I am a June girl. My birthday is in June. And so I have always loved my traditional birth flower, the rose! Yes, I adore roses — especially pink or red.

So imagine my delight when my darling husband “showered me” with roses this year. There was a pop-up bouquet of cut paper loveliness in a card; then a smiling delivery person carrying a vase filled with perfectly formed hot pink roses framed in baby’s breath on my doorstep; but most special of all, John’s message filled with scripture and poetic metaphor celebrating not only my love for roses, but also my obsession with a significant life-changing word, “unfolding.”

So rather than keep all this loveliness to myself, I would like to share in pictures and in words, my beautiful gifts. May you be blessed and warmly inspired to embrace your life for the unfolding flower that it is. Our Master Gardener knows what he is about. And He unfolds our days in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Why not rest in Him and let Him do His work … beautifully. He is in control.

Unfolding the Rose**

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
Then, in my hands, they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15a NLT

The Unfolding of the bouquet

(note the date, I may add another photo or two in the days to come):

*For more about my special word “unfolding, click here: Unfolding Fullness

**For more about the backstory to the poem, click here: Unfolding the Rose

A Branch in the Vine

The Unfolding Rose ... My Unfolding Life

Unfolding the Rose**

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
Then, in my hands, they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15a NLT

The Unfolding of the bouquet

(note the date, I may add another photo or two in the days to come):

A Branch In the Vine

A Branch in the Vine

Unfolding the Rose**

It is only a tiny rosebud,A flower of God's design;But I cannot unfold the petalsWith these clumsy hands of mine.The secret of unfolding flowersIs not known to such as I.GOD opens this flower so sweetly,Then, in my hands, they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,This flower of God's design,Then how can I have the wisdomTo unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for leadingEach moment of my day.I will look to Him for His guidanceEach step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,Only my Heavenly Father knows.I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,Just as He unfolds the rose.

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15a NLT

The Unfolding of the bouquet

(note the date, I may add another photo or two in the days to come):

A Branch In the Vine

It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
Then, in my hands, they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for leading
Each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.

The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15a NLT