Day 26 Purpose Driven Life.

DAY 26 Thinking about My Purpose 

POINT TO PONDER: Every temptation is an opportunity to do good. 

VERSE TO REMEMBER: “God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” JAMES 1:12 (NET) 

QUESTION TO CONSIDER: What Christlike character quality can I develop by defeating the most common temptation I face?

The Christ like characteristic I would love to develope is Self-control. One of the problems I have is lust but as Rick said in the book 

"While lust is a deliberate act of the will. Lust is a choice to commit in your mind what you’d like to do with your body. You can be attracted or even aroused without choosing to sin by lusting."

So this temptation Satan is trying to destroy me with, God is using it to develope me. So everytime I choose not to do this I am growing in the character of Christ and developing in his character of self-control. 

HIGHLIGHT FROM BOOK :

*Temptation simply provides the choice.

*While temptation is Satan’s primary weapon to destroy you, God wants to use it to develop you. Every time you choose to do good instead of sin, you are growing in the character of Christ.

*To understand this, you must first identify the character qualities of Jesus. One of the most concise descriptions of his character is the fruit of the Spirit: “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

*This next sentence is one of the most important spiritual truths you will ever learn: God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality! Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity.

*God uses the opposite situation of each fruit to allow us a choice. You can’t claim to be good if you have never been tempted to be bad. You can’t claim to be faithful if you have never had the opportunity to be unfaithful. Integrity is built by defeating the temptation to be dishonest; humility grows when we refuse to be prideful; and endurance develops every time you reject the temptation to give up. Every time you defeat a temptation, you become more like Jesus!

https://fb.watch/aqpC1aeYOE/

How Temptation Works 

It helps to know that Satan is entirely predictable. He has used the same strategy and old tricks since Creation. All temptations follow the same pattern. That’s why Paul said, “We are very familiar with his evil schemes.” From the Bible we learn that temptation follows a four-step process, which Satan used both on Adam and Eve and on Jesus.

Step one Satan identifies a desire inside of you.

It may be a sinful desire, like the desire to get revenge or to control others, or it may be a legitimate, normal desire, like the desire to be loved and valued or to feel pleasure. Temptation starts when Satan suggests (with a thought) that you give in to an evil desire, or that you fulfill a legitimate desire in a wrong way or at the wrong time. Always beware of shortcuts. They are often temptations! Satan whispers, “You deserve it! You should have it now! It will be exciting … comforting … or make you feel better.” We think temptation lies around us, but God says it begins within us. If you didn’t have the internal desire, the temptation could not attract you. Temptation always starts in your mind, not in circumstances. Jesus said, “For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within.” James tells us that there is “a whole army of evil desires within you.”

Step two is doubt. Satan tries to get you to doubt what God has said about the sin: Is it really wrong? Did God really say not to do it? Didn’t God mean this prohibition for someone else or some other time? Doesn’t God want me to be happy? The Bible warns, “Watch out! Don’t let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God.”

Step three is deception. Satan is incapable of telling the truth and is called “the Father of lies.” Anything he tells you will be untrue or just half-true. Satan offers his lie to replace what God has already said in his Word. Satan says, “You will not die. You’ll be wiser like God. You can get away with it. No one will ever know. It will solve your problem. Besides, everyone else is doing it. It is only a little sin.” But a little sin is like being a little pregnant: It will eventually show itself. 

Step four is disobedience. You finally act on the thought you have been toying with in your mind. What began as an idea gets birthed into behavior. You give in to whatever got your attention. You believe Satan’s lies and fall into the trap that James warns about: “We are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my dear friends!”

Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” You can’t keep the Devil from suggesting thoughts, but you can choose not to dwell or act on them.

*While lust is a deliberate act of the will. Lust is a choice to commit in your mind what you’d like to do with your body. You can be attracted or even aroused without choosing to sin by lusting. Many people, especially Christian men, feel guilty that their God-given hormones are working. When they automatically notice an attractive woman, they assume it is lust and feel ashamed and condemned. But attraction is not lust until you begin to dwell on it.

