My husband is a tree artist. He doesn’t paint trees, he prunes them and manicures them and trims off the ungainly growth that detracts from the beauty of the tree and makes it conform to the image he has in his mind. He spends a great deal of time up on the ladder and crawling under the trees to get them looking just right. It’s really a never ending job, because as the tree grows it becomes misshapen and he has to work on it again to keep it in shape. He never gives up on it, though, and just keeps working on it to keep it beautiful.

In a way, I think that’s how God works on me. As I go sprouting out in different directions in life He has to shape me up and bring me back to the image He has for me and help me conform to the image of Christ. As His child, He wants to help me to grow in the right direction. That’s an ongoing process, and He never gives up on me as long as my desire is to follow Him.

God formed me in my mother’s womb and had a plan for my life from the very beginning. He gave me everything I would need in life to fulfill my purpose for Him. The ability was there; the only think I needed was to follow Him and grow in the right direction. That part took a long time to realize and led to many pruning and shapings over my lifetime as I kept growing wild at times and in the wrong direction. 

Some of the pruning that God had to do on me was quite painful at times and took a long time to heal and conform. And I kept sprouting off in a new direction and wouldn’t allow God to touch me until I became desperate and really out of shape.

The good news is that God never gave up on me. He lovingly helped me to realize how much He had in store for me and what a beautiful life I could have if I would keep my eyes on Christ and pray each day to obey Him and conform to His image. He can transform me and keep me in shape as long as I study His Word and obey Him.

Romans 12:1,2 “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” 

That still seems to be my” life verse,” as I continually need to present myself to God to let Him do His work in my life in order to help me to be the best me I can be. I am His child and He loves me and always wants the best for me. Hallelujah, what a Father.