Taken from the "EDGE Newsletter"

“Fruitful” is probably the last word
anyone would use to describe the
current state of Galveston and Houston
right now. And for all of those
who braved it through Hurricane Ike,
I welcome you to the other side of
gradual recovery. Still fresh in our
minds are images of a leveled Galveston,
of homes in Houston with porous
roofs, and a general disheartenment
of those who lost more than
they bargained for. As an added
bonus, we have the onset of an economic
recession, made real to American’s
of all lifestyles. And yet, on
Sunday, we read a gospel that tells us
to be fruitful; to bear the fruit of the
kingdom of God.

Oddly enough, I was asked to
speak at St. Thomas More Church this
past Sunday on the very subject of
fruitfulness. I found myself stuck in
bafflement, wondering where I could
possibly start. The only thing I was
confident about was that my personal
life had recently acquired the uncanny
ability of mimicking the weather. In
the subsequent weeks after Ike hit, a
fair share of challenges presented
themselves - whether it regarded
finances, friendships, or just a predictable
rhythm of living. Whatever it
was, Ike was successfully shaking
things up.

As I began to reflect on the difficulties
I had been having, I noticed the
one thing that had remained constant:
a connection with the Lord. I was
waking up at hours only farmers knew
existed to pray that I might make it
out of this “hurricane” a stronger
woman. And as I slowly surrendered
each issue to the Lord, I felt that all
too familiar feeling of discomfort that
we all experience when we relinquish
control. Nobody likes to feel out of
control, no matter who you are.
In the past few days, I have
watched each issue resolve itself
beautifully, truly giving meaning to the
phrase “bearing fruit”. Somehow,
giving up control secured the best
possible outcome. And the biggest
challenge was simply trusting in God.
Maybe “bearing fruit” comes through
simply letting go of the things we
spend our lives keeping to ourselves,
clutching onto for dear life. Why shut
God out if He’s the solution?

As I watch Houston and Galveston
get back on its feet, I see new doors
being opened. Houston Mayor Bill
White recently pledged to plant one
million trees in the Houston area over
the next five years, a great step for
our city. A spirit of a greater community
is emerging among neighbors.
new respect for God’s strength, a recommitment
to His church and a
brand new pair of eyes is something
we should all receive from the past
few weeks. Why don’t we leave
calling the shots to God, and just
focus on reminding ourselves: God’s
in control. May we all bear His fruits
in our lives through that very simple
prayer.

Rolling with it,
Lesley Anne