Each of these flowers shown above I have transplanted – either from a friend’s yard, or within my own yard. Thankfully they have thrived in their new locations and even grown producing more blooms. My husband Phil, my “hole digger”, has been known to ask “didn’t we move that plant a couple years ago?” The answer is yes, because our yard is an ever changing landscape.

We have lived in our current location 21 years and the environment in our yard has changed. Where there had once been abundant sun, now we have shade. The sun hasn’t changed, it still shines and warms the earth just as God intended it to. We have planted trees in honor of each of our grandchildren and as those trees have grown, so have the shaded areas of our yard. So, if plants that love sun are growing in the shade, I must transplant them if I want them to bloom.

Transplanting can be traumatic for plants. Peonies may take a year or two to adapt to a new location before they start blooming again. I was walking around our yard with my friend Alice Marie. We were looking at plants growing in the shade. She commented “You know that saying “bloom where you are planted” doesn’t always hold true.” The light bulb in my brain went off – “You are right, Alice Marie!” I replied. I had recently moved a lily and a peony from just this area because they would NEVER have bloomed where they were planted.

That caused me to think about our lives. As we follow Jesus in our journey through life we will face dry, unproductive periods. These dry seasons of life may have multiple causes. Sometimes it is burn out, sometimes circumstances have changed, sometimes we have changed. Maybe we need to consider a change in environment.

Another friend, Joyce, has recently decided, after much prayer and seeking God’s guidance, to move to Texas. She is leaving her beloved mountains because she wants to be near her grandchildren and have a positive impact on their lives. “My granddaughters won’t even know me except for a once a year visit and Facetime calls.” Joyce told me. “I know this is such an important time in their lives and I feel the Lord wants me to be near them.” So Joyce is being transplanted. Her house has sold and she is planning to move, with her daughters blessing, to Texas. I know Joyce will eventually bloom there and be a blessing to her family.

As we age, sometimes we need to be willing to be transplanted. My parents sold their home and came to live in our home for 8 1/2 years. Then they transplanted again to a retirement community near one of my brothers. Each move had challenges and rewards and God used each move to further their growth in Him. My older brother and his wife moved to a location between two of his children in Oregon, again, to be closer to family. God has led them to serve in their new community in ways they didn’t anticipate.

In the Bible God moves people around, sometimes willingly and sometimes with resistance, yet always to further His purpose in their lives. Think of Abraham, Ruth, Jonah, and Paul, to name a few. Just as my yard is an ever changing landscape, so are our lives as we follow Jesus. We may experience great things in our lives and feel that they are moving along well, then suddenly we aren’t. It may be God preparing us for a change – a move. It is important to exercise caution, though. If we transplant just because we are facing a trial, we may miss the lesson God is teaching through that trial in our current location. Sometimes a move may not be to a new location, it may be a change in our hearts. Yet other times it may require uprooting us and placing us somewhere where we can bloom again.

In Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus is warning his followers of dangers of listening to false teaching and the resulting baroness –

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

We need to examine the fruit in our lives. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If this fruit is not currently evident in our lives, it may be time for a transplant. A new location may allow us to bloom and bare fruit again allowing us to fulfill God’s purposes in our lives.