“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked will perish,”
Psalms 1:6.


When it is your time, it is your time and nothing will change that; but when it is not your time, no matter what tragedy comes your way, it is not your time and you will survive and thrive.

I spent six months cultivating the most beautiful varieties of Coleus. My yard was looking very good with such colorful leaves. Sometimes I would stand and look out the window and marvel at such beauty under my care.

The news had been talking about a cold spell coming to South Florida but we South Floridians are skeptics when it comes to those type reports because we have been spoiled with every day sunshine. As the time drew near, I remember asking my husband if he thought we should take precaution and cover up my lovely crop of Coleus. Together we both pondered the thought but dismissed it.

Looking out at so many plants that would need to be covered and wondering how or where we would get covers for all of them, we opted to leave them alone, to do nothing.

Later in the evening we went to church and by the time we came out of church, the weather indeed had changed drastically. On the way home we casually mentioned that maybe we should make an attempt to cover some and bring the rest inside. By the time we got home we were feeling too cold to even make the effort.

Sometime during the night I woke up, and looked out the window. I could feel the cold seeping through the window. It was too late. Only daylight and the next day would tell the tale of survival or death.

We got up the next morning, looked out the window, it looked like they had survived. I kept looking for signs of damage all throughout the day but none.

By the second day our worst fears had been realized: every Coleus plant from the side of our house to the side of my neighbor’s fence and those planted in pots and troughs were shriveling. My heart sank. There was no reversing this. It was too late. I wished I had heeded the weather warning. I wished I had covered as much up as possible but I didn’t. And the consequence was  my hard work didn’t protect the fruit of my labor and those colorful leaves that I had come to enjoy and treasure so much were dead.

On the third day, I got up, stood and stared into the backyard where I once beheld such beauty. As I was watching and wishing I had taken better care, done something to salvage those plants, I heard a voice say, “Look toward the tree!”

My eyes re-focused in on the tree and right under the tree was my last cuttings I had placed into the ground. There were over 60 plants and they made it through the severe weather. At that moment I thought, “Why did they survive and the others didn’t?”

I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Because they were planted near the tree. The tree protected and shielded them, just like you who stay connected to the vine will abide in me no matter what comes your way.”

I began to weep. It was true, a remnant had survived regardless of the freezing conditions; same weather conditions, nothing else survived but the remnant connected to the tree.

From what I thought was my tragedy held an even greater lesson from the Lord, which became my blessing. God also reminded me that my husband and I had several opportunities to do something before the cold came but we elected to take the chance. In this example he pointed out how some will wait, think they have time, will put off making a decision to get right, to serve him and it will be too late.

If you are not a Christian, do it now, decide your fate now; if you are a Christian, stay the course and don’t give up.