*Instead of condemning yourself with “How could I think such a thought?” treat it as a distraction from Satan and immediately refocus on God.

*Recognize your pattern of temptation and be prepared for it.

Purpose Driven Church.

P

Page 17

 *The key issue for churches in the twenty-first century will be church health, not church growth.

Page 20

*The key is to never stop learning.

Page 21 

*You've heard that it is "wise to learn from experience" But it is wiser yet to learn from the experiences of others. It's less painful too 

*Life is too short to learn everything by personal experience. You can save yourself a lot of time and energy by gleaning from others the lessons they learned the hard way.

Part One: SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE.

*Ministry is a marathon. It's not how you start out that matters but how you end. So how do you make it to the end? The Bible says, "Love never fails"(1Cor.13:8). If you minister out of love you can never be considered a failure.

Day 25 Purpose Driven Life.

DAY 25 Thinking about My Purpose

 POINT TO PONDER: There is a purpose behind every problem. 

VERSE TO REMEMBER: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” ROMANS 8:28 (NIV)

 QUESTION TO CONSIDER: What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BOOK : 

*You will never know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.

*Accidents are just incidents in God’s good plan for you.

*Everything! Romans 8:28–29 explains why: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.”

*This is one of the most misquoted and misunderstood passages in the Bible. It doesn’t say, “God causes everything to work out the way I want it to.” Obviously that’s not true. It also doesn’t say, “God causes everything to work out to have a happy ending on earth.” That is not true either. There are many unhappy endings on earth.

*We live in a fallen world. Only in heaven is everything done perfectly the way God intends.

*To fully understand Romans 8:28–29 you must consider it phrase by phrase.

1. “We know”: Our hope in difficult times is not based on positive thinking, wishful thinking, or natural optimism. It is a certainty based on the truths that God is in complete control of our universe and that he loves us. 

2. “That God causes”: There’s a Grand Designer behind everything. Your life is not a result of random chance, fate, or luck. There is a master plan. History is His story. God is pulling the strings. We make mistakes, but God never does. God cannot make a mistake — because he is God.

  3. “to work together”: Not separately or independently. The events in your life work together in God’s plan. They are not isolated acts, but interdependent parts of the process to make you like Christ. To bake a cake you must use flour, salt, raw eggs, sugar, and oil. Eaten individually, each is pretty distasteful or even bitter. But bake them together and they become delicious. If you will give God all your distasteful, unpleasant experiences, he will blend them together for good.

4. “For the good”: This does not say that everything in life is good. Much of what happens in our world is evil and bad, but God specializes in bringing good out of it. In the official family tree of Jesus Christ, four women are listed: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. Tamar seduced her father-in-law to get pregnant. Rahab was a prostitute. Ruth was not even Jewish and broke the law by marrying a Jewish man. Bathsheba committed adultery with David, which resulted in her husband’s murder. These were not exactly sterling reputations, but God brought good out of bad, and Jesus came through their lineage. God’s purpose is greater than our problems, our pain, and even our sin.

5. “Of those who love God and are called”: This promise is only for God’s children. It is not for everyone. All things work for bad for those living in opposition to God who insist on having their own way.

6. “According to his purpose”: What is that purpose? It is that we “become like his Son.” Everything God allows to happen in your life is permitted for that purpose!verything”: God’s plan for your life involves all that happens to you — including your mistakes, your sins, and your hurts. It includes illness, debt, disasters, divorce, and death of loved ones. God can bring good out of the worst evil. He did at Calvary.

*Building Christlike Character

We are like jewels, shaped with the hammer and chisel of adversity. If a jeweler’s hammer isn’t strong enough to chip off our rough edges, God will use a sledgehammer. If we’re really stubborn, he uses a jackhammer. He will use whatever it takes.

*Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber. Paul said, “We know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character.”15 What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever.

