“For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.” -Job

Some days are memorable… You could never plan them… That was July 11th for me (almost a month after the 2nd wreck of two years)…

Flashback

As I was doing my morning routine, the above quote randomly came to mind. I thought about how no matter what comes in life, there is a possibility of a comeback even if it looks different just like a tree cut down can regrow and live again. 

Surprise

It was more of a passing thought as I continued through that day. Talk about my surprise, when later I looked out my window and saw it.

Gashes

It was around 20 years old. Some had tried to burn it, leaving a layer of charcoal around the top. Others had tried to dig it up. Around the edges and in the middle were gashes where some had tried to chop it in pieces. It was the epitome of gone. 20-long years. A mere dead, dried out, unwanted stump.

Shades Pulled

I pulled up the window shades to look closer. To my surprise, in the middle stood something. A new, little, evergreen tree. It was wild because there were no similar trees around it where it could have been seeded.

A Man

I immediately recalled the words (I thought about earlier in the day) of the ancient man, who lost everything (family, health, house and money) and then got back double.

Unlikely Example

As I continued to stare at the tree, I saw it as an example of hope and overcoming impossibility. Looking back (after recovering from the wreck and internally healing from so much in my past- see about me page under bio for a brief list), I can definitely see just like the tree that there is such a thing as sprout power. An ability to come back even on the ruins of what happened and the ability to regrow stronger in those very areas. 

Everything Goes Down

To me the stump represents the times in life where everything goes down in ashes. Everything that was built, grown and struggled to get. It represents the years gone by seemingly smashing any hope of something good coming out of the bad. It represents the experiences, words, and thoughts that made it feel impossible to dream of something better than the mess. On top of that it represents the mess made by outward conditions – the digging, burning, chopping in life that leaves a low expectation of the future. 

Insider Look

The most amazing thing is how potential inside of us, despite the losses, the gashing situations, the fire, the words that cut us down and the digging that tried to root us out, is still there.

…Hits Planet Earth

What was placed inside (each person before they had a body and hit planet earth) irregardless of time, circumstances can still grow again. With water and sun (the right environment, nutrients and intake), it can overcome every odd and become more. More than a stump. More than its past which is now its fuel. More than its experiences. More than the words. More than the failure. More than the mess. More than the things that died and went down. In the stump and the loss is life. Life that can sprout and go up again making beauty from ashes.

Buried Inside

I hope the picture of a tree sprouting from a stump  (that I found helpful in my complete healing and rehab journey from the wreck and moving forward in life from my past), helps you too. I hope it helps you realize that in the very places that you have been knocked down, are the very areas where you have the potential to grow and be even stronger. That your hopes, dreams and potential though invisibly buried inside (maybe so deep you can’t see them anymore), and outwardly chopped on, and burned, can still come back.

More Than…

You are more… More than your experiences. More than the negative words. More than the memories. More than failure. More than your losses. More than what knocked you down. More than a stump. Inside of you is potential. You were made with “sprout power” the ability to get back up and grow stronger right on and in the ugly mess. You are made for more. 

“For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.

Thought its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground,

Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.”

-Job

---

SPECIAL CONTEST GIVEAWAY

TO SAY THANK YOU!!!

IN CELEBRATION of

*Visitor # Continuing To Rise Monthly – (THANK YOU ALL!!!)

*Our first international visitors including from Ireland & Canada (WELCOME!)

On Behalf Of My Entire Team

I wanted to thank everyone who has visited my blog and supports this space where overcoming life challenges and going after dreams/goals is encouraged!!!!!!

On this special blog edition of “Diary Review” we are GIVING AWAY ONE CUSTOM JOURNAL to start off the new year from our amazing affiliate partner, Paper Sunday.

This will ONLY BE GOING ON THIS WEEK (it closes when next week’s post goes up at 5pm EST).

A winner will be announced by Christmas via email -unless we have other contact information. One of my team members will be drawing a name from everyone who enters.

TO ENTER

1.Simply sign up for my email updates (coming soon)!

See Homepage of My Blog:

https://graceatherton.com/ (email sign up is on the left bar if you are using a computer and at the bottom below blog posts on phones).

2. Then go over to Paper Sunday and see which journal you would get and customize if you win.

Links below to see journals:

Woman’s Journals

Men’s Journals

These journals are very highquality and are a great ways to start off the new year. Whether you are using the journal to write:

*your dreams/goals

*process thoughts to help you move forward

*give as a gift

If you are just wanting to purchase from the Paper Sunday website at a time outside this contest you can get 10% off your purchase by using discount code Grace10. A portion of the proceeds help support what we are doing here to bring hope and encouragement. Thank you!