Cypress And Myrtle

Tag: morning devotion

  • Show Me Your Glory

    Moses said, “Please, show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18)

    I have been dwelling on this verse for some time.

    Not because I compare myself to Moses, but because I want to pursue God, all of Him, with all my being. And seeing His glory is, perhaps, the deepest longing of every heart that truly seeks Him.

    So I asked Him.

    With fear, wonder, and curiosity, I prayed, “Lord, please show me Your glory.”

    It became an ongoing conversation between God and me. Almost daily, I sensed Him asking, “Do you want to see My glory?” And I would answer, “Yes.”

    One night, I pushed a little further.

    “What would it take to see Your glory?”

    Two verses came to mind:

    “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
    Matthew 5:3

    And,

    “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
    Matthew 5:8

    From where I was, I knew this was not possible. I am neither poor in spirit nor pure in heart by God’s standard.

    But perhaps that is part of the point.

    When Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount and spoke the Beatitudes, He was not giving us a ladder by which we could climb our way to God. He was revealing the holiness of God and the impossibility of attaining it by our own efforts. Left to ourselves, none of us are pure in heart.

    That is why Jesus said,“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17

    He fulfilled what we never could. In Christ, we receive what we cannot earn; His forgiveness, His righteousness, His grace.

    Then, Sunday came.

    I was teaching a Sunday school class of nine-year-olds. It was an ordinary day, and yet it was not ordinary at all.

    The children were exceedingly joyful. They played together, laughed together, welcomed one another, cared for each other, and an overwhelming peace; quiet and indescribable, rested among them.

    There was no striving. No drama. Just love, joy, kindness, and peace.

    I went home thinking about how perfect, and yet how strange, the day had been.

    Then a thought suddenly struck me.

    The glory of God is seen among His people.

    Yes, that was it!

    I finally understood.

    I had been looking for God’s glory in the way He appeared in the Old Testament; in fire, cloud, thunder, and overwhelming displays of His presence.

    But in Christ, under the New Covenant, God’s glory is revealed in another way.

    Jesus prayed to the Father, “The glory that You have given Me, I have given to them” John 17:22

    And Paul wrote that Christ will be “glorified in His saints” 2 Thessalonians 1:10.

    The glory of God is seen when Christ is reflected in His people.

    In the following days, I saw more and more of God’s glory in His people.

    In a child who welcomes another child. In forgiveness freely given. In quiet acts of kindness. In love that does not seek its own way.

    In people who bear the likeness of Jesus.

    Moses longed to see God’s glory, and God revealed His goodness to him.

    Today, we behold the glory of God in the face of Christ, and as we behold Him, we are being transformed into His image.

    That Sunday, in a room full of laughing children and a peace that words cannot fully describe, God answered my prayer.

    “Do you want to see My glory?”

    Yes, Lord.

    And by His grace, I did.

  • What My Yes Year Taught Me

    December 2024, a curiosity began to stir in me. I wondered what a year of yes might look like. A year of saying yes to God, to whatever He placed before me, both within church ministry and beyond its walls.

    So, that was how I stepped into 2025. With curiosity more than certainty. I was eager to see what I would learn about God.

    Needless to say, it became a very full year. A year of showing up. Of diving deeper into community life. Of saying yes when it would have been easier, and more comfortable, to say no.

    Now, as I look back on 2025, here’s what I learned. I’ve learned that every yes led me to people, meeting new people and connecting deeper with others. And each connection, enriched my journey of faith.

    Through these people, I was encouraged. Inspired. Spurred on to go deeper with God and to love His people.

    Was I surprised by what I learned? Yes.
    Should I have been surprised? Not really.

    Here’s why.

    God is interested in people. He has always been interested in people. From the very beginning, Scripture reveals a God who walks with humanity, speaks with them, and dwells among them. “It is not good for man to be alone,” God said (Genesis 2:18), not because Adam lacked productivity, but because he lacked relationship.

    God Himself exists in community. The Trinity – God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, living in perfect communion with one another. Relationship is not something God created for us; it is something that already exists within Him. And He invites us into the community of the Trinity, to partake in the joy and love of His fellowship.

    So, it should not surprise me that a year of saying yes to God would draw me deeper into relationships. That growth would happen not in isolation, but in community.

    From Genesis to the Gospels, Scripture tells the same story: a God who walks with His people, dwells among them, and invites them into life together. A God who calls, gathers, sends and also meets us again through one another.

    Jesus did not minister alone. He called disciples to walk with Him. He ate with people, touched the outcast, met people in homes. And when the early church was formed, “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship” Acts 2:42). Faith, from the beginning, was meant to be lived together.

    Perhaps the greatest lesson of my yes year was this: when we say yes to God, we are often saying yes to people. And as we grow deeper in our relationship with God, we find ourselves loving people more deeply.

  • Motherhood Tug Of War

    Motherhood- a constant inner struggle between the desire to protect and empower.