*The Bible often compares trials to a metal refiner’s fire that burns away the impurities. Peter said, “These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure. This purity of faith is worth more than gold.” A silversmith was asked, “How do you know when the silver is pure?” He replied, “When I see my reflection in it.” When you have been refined by trials, people can see Jesus’ reflection in you. James said, “Under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.”

Responding to Problems as Jesus Would ...

Problems don’t automatically produce what God intends. Many people become bitter, rather than better, and never grow up. You have to respond the way Jesus would.

*It is vital that you stay focused on God’s plan, not your pain or problem.

*That is how Jesus endured the pain of the cross, and we are urged to follow his example: “Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards.”

*Corrie ten Boom, who suffered in a Nazi death camp, explained the power of focus: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!” Your focus will determine your feelings.

*The secret of endurance is to remember that your pain is temporary but your reward will be eternal. Moses endured a life of problems “because he was looking ahead to his reward.” Paul endured hardship the same way. He said, “Our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!”

*Refuse to give up. Be patient and persistent. The Bible says, “Let the process go on until your endurance is fully developed, and you will find that you have become men of mature character … with no weak spots.”

*If you are facing trouble right now, don’t ask, “Why me?” Instead ask, “What do you want me to learn?” Then trust God and keep on doing what’s right. “You need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.”33 Don’t give up — grow up!

24th Day Purpose Driven Life

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BOOK :

*Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” Sanctification requires revelation.

*The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God. To become like Jesus, we must fill our lives with his Word. The Bible says, “Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”

*God’s Word is unlike any other word. It is alive. Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

"When God speaks, things change. Everything around you — all of creation — exists because “God said it.” He spoke it all into existence. Without God’s Word you would not even be alive. James points out, “God decided to give us life through the word of truth so we might be the most important of all the things he made.”

*God’s Word generates life, creates faith, produces change, frightens the Devil, causes miracles, heals hurts, builds character, transforms circumstances, imparts joy, overcomes adversity, defeats temptation, infuses hope, releases power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever!

*To be a healthy disciple of Jesus, feeding on God’s Word must be your first priority. Jesus called it “abiding.” He said, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.” In day-to-day living, abiding in God’s Word includes three activities.

*I must accept its authority. The Bible must become the authoritative standard for my life: the compass I rely on for direction, the counsel I listen to for making wise decisions, and the benchmark I use for evaluating everything. The Bible must always have the first and last word in my life.

*The most important decision you can make today is to settle this issue of what will be the ultimate authority for your life.

*I must assimilate its truth. It is not enough just to believe the Bible; I must fill my mind with it so that the Holy Spirit can transform me with the truth. There are five ways to do this: You can receive it, read it, research it, remember it, and reflect on it.

First, you receive God’s Word when you listen and accept it with an open, receptive attitude.

*Jesus identified three unreceptive attitudes — a closed mind (hard soil), a superficial mind (shallow soil), and a distracted mind (soil with weeds) — and then he said, “Consider carefully how you listen.”

*Anytime you feel you are not learning anything from a sermon or a Bible teacher, you should check your attitude, especially for pride, because God can speak through even the most boring teacher when you are humble and receptive. James advises, “In a humble (gentle, modest) spirit, receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted in your hearts contains the power to save your souls.”

Second, for most of the 2,000-year history of the church, only priests got to personally read the Bible, but now billions of us have access to it.

*Bible involves two additional activities: asking questions of the text and writing down your insights. You haven’t really studied the Bible unless you’ve written your thoughts down on paper or computer.

Third, researching, or studying, the Bible is another practical way to abide in the Word.

*The difference between reading and studying the Bible involves two additional activities: asking questions of the text and writing down your insights. You haven’t really studied the Bible unless you’ve written your thoughts down on paper or computer.

Fourth way to abide in God’s Word is by remembering it. 

*Your capacity to remember is a God-given gift. You may think you have a poor memory, but the truth is, you have millions of ideas, truths, facts, and figures memorized. You remember what is important to you. If God’s Word is important, you will take the time to remember it.

*There are enormous benefits to memorizing Bible verses. It will help you resist temptation, make wise decisions, reduce stress, build confidence, offer good advice, and share your faith with others.

