The Aloe and the Son

Scripture

"Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." — John 15:2

Reflection

A few years ago, at my first women's conference, Rhonda taught from the book of John. Looking back, that weekend marked the true beginning of my walk with Christ. Since then, I've fallen more in love with Him every day.

Last year, my family experienced tremendous loss when my younger brother, Brandon, took his own life at just 30 years old. He left behind a wife and two precious daughters. It shattered our family and sent us into a season of grief unlike anything we'd ever known.

Around that same time, God began teaching me an unexpected lesson through an aloe vera plant.

I bought him at a flea market and named him Governor—short for "Aloe Governor." Naturally, he also had googly eyes.

I assumed he'd be decorative and low-maintenance, which seemed perfect because, frankly, neither of us had very high expectations for my gardening abilities.

Then came the first hard freeze of November.

My husband walked inside and informed me that Governor was probably dead.

When I brought him inside, he was frozen from the roots up. His leaves were soft, lifeless, and ice cold. He looked beyond saving.

But I had grown attached to this ridiculous plant, so I decided to try.

I watched videos, read articles, and yes, consulted ChatGPT.

The first thing I learned was that Governor had experienced severe trauma and was in shock.

The first step toward healing surprised me: I had to cut away what was dead.

That felt wrong. I was afraid I'd hurt him even more. But the damaged leaves were no longer helping the plant. They were draining nutrients and energy from what was still alive.

What looked healthy on the outside was preventing healing on the inside.

The recovery process wasn't pretty.

I repotted him into fresh soil. I moved him into a quiet room to rest and recover. His leaves curled. His color faded. Every day I looked at him and thought, "Buddy, I'm not sure you're gonna make it."

But the center was still green.

There was still life.

Eventually, he couldn't stay in the shade anymore. Recovery required rest, but growth required light. So I moved him into a bright room where he could soak up the sun.

And somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn't talking about my aloe anymore.

God was showing me how healing works.

Sometimes healing requires pruning.

Sometimes it requires fresh soil.

Sometimes it requires rest.

And sometimes it requires stepping back into the light after you've spent too long hiding in the shadows.

My aloe had to lose what was dead so that what was alive could survive.

At the same time, I was learning another lesson from my orchid, Earla. Orchids bloom, lose their flowers, and then enter a long season of rest. Right now, she's resting.

But she's not dead.

She's preparing to bloom again.

And maybe that's a lesson some of us need today.

Not everything that looks lifeless is dead.

Some things are simply resting before they bloom.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being patient with us in every season. When You prune us, help us trust that You are making room for new growth. When we are grieving, remind us that You are near. When we feel frozen by loss, warm our hearts with Your presence. Give us the courage to let go of what is dead and the faith to believe that You are not finished with us yet. Amen.

Practice

Ask God today if there's anything in your life that needs pruning.

A habit.

A hurt.

A fear.

A relationship.

A lie you've been carrying.

Then ask Him where He's inviting you into the light.

Remember this:

The freeze comes.
The storm comes.
Loss comes.
Grief comes.

But death does not get the final word.

If God has left the heart green, He's not finished yet.

Your winter is not your identity.
Your pain is not your purpose.
Your trauma is not the end of your story.

Lift your face to the Son.

Let Him thaw what grief has frozen.

Let Him revive what despair has buried.

Because resurrection is not just something Jesus did.

It's something He still does.

Your healing is coming.
Your growth is coming.
Your testimony is coming.

In Jesus' name, Amen.