    As a mom, I am often torn between wanting to do things for my kids, just a little longer and feeling the growing weight of knowing they are old enough to handle things on their own.

    I recently came across an article from Christianity Today that resonated deeply with me. Two key points stood out that shed light on how this struggle fits within the broader picture of our calling as mothers.

    God Gives Us the Power to Make Choices

    The article highlighted a powerful truth: God gives us power to make choices that impact our lives (Romans 2:1,6). As parents, we are tasked with making countless decisions every day on behalf of our children, from what they eat to the values they learn. We guide them, but we also prepare them to make choices for themselves.

    As mothers, it’s easy to slip into the mindset of doing everything for our children, wanting to protect them from any possible failure. But there’s a tension in this. God gives us free will because He trusts us to use it wisely. In the same way, it’s important for us to allow our children to have a say in their lives. We must trust them with their own choices even when they make mistakes because this is how they learn and grow.

    Bearing God’s Image and Our Responsibility to Community

    Another profound insight from the article was the dignity of bearing God’s image (Genesis 1:26-28). As parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to help shape children who reflect God’s character in our communities and the world.

    We are raising future adults, neighbors, leaders, and members of a community. This means our decisions have a ripple effect far beyond the walls of our home.

    So, every choice we make, whether it’s letting them spill the milk or empowering them to handle challenges, shapes the kind of adult they will become.

    What Does This Mean for Moms?

    If like me, you’re feeling like you’re constantly caught between wanting to do everything for your kids and knowing you need to let them go, here are a few thoughts that can help guide your journey:

    Letting Go is Holy Work
    Our desire to hold on just a little longer isn’t wrong. It’s a reflection of love. But it’s important to remember that the goal is to raise children who can stand on their own. God, in His grace, doesn’t suffocate our choices but empowers us to grow. In the same way, we’re called to help our children grow into independent, capable adults.

    Parent with Purpose
    Every decision we make should empower our children. The act of parenting forward – giving our kids space to make their own decisions and live with the consequences isn’t just an act of love; it’s an act of faith. Trust that our children are capable of growth, and believe in their ability to rise to the occasion.

    Grieve the Letting Go, But Celebrate the Growth
    It’s okay to feel sadness as our children become more independent. Letting go is hard. But we are not withdrawing love; we are creating room for them to reflect God’s image in their own unique way. This is a sacred part of motherhood: letting them flourish on their own, knowing you’ve done your part in guiding them.

    Mirror God’s Love
    The ultimate example of love is God’s relationship with us. He gives us freedom to make our choices, but He never leaves us. As a mother, we have the unique calling to mirror that balance of presence and freedom. We’re always there to support them, but we also trust them to walk with God independently.

    Final thoughts, motherhood is a divine partnership, where we are given the incredible responsibility of helping to shape future adults who bear the image of God. As we navigate the complex emotions of letting go, remember that it’s not a loss but a gain—for us, for our children, and for the world.

  • Cypress and Myrtle: A Promise For Every Season

    Some of you may be wondering why I chose to name this blog Cypress and Myrtle. A quick search in the Bible leads to Isaiah 55:12–13:

    “You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
    the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
    and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands.
    Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
    and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
    This will be for the Lord’s renown,
    for an everlasting sign,
    that will endure forever.”

    These verses were shared with me at my baptism, and they’ve been etched in my heart ever since. They’ve whispered hope during dark seasons and magnified joy in times of celebration.

    From Exile to Hope

    Isaiah 55 was written during a painful time in Israel’s history – their exile in Babylon. They were a displaced people, longing for freedom, identity, and peace. It was in this context that God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, painting a vision of restoration; hope for a future filled with renewal and joy.

    Why Cypress and Myrtle?

    In verse 13, the thornbush is replaced by the cypress (sometimes translated juniper), and the brier by the myrtle. These are deeply symbolic plants.

    The cypress is tall, evergreen, and strong—often associated with life, endurance, and eternal hope.

    The myrtle, with its fragrant leaves and white blossoms, is a symbol of peace, joy, and divine blessing in Jewish tradition.

    Together, they represent a transformation from pain to beauty, from despair to delight, from exile to restoration.

    This speaks to the very heart of God’s nature. He doesn’t just remove the thorns in our lives. He replaces them with something better. Something beautiful. Something enduring.

    A Name and a Reminder

    I named this blog Cypress and Myrtle to remind myself and hopefully others, that we are never stuck in the wilderness forever. Whether we’re walking through sorrow or standing on a mountaintop, God’s promises still hold. He is always working to bring about renewal and restoration.

    This space is where I hope to share stories, reflections, and everyday moments where I see God’s hand turning thorn bushes into cypress trees, and briers into blossoming myrtle.

    No matter where you are in your journey, may these verses remind you: there is purpose in the waiting, hope in the silence, and beauty still to come.