*The three keys to memorizing Scripture are review, review, and review! The Bible says, “Remember what Christ taught and let his words enrich your lives and make you wise.”

Fifth way to abide in God’s Word is to reflect on it, which the Bible calls “meditation.”

*For many, the idea of meditating conjures up images of putting your mind in neutral and letting it wander. This is the exact opposite of biblical meditation. Meditation is focused thinking. It takes serious effort. You select a verse and reflect on it over and over in your mind.

*As I mentioned in chapter 11, if you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate. Worry is focused thinking on something negative. Meditation is doing the same thing, only focusing on God’s Word instead of your problem.

*No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture.

*If you look up all the times God speaks about meditation in the Bible, you will be amazed at the benefits he has promised to those who take the time to reflect on his Word throughout the day. One of the reasons God called David “a man after my own heart”21 is that David loved to reflect on God’s Word. He said, “How I love your teachings! I think about them all day long.”22 Serious reflection on God’s truth is a key to answered prayer and the secret to successful living.

*I must apply its principles. Receiving, reading, researching, remembering, and reflecting on the Word are all useless if we fail to put them into practice. We must become “doers of the word.”

*This is the hardest step of all, because Satan fights it so intensely. He doesn’t mind you going to Bible studies as long as you don’t do anything with what you learn.

*We fool ourselves when we assume that just because we have heard or read or studied a truth, we have internalized it. Actually, you can be so busy going to the next class or seminar or Bible conference that you have no time to implement what you’ve learned. You forget it on the way to your next study. Without implementation, all our Bible studies are worthless.

*Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”25 Jesus also pointed out that God’s blessing comes from obeying the truth, not just knowing it. He said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

*Before reading the next chapter, spend some time thinking about this question: What has God already told you to do in his Word that you haven’t started doing yet? Then write down a few action statements that will help you act on what you know. You might tell a friend who can hold you accountable.

* As D. L. Moody said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.”

POINT TO PONDER: The truth transforms me. 

VERSE TO REMEMBER: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” JOHN 8:31–32 (KJV) 

QUESTION TO CONSIDER: What has God already told me in his Word that I haven’t started doing yet?

Day 23 Purpose Driven Life.

DAY 23 Thinking about My Purpose

 POINT TO PONDER: It is never too late to start growing. 

VERSE TO REMEMBER: “Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God — what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.” ROMANS 12:2B (TEV) 

QUESTION TO CONSIDER: What is one area where I need to stop thinking my way and start thinking God’s way?

ANSWER :This mornings meditation from Abide helped me to see where I need to change. The meditation was called "MANAGING YOUR THOUGHT LIFE". As Rick says in the video if we change our thoughts it will changes our feelings. And if we change our feelings it will change our action. When listening to it it made me see  that I was being distracted by my old thinking. I need to keep vigilant with my thoughts and take them capture. That was my scripture for last year. [Corinthians 10:5]. 

I don't like when I talk crude now. Yesterday Jean said to me when I was talking crude. "Christian". This is like a halt sign for me to remind me about what I am doing (MY ACTIONS). I love when she does this because sometimes am on auto pilot and my old thinking is taken me on a course I don't like. So as it says in the highlights I need to change my direction it also says in the Bible "Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts." Proverbs 4:23

So between today's purpose and this morning Abide Meditation I have been taught to be careful of my thinking. And I am not alone anymore I have a helper who can help me. Self will is not enough so that's why The Holy Spirit gives me discernment to help me change.

This year I NEED TO KEEP MY EYES ON JESUS ...this is where my Scriptures for this year comes in Psalm 105:4....1 Chronicles 16:11,,,,LOOK TO THE LORD AND HIS STRENGTH; SEEK HIS FACE  ALWAYS

Highlights From Book : The Bible says, “Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

This verse shows the two parts of spiritual growth: “work out” and “work in.” The “work out” is your responsibility, and the “work in” is God’s role. Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between you and the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit works with us, not just in us. 

