Couples need to choose love that is faithful and rooted in Divine mystery.
Covenant is God’s language of love. It is a promise — that two shall become one.
It is a choice. A binding of two hearts. Choosing one another. Committing to each other. Sealed. Sealed in covenant with the Almighty.
Covenants are sacred. To be witnessed. To be withheld. To bless. To enrich. To become something greater than oneself.
Marriage is a covenant —a holy pattern. Two lives. Two hearts. Two souls stepping into a promise far greater and far deeper than anything else on earth.
Covenant is an invitation to walk with God: to love with compassion, to honor with tenderness, to respect with kindness, to walk together in unity.
I will be your God, and you will be my people.
Leviticus 26:12
Image Credit: “All For One” by jeff golden is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
I release my worries into God’s hands. I trust that He sees me, knows me, and cares for me in every way.
Fun Fact: Lilies have been around for more than 3,000 years and symbolize purity, innocence, and renewal.
Lilies. Standing tall, elongating their stems, as if reaching toward the heavens. White. Elegant. Pristine. Opening wide to confidence and trust. Handpicked by Jesus, they sing a song. Of blessings to and fro.
For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of the Sons of Korah. A maskil. A wedding song.
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.
Psalm 45:1
The “lilies” mentioned were a melody of beauty and devotion. They were a musical notation that carried the language of trust, purity, and God’s faithful care.
And then Jesus said:
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?
Luke 12:27-28 NKJ
Jesus pointed to the lilies to remind us of God’s provision. Lilies do not “work” to clothe themselves, yet they are adorned with effortless beauty and grace. So, we, too, are invited to trust, to grow, to flourish, and to let go of worry.
Lilies mirror our souls — to be held, to be provided for, to be free from the weight of worry.
They remind us that God’s care is not fragile. It is steady. It is generous. It is enough. Because we are enough.
Like the lily, we are invited to bloom. To open our hearts. To open our minds. To the possibility of: Grace. Love. Forgiveness. And everlasting life.
May you release your worries with ease. May you find yourself surrounded by fields of lilies to be cared for, loved, and free.
Image Credit: “File:Lilium longiflorum (Easter Lily).JPG” by UpstateNYer is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
I welcome peace into my day as God meets me in the stillness of each morning. I begin with a calm, peaceful heart. When I feel unsteady, I’ll ask God to be my anchor.
Fun Fact: Peace lilies are among the top ten plants for cleaning the air. They are easy to care for and make wonderful indoor companions.
Peace lilies. Pure white leaves so delicate and true poke through the winter cover to say hello. Like an angel spreading its wings, they stand tall, reaching toward the glow. Slender and lovely, Gracing our presence anew.
Like angels singing on high, there is peace. Peace in new beginnings. Peace in new perspectives. Peace and love for all to know. But first, inviting God into our hearts.
The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace.
Psalm 29:11
Peace lilies mirror the hope in our souls. To be welcomed. To be steady. To be soft. To be full of grace.
Like a whispered prayer, they rise tall in the presence of God, as they lean toward the light as if to say, There is always hope for peace.
May peace settle gently in your soul. May God quiet every anxious thought. May you lean toward Him and feel His peace bloom in you again and again.
Image Credit: “‘Peace Lily'” by Olin Gilbert is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
I invite wisdom to guide my day as I move through my daily tasks. I will remain steady, bold, and magnificent— like the magnolia.
Magnolias are early risers. Precocious, some might say. Winter calls them one by one, to open wide and greet the world, as if claiming their rightful place among the chain of blooms.
They stand tall and bright, echoing through the ages: God loves us and grounds us day by day.
The psalmist writes, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.” (Psalm 28:7)
Strength and help. Shield and trust. Protection and tenderness. Like the magnolia, ancient and true.
Long before bees, they were pollinated by beetles. Thick, leathery pedals protect them from harm, a natural shield against the world.
Magnolias teach us about resilience. Millions of years. Millions of blooms. Millions of times, saying yes. Each one leaning on God to show them what’s next.
