Nurture Your Garden

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. — Galatians 5:22-23

Apples are a natural result of an appleseed uniting with the elements necessary for growth. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the natural result of the union of God's Spirit with your spirit. You have potential for fruitful living, because Jesus is your source! You have the ability to manifest every one of the gifts of the Spirit, because He is the vine and you are a branch! Because He is love, you can love. Because He is peace, you can have peace.

If you are lacking fruit, it is because God's Spirit cannot freely flow through you. Determine to cut away every lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and pride of life that hinders fruit from coming forth. Nurture the fruit of a Spirit-filled life with the Word of God and prayer and watch your fruit grow!

Does anything hinder the flow of His Spirit in Your life today? Tear down the walls and barriers that hinder His Spirit. Let His Spirit flow freely through your life.

It's a Sister Thing

Michelle McKinney Hammond

WOMEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO NURTURE ONE ANOTHER IN A WAY THAT MYSTIFIES MEN. BUT A DESPERATE NEED FOR ATTENTION WILL TURN THAT CARING INTO COMPETITION.

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Whether you call it connecting or bonding, women do it remarkably well. Certainly, this has been my experience. A recent shopping trip overwhelmingly confirmed my theory.

"Oooh, that looks lovely on you. You should get it!" my admirer told me. It was 7:30 a.m., and my favorite store was having a knock-down, drag-out sale. Take 80 percent off everything!

Oooh, Mama, I was in my glory! And so were my sisters--women I had never seen before in my life.

"Mmm, it's pretty, but you looked slimmer in the other outfit."

"That color is very becoming."