This verse, written to believers, is not about how to be saved, but how to grow. It does not say “work for” your salvation, because you can’t add anything to what Jesus already did.

During a physical “workout,” you exercise to develop your body, not to get a body.

When you “work out” a puzzle, you already have all the pieces — your task is to put them together.

God has given you a new life; now you are responsible to develop it “with fear and trembling.” That means to take your spiritual growth seriously!

When people are casual about their spiritual growth, it shows they don’t understand the eternal implications (as we saw in chapters.

Changing your autopilot. To change your life, you must change the way you think. Behind everything you do is a thought. Every behavior is motivated by a belief, and every action is prompted by an attitude. God revealed this thousands of years before psychologists understood it: “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.

Imagine riding in a speedboat on a lake with an automatic pilot set to go east. If you decide to reverse and head west, you have two possible ways to change the boat’s direction. One way is to grab the steering wheel and physically force it to head in the opposite direction from where the autopilot is programmed to go. By sheer willpower you could overcome the autopilot, but you would feel constant resistance. Your arms would eventually tire of the stress, you’d let go of the steering wheel, and the boat would instantly head back east, the way it was internally programmed. 

This is what happens when you try to change your life with willpower: You say, “I’ll force myself to eat less … exercise more … quit being disorganized and late.” Yes, willpower can produce short-term change, but it creates constant internal stress because you haven’t dealt with the root cause. The change doesn’t feel natural, so eventually you give up, go off your diet, and quit exercising. You quickly revert to your old patterns.

There is a better and easier way: Change your autopilot — the way you think. The Bible says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”5 Your first step in spiritual growth is to start changing the way you think. Change always starts first in your mind. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you act. Paul said, “There must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.”

To be like Christ you must develop the mind of Christ. The New Testament calls this mental shift repentance, which in Greek literally means “to change your mind.”

You repent whenever you change the way you think by adopting how God thinks — about yourself, sin, God, other people, life, your future, and everything else. You take on Christ’s outlook and perspective.

We are commanded to “think the same way that Christ Jesus thought.”

There are two parts to doing this. The first half of this mental shift is to stop thinking immature thoughts, which are self-centered and self-seeking.The Bible says that selfish thinking is the source of sinful behavior: “Those who live following their sinful selves think only about things that their sinful selves want.”

The second half of thinking like Jesus is to start thinking maturely, which focuses on others, not yourself. In his great chapter on what real love is, Paul concluded that thinking of others is the mark of maturity:

The Christian life is far more than creeds and convictions; it includes conduct and character. Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds, and our beliefs must be backed up with Christlike behavior.

Christianity is not a religion or a philosophy, but a relationship and a lifestyle. The core of that lifestyle is thinking of others, as Jesus did, instead of ourselves.

Thinking of others is the heart of Christlikeness and the best evidence of spiritual growth. This kind of thinking is unnatural, counter-cultural, rare, and difficult. Fortunately we have help: “God has given us his Spirit. That’s why we don’t think the same way that the people of this world think.”

 . 

The Sunflower is From The Daisey Family (Asteraceae).

 5th January 2022. Today starts the beginning of Purpose #3

 YOU WERE CREATED TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST 

"Let your roots grow down into Christ and draw up nourishment from Him, See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth...Colossians 2:7"

I love this purpose for my life. Lately this has been the theme. "Let your roots grow down in Chirst" I always said that I associated my life with a garden. And my favourite flower are the Daisy and Sunflower. I love the sunflower because I associate it with my boys... Vincent & Thomas.

The sunflower roots grow deep in the soil because they are tall and big (just like the boys)

I just google there to see about the roots of the sunflower but I found a picture of the circular life of a Sunflower seed. This is the site I found 

 twinkl.co.net.co.uk/teaching-wiki/sunflower-life-cycle

and it explains it all. I laughed our loud at one point. My favourite flower is the daisy and it said "That the sunflower belongs to the colourful Asteraceae, or DAISY FAMILY.

Sunflower Life Cycle

What are sunflowers? How long do they take to grow? And how can I make sure mine grow good and tall this summer? We answer all your questions and more in this handy article.

