THE CHINESE BAMBOO TREE (中国竹子)

These past few days I had been seeking some inspiration so that I can come up with a good inspirational story or idea to share with my readers. I kept contemplating on various topics picking up one idea after another without success. But today as I was reading a book by my favorite author, I discovered a very interesting story which sparked my interest and ultimately gave birth to this article.

In the Far East, there is a tree called the Chinese Bamboo Tree. This tree has unique characteristics that make it different from other trees. When this bamboo tree is planted, watered and nurtured for a whole year nothing breaks through the ground. 

The second year you water it, fertilize and nurture it and nothing happens.

The third year comes you water, fertilize and nurture it, still nothing! The process goes on and on during the fourth year. Imagine how tiresome it becomes after a while.

However, sometime during the fifth year, something marvelous happens! The Chinese bamboo tree sprouts and starts to grow, suddenly shooting up to a height of 90 feet. All those years when the farmer saw no growth above the ground, the bamboo tree was spreading its root system, miles of root, getting ready!

Are you in a situation where you do everything you are supposed to precisely, you toil day and night but seemingly to no avail? You can work for weeks, months, and years on end but your dream is showing no visible sign of progress? Don’t become discouraged, your day is coming! All you need is a pinch of faith and persistence.

During all those years of toil with nothing visible happening, what kept the Chinese bamboo tree growers going was faith. Begin today to sow your seeds of dreams and nurture them doing all that is expected of you persistently and tirelessly. Just have faith that you are laying the ground works from which your future success will sprout and never ever give up because you don’t know when your ‘bamboo tree’ will show up!

Happy Friday!!!

Lidia Samuel

You are never alone!!!

…As I was looking at some pictures I took a while back, during the time I traveled to the Northern Parts of Ethiopia, I observed that there was a picture of a tree standing solitary in the middle of the vast grass plains. And I said to myself ‘Isn’t it amazing how even though this tree seems isolated and unattended, that it is never out of God’s sight and reach?’ He watches over it, feeds it and grows it. This single tree that is standing alone in the middle of no where, in which no body pays attention to; But God looks after it and knows that it exists somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Have you ever felt lonely, lost, weak and invisible in this overwhelming world? Have you ever felt as if nobody is there for you, nobody listens, as if you are all alone, as if no one cares that you exist at all? At some point in our life we all feel or have felt this way! But there is one thing that you should always remember; God is always there for you, no matter what! No matter where you are or what situation you are in.

He even feels concern about the little shrub that grows in the wilderness; he even takes care of that single tree standing alone in the middle of the vast grass plains. Imagine how much more he cares for, provides and watches over, you and I. Therefore, no matter how invisible, small and helpless you feel in this world, just know that God is always there for you… always by your side, always uplifting you and always taking care of you! May the Lord’s name be blessed!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for reading!
Lidia