Like the magnolia, lean in. Lean into God’s strength. God’s direction. To hold your ground. To stand firm. To let your burdens fall. For the Lord is our strength and shield.
May God carry you in the palm of His hand. May you experience God’s love that has brought you this far. May you be strong and steady enough to know when to lean on Him.
“Magnolia at Shorncliffe-1&” by Sheba is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
I welcome the crisp, bold air of the morning. I pause to honor the ancient wisdom I feel in my bones. I will seize the day with confidence and grace.
Fun Fact: Magnolias are among the oldest flowering plants on earth, predating bees. Early magnolias were pollinated by beetles, which is why their petals are thick and strong — built to endure, kind of like a Mack truck.
Magnolias. Ancient, regal, full of grace. They stand firm through each season, as if to pass on the love of God, like a spark that starts a fire.
Petals thick. Gentle and resilient. Open wide. To greet the world again and again.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.
—Psalm 28:7
Magnolias mirror our souls. Like their petals that bloom in spring, we rise to face a new day, with a new sense of courage, with a new sense of strength, with a new sense of confidence, in a way that feels ancient and true.
May you stand tall and bold. May you extend grace in every season. May you trust the ancient love as the magnolia does.
Image Credit: “Close-up shot of a flower on a Magnolia Soulangeana aka Tulip Tree” by Ivan Radic is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
I welcome joy and whimsy. I will pause to appreciate the beauty of spring, as the crocus wakes from its long winter’s nap.
Fun fact: Saffron comes from a specific species of crocus. According to softschools.com, 80,000 plants are required to produce one ounce of it. Ninety percent of the world’s saffron is cultivated in Iran.
Crocuses. Slivers of delight poke through hard ground, singing, Joy to the World. Delicate yet so sturdy. They rise when most are still napping.
Like a fairy spreading fairy dust, they sprinkle us with hope. Hope in new beginnings. Hope in new perspectives. Hope in dreaming what is and what will be — But first, letting go of what was.
Crocuses are early risers, like daisies and tulips. Tiny miracles of promise. Promising warmer weather and longer days.
The desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus.
Isaiah 35:1
The crocus mirrors our souls. Like their petals that open beneath a gray sky, we rise each morning to greet the day. We rise with choices before us — to carry heaviness or to welcome light.
So the next time you see a crocus, bow your head in prayer. Ask the Lord to free you from the chains that are around you. And as you say Amen, listen for its whisper: “Be free! Be joyful! Be like me!”
Light and airy. Delicate and strong. Full of grace.
May you notice slivers of joy all around. May you trust that God will sustain you when you are weary. May you bloom gently with a quiet strength — just like the crocus.
Image Credit: “APRIL 2013 CPM Art Challenge Photo ‘Crocus’ #1304” by COLORED PENCIL magazine is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
I welcome the strength of the morning, which gives me the energy to rise and heed what I am called to do.
Hibiscuses respond to light. When exposed to bright sunlight, they open and draw pollinators.
There is something sacred happening there— a quiet exchange between creation and Creator, a kind of internal dialogue written into the bloom itself. What do you think?
Psalms 46 says, “God is within her, she will not fall.” In this Psalm, “her” refers to God’s people — the people of faith.
This verse reminds us that God is our grounding. We may feel the heat of the day, the weight of responsibility, or the ache of uncertainty, but we do not stand alone.
Like the hibiscus, we can turn toward the light, trusting that God holds us upright.
Like a hibiscus waiting for the right moment to bloom, we wait for God’s hand to gently point the way.
We are resilient people. We stretch toward the light, reaching for the courage to be fully present.
God meets us where we are. Opens our eyes. Steadies us.
No pressure. No expectation. Just an invitation. To be more Christ-like.
Hibiscus teaches us that strength unfolds slowly. Sometimes it looks like softness that stays open. Sometimes it is simply the courage to bloom again after a long winter’s rest. God meets us in these moments — not demanding perfection, but inviting us to trust the strength He places within us.
May you feel God’s strength on your journey. May you trust that God will gently guide you where you need to go.
