This blog. It started out as a blog to share my life with diabetes. As it turns out, diabetes is such a small part of my life these days, I don’t have enough to share. And fortunately, there are so many wonderful diabetes bloggers these days, many who are beautiful storytellers and gifted writers. What many of them have to say is far better than what I could share during this season of my life.

These days, my life seems to be about planting. Planting my roots in the soil of life. Planting my roots in this season of life.

An online friend shared this beautiful post recently, and it stirred such an emotion in my heart. I have a big long list of things I want to do, places I want to live, countries I want visit and so much more. Anticipation is a beautiful thing because it brings hope. But anticipation can also be a blinder, hiding what’s in front of us in this moment.

I didn’t really choose this place, you see. The Lord placed me in this town by His hand. I was supposed to be here for three months — five years later I’m still here. I had plans to be a career journalist, live in Paris for a year and write a book — all by my thirtieth birthday. My career has changed, Paris was put on hold, that book is still in draft form on my computer and my birthday has come and gone.

But this place is my garden, sowed just for me. Like our families, we don’t always get to choose our plan in life. Sometimes, doors open and doors close and our plans must adjust accordingly. But I realized something the other day. In a quiet moment with God, I realized I want nothing in this life unless it’s of Him.

I have a long list of desires, but I’d scratch every single thing off the list if it meant having any of it apart from God. Because with Him, I have peace. I have joy. I have contentment. With Him, my stress level is lower. My spirit is happier. My heart is lighter. If you don’t know Christ personally, you aren’t going to understand what I mean as I describe the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. But man, it is something spectacular.

I see Him at work in my life right now, and especially see Him working within my family. I see hearts being pulled into a close, loving, pursuant relationship with Him — well beyond the lukewarm habits of devotion we so easily display. I see friends facing heart-wrenching struggles crying out for Him and finding mercy. I see Jesus all around me, in the quiet, in the noisy, in the mundane.

I want to water the garden I’m in. I want to watch it grown and be invested in its outcome. I want to be in this place fully. He has me here, in this season and in this place for a reason — probably lots of reasons. (I have a pretty theologically sound theory about God being a multi-tasker.) But regardless, this is my garden and I’m invested in it.

Father, help me to bloom whereyou plant me. Help me to see what you have laid out before me and follow your will. I want nothing apart from you because You are goodness. WIthout you, my life is empty and unfulfilled. May you help me to recognize this fully and see it in the hard days, in the days of struggle. Draw me closer to you so that when the rains come, I know they are for my benefit, for my growth. May