What are sunflowers?

Renowned for their tall stems and bright golden blossoms, sunflowers are the largest flowering plants known to man. They belong to the colorful Asteraceae, or Daisy family, and are a firm favorite with gardeners and non-gardeners alike.

Native to Mexico and the southern United States, sunflowers have large round faces and vibrant petals. And although we tend to associate sunflowers with the color yellow, they come in many other colors too, including orange, peach, red, pink, and purple.

Seed to harvest: The stages of the sunflower life cycle

The sunflower life cycle consists of many stages. First, a seed is planted in the soil. Then, after a couple of weeks, the first green shoots of a young sunflower will rise up from the ground.

Slowly but surely, the tiny plant will grow leaves, a bud, and eventually - after roughly three months - a golden flower. But that’s not the end of the sunflower’s story, not by a long shot.

Let’s take a look at the sunflower life cycle in a bit more detail, and discover what happens after a sunflower blooms...

• Seed

One day.

The sunflower life cycle begins with a seed.

• Germination

One week after planting.

Soon after they’re planted, sunflower seeds start absorbing moisture through their shells. As they soak up more and more water, their shells begin to crack open, as they’re unable to contain the extra moisture. The sunflower’s roots emerge first - their role is to stabilize the plant and absorb vital nutrients from the soil.

• Seedling

Two to five weeks after planting.

Once the roots have absorbed plenty of water, a small shoot will make its way out of the ground. This tiny plant - known as a “seedling” - is made up of a thin stem and two leaves.

During this stage, as the stem grows taller and taller, the plant will grow many more leaves. The fledgling sunflower uses its leaves to absorb sunlight, which it turns into food via photosynthesis.

Seedlings are extremely vulnerable to environmental factors, such as extreme temperatures (high and low), lack of water, and insects.

• Bud

Five to 10 weeks after planting.

Also known as the “reproductive phase,” this stage is when a small bud develops at the tip of the stem. At first, the bud will be closed, but over time it will open up to display the bright golden petals within.

Did you know that, during the reproductive phase, sunflowers physically move towards sunlight? It’s true - as the sun drifts across the sky, sunflowers will change position to make sure they’re getting as much sunlight as possible. This behavior - known as heliotropism - is how sunflowers got their name.

• Full bloom

10 to 13 weeks after planting.

After two to three months, sunflowers begin to flower. Typically, sunflowers stay in bloom for three weeks, but you might get a full month if you’re lucky.

At this stage, sunflowers are like a shining beacon for bees, butterflies, beetles, and a whole host of other pint-sized pollinators. Attracted by the vibrant petals, these insects come to drink nectar from the center of the sunflower.

In the process, their furry bodies pick up pollen from the male part of the plant (known as anthers), which they carry to the next plant. There, the bees deposit the pollen onto the female parts of the flower (known as stigma), which fertilizes the plant and ensures that it’ll produce fruit and seeds in the future.

• Wilt

13 to 15 weeks after planting.

All good things must come to an end. At 13 to 15 weeks, the petals turn from bright yellow to rusty brown, and the head of the sunflower starts to droop.

• Regeneration, or harvest

15 to 17 weeks after planting.

During the regeneration (or reproduction) stage, the sunflower withers completely, shedding its seeds on the soil below. Some will embed themselves in the ground, some will scatter on the breeze, while others will be eaten by birds and squirrels. This process - known as seed dispersal - allows the sunflower life cycle to begin all over again.

So when I read this the song circle of life started to play in my head 

It's the circle of life

And it moves us all

Through despair and hope

Through faith and love

'Til we find our place (With Christ)

On the path unwinding

In the circle

The circle of life.

Day 22 Purpose Driven Life.

DAY 22 Thinking about My Purpose

 POINT TO PONDER: I was created to become like Christ.

 VERSE TO REMEMBER: “As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18B (NLT) 

QUESTION TO CONSIDER: In what area of my life do I need to ask for the Spirit’s power to be like Christ today?