I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40:1-2

Do you ever get swamped by ugly feelings and thoughts? I couldn’t be the only one. I wonder if what we experience is anything like the mud and mire King David talks about in Psalm 40? David tells us that God lifted him out and gave him “a firm place to stand.”

Low moods come frequently to me – sometimes two or three times in a day. But God has helped me find a way out. He helps to lift me to a better place through activities I love to do, especially through photography. I’ve been keeping a small bouquet of flowers handy, always ready for when I need it. Getting off the couch, and picking up my camera to capture the many flowers there does wonders for me.

How I love the work! Photographing flowers is absorbing. It makes me forget everything else. As I explore the various groupings, I’m caught by a sense of wonder. With enthusiasm I try to capture as much as I can – colours and shapes in a variety of compositions. I make many pictures and do the only thing I can think of doing with them: I share them with friends like you. Joy builds upon joy!

Many have had times when it feels like they’re stuck and have then found God’s help lifting them out in a similar way.

Everyone has some kind of “bouquet” within himself that God can help them explore. Everyone has some corner of his life where he can find colour. What kind of bouquet will you explore today? What is your passion?

Much good work has been done in response to pain.

When my mood dips and I find it hard to get off the sofa, I remember the good times I’ve had with my flowers. I remember the life I’ve found there – the light. And God beckons me back to the joy of spending time with him in that place.

Do you, too, have a place that draws you to God, where he will lift you up? Most of us do. Everyone has some kind of bouquet, and you don’t have to have to be a photographer or have actual flowers to get there. God has created a bouquet for everyone.

When you’re in the mud and mire, don’t hesitate to join God in that place he has for you – that place where you know he will lift you up. Let God bring you back to what gives you joy.

marja