What If You’re Closer Than You Think

A Garden Story About Growth, Timing & Trusting the Process

I know it’s tempting to walk away when you don’t see what you hoped for…

When the dream you planted still hasn’t bloomed.
When the healing you’ve prayed for hasn’t come.
When the breakthrough you keep believing for feels just out of reach.

But what if—you’re actually closer than you think?

What if what you’re waiting for is already forming?

Already rising? Shifting in your favor?

Already right on the edge of breakthrough?

Because here’s the truth:

So much of growth is hidden beneath the surface.
So much of breakthrough happens quietly.

This made me think about my garden—especially this one flower that just bloomed: a Landini Asiatic Lily.

It blooms big.
But that kind of blooming doesn’t happen overnight.

It happens little by little.
Quietly.
Steadily.

🌱 A little shift underground before it ever shows up
🌿 A little sprout before it stretches to nearly 4 feet tall
🌺 A little bud before it bursts into this deep, velvety color

Its process reminds me that so much beauty begins beneath the surface.

And that’s just like life.

That’s why we don’t walk away from a good thing just because it’s taking time. Because some things take longer to bloom than others.

✅ In gardens. 

✅ In healing. 

✅ In dreams. 

✅ In life.

Personal story time…

Last season, I overhauled my garden and added three new beds at once. It sounded like a great idea at the time (You might know how that goes 😅).  But it ended up being a lot of work—and came with what seemed like more challenges than wins. 

I wasn’t happy with many of the changes.
By fall, my garden looked so bare and ugh.
And honestly? That made me feel worse.

👉 You can read about my garden challenges here 👈 

But here’s what happened next…

My garden started to come back to life.

🌱 Leaves returned to the trees
🌱 My evergreens turned green again
🌱 Things that seemed lost started blooming

Quick FYI for my garden friends:

Some evergreens and conifers can get a brown tint in winter—it’s normal. They may even shed some inner needles, but it’s nothing to panic about. Come spring, just give them a little love and knock those old brown needles out.

When My Garden Taught Me to Trust Myself Again

Back to the story…

Then, out of nowhere, a landscape designer ended up in my garden.
They asked to see my most exotic plants, and as we walked, they called out plant names like they were greeting old friends: ‘You have all my favorites here.’

As we walked, I told them, ‘I just want it to feel magical out here.’

They paused, eyes locked in on the garden and said, ‘It already is.’

🌼 They told me first-hand care tips
⚠️ Warned me about some plants’ ‘ugly phases’
💡 Gave me some cool design ideas

The ideas, insight, and wisdom poured in—so, I let them know I wanted to take notes on my phone. And I did. 

I listened for over an hour as they shared their landscape design journey—how they work for a company with clients across the east coast and beyond. 

Then they said something that stunned me—not the exact words, but something like…

‘Our office brings in the biggest numbers—and you’ve got something really special going here.’ 

‘Get with a landscaper that doesn’t like designing because you know about plants.’

‘Create these types of lists, this is what your clients need.’

That hit me. Because months earlier?
I was standing in this same garden…
Feeling like I messed up.
Feeling like a fool.
Feeling like a failure.

And then God sent someone at the top of their game—to affirm me.

To remind me: You’re not behind. You’re blooming.

That moment reminded me to trust myself again.

Guess what else? 

Not long after, I went out on a job with a landscaper and saw my first garden client.

So, let this encourage you:

💧 Keep planting with purpose
🌱 Root your efforts in love
🙏 Water them with faith

And trust God to make it bloom in His time.
Because even when it feels slow…
You just might be closer than you think. 💜

What’s something you’re waiting to bloom in your life?

Share in the comments — I’d love to hear! ♡♡♡