“Italy-2755 – Hibiscus” by archer10 (Dennis) is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
I welcome the idea of strength and softness. I welcome the unfolding within me as I watch the hibiscus bloom after its cold winter’s nap.
Fun Fact: Hibiscus flowers typically bloom for only one day before they fall from their stem.
Hibiscus. Crinkly yet soft. Bursting with color. Their trumpet-shaped blooms flutter in the wind, swaying on slender stems, lifting toward the light as if to give us all a hug.
Hibiscuses are mid-to-late risers. They bloom early in summer until the first frost. Tropical in nature, they grow in a wide range of shades of white, pink, red, yellow, and orange. And they attract butterflies and hummingbirds, filling gardens with beauty and delight.
God is within her, she will not fall. — Psalm 46:5
Hibiscus mirrors our souls. As we rise each morning, we are like hibiscus—soft yet strong, bold yet tender. We choose to stand in the light and move into the day with courage, trusting that God is forming resilience within us.
Hibiscus reminds us that faith is not fragile. It is rooted. It is steady. It is the quiet strength that holds us when life feels hot and heavy.
May you feel God’s strength rising gently within you. May you breathe deeply and trust Him to give you the courage and resilience you need for each new day.
Image Credit: “Tropical Hibiscus” by Dinesh Valke is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
I welcome the dew of the morning. I savor the fragrance of roses made sweeter by the droplets. I embrace being seen, known, and cherished by God.
Roses sparkle in the sunshine, their petals soft and delicate. A beauty that surely stands the test of time. Fragrance lingers in the air while layers of petals unfold as if to embrace each one of us with a love that grows with time.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
Life is full of twists and turns. Lots of comings and goings. Yet we stop. To smell the roses.
Why?
Because the rose invites us to slow down. To be gentle. To be soft. To take a break from the whirlwind of life.
Why?
To experience the everlasting love of God, of nature, of each other.
Like a rose, we heed the call. To slow down and listen. To pay attention to our prickly tempers. Or our prickly attitudes. Or our prickly words.
And like a rose, God wraps his petals around us. He calls us beloved. Where we are. How we are. All of it.
Roses teach us that love and honesty grow together. Their petals show us vulnerability, while their thorns remind us that boundaries are holy. They teach us that beauty is layered — formed by seasons.
Seasons of opening. Waiting. Shaping. Polishing. Tending.
There’s no pressure. No expectation. Just an invitation.
God’s love lingers over us — the scents of frankincense and myrrh. Leading us to the holy land. The land of milk and honey.
May you rest in abundant love. May you trust the God who calls you beloved. May you bloom gently, honestly, and in holiness —just like the rose.
Image Credit: “Rose” by slgckgc is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
I embrace the Holy Spirit’s presence as it nudges me to grow in grace. Let the bloom of the tiger lily remind me to be bold — to shine light where people need it most.
Tiger lilies respond to light. They stand tall, even in the wildest places. Their unexpected beauty is part of what makes them bold. There is something sacred going on. Each is stunning in color. Oranges, pinks, and yellows.
Joshua 1:9 reminds us, “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Morning greets these courageous flowers as they fill with water and unfurl their petals. “Glory to God in the highest,” they seem to say. Afternoon warms them and keeps them safe. Evening whispers to their petals, “It’s time to tuck your petals in, like tucking yourself into bed.” And when night falls, the cool air sweeps through the fields as if the angels themselves are kissing each bloom goodnight.
Like tiger lilies, we wait for angels to tuck us in each night, too. We fill ourselves with rest so we can greet each day anew. Maybe that’s why this bloom speaks so deeply to the soul.
God is shaping us. He is providing rest. He is preparing us.
There’s no pressure. No expectation. Just an invitation.
Tiger lilies teach us that courage grows in hidden places. It forms in the moments no one sees. Prayers in the dark. Decisions made behind closed doors. These quiet steps strengthen us little by little. Each moment is an opportunity to be brave and to grow in grace.
May you be bold like the tiger lily. May you go where no one else dares to go. May your faith draw you closer to God.
Image Credit: “Orange Tiger Lily” by audreyjm529 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
I and Thou Reflections 