church, meaning it supports the school in that territory, and my husband serves on the school board. One day after a board meeting, my husband mentioned that they were looking for a before- and after-school care worker. Reluctantly, I asked if he thought I should apply. He told me that whatever I decided, he would support me.
I prayed and thought about it long and hard. Living in the “big apple,” I wrestled with the idea. I thought, “If I were back home, this is the last kind of job I would accept based on my qualifications.” But little did I know that God had another plan.
I finally decided to take the job. I worked diligently—early mornings and late evenings—supervising over sixty students in before care and a smaller group in after care. After care was especially demanding, particularly on days when I had already worked long hours and parents arrived late or forgot to pick up their children. At times, I questioned whether I had made the right decision.
But I encouraged myself to bloom where I am planted.
Little did I know that my assignment was not just about surviving—it was a profound spiritual challenge to thrive in the present. It meant accepting that God, in His sovereignty, had placed me exactly where He wanted me at that moment.
Although the environment was at times challenging and even prejudiced, I felt loved and appreciated—especially by the parents and some members of staff.
After six weeks, I was promoted to classroom teacher assistant—no more late evenings. Then, after another month, I was asked to teach Bible to the lower grades. This gave me the opportunity to share God’s love and joy right where I was planted.
As I worked, my knowledge expanded. I learned the system, and I saw how God was using me and preparing me for new and greater assignments. Today, though I am no longer in that same place, I am fully responsible for my own classroom. God was preparing me for something bigger all along.
Jeremiah 17:7–8 says:
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in Him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”Before a plant blooms, it must grow deep roots to find water and nutrients. When we are forced to endure difficult seasons, God is often building our character and teaching us to depend on Him rather than our circumstances.
Blooming does not mean your life is perfect—it means you are able to share God’s love, kindness, and joy right where you are.
When Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself (Matthew 6:34), He was reminding us to bloom where we are planted. When the Apostle Paul said we should learn to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11), he was saying the same thing.
I remember an orchid I once received as a gift. After many months, it appeared to be dying, so I threw it outside. One day, I noticed it turning green again. I picked it up, cared for it, and placed it in my windowsill. That plant began to bloom again—and it became the longest-blooming plant I have ever seen.
Jesus wants us to bloom.
With the Holy Spirit within us, we must cooperate with Him and be intentional. Blooming is a process that takes time. So show love, trust the Planter—Jesus—and discover how to bloom in unexpected places.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for planting me in this specific season. I confess that sometimes I question Your leading. Please give me the faith to see opportunities for growth. Deepen my roots in You so that I can bloom where I am planted. Amen.
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