The cacti on the corner didn’t like the single-digit temps of February. They’re laying over on themselves like dark-green Gumbys who strayed too close to the oven.

The blue agaves feel the same way. I think their hearts survived. The outer leaves? Not so much. The proud uplifted posture morphed into a droopy downtrodden appearance. Like a child caught in some wrongdoing. 

Their only wrongdoing was being in the wrong cold place at the wrong cold time.

I know the feeling. 

A chilly conversation that sucks the confidence out of me. 

An icy reception by someone I thought had my back. 

A frosty look that made my blood run cold and led me to spend a week wondering what I did wrong.

Some seasons we feel like mushy cacti. Beaten down by circumstances or people. Disillusioned. Depressed. Disappointed.

Jesus speaks into those seasons.  

He reminds us cold snaps don’t last forever. 

He promises that pruning leads to stronger branches and more fruit. 

He wraps our hearts with His Spirit like a supernatural splint so that when we’re unable to stand up on our own, we still stand. 

By His strength. In His grace. All His doing.

You are His. You always will be. 

He’s a wonderful Gardener who knows how to work divine magic in really cold spells. He’s working that kind of divine magic in you.