Georgia is the peach state.

Peaches are one of my favorite fruits.

Spring is right around the corner…Fruit trees are starting to bloom.

This is a picture of a peach orchard, long after the fruit was gone; the limbs litter the ground, and the birds have taken up their posts as sentries. Gone are the glorious and beautiful flowers; no longer are the limbs laden with the heavy burden of sweet and juicy peaches.

As spring approaches, I am reminded again about how God works things in cycles. If one were to look at this snapshot of these peach trees without knowledge or foresight about the cyclical changes that all things go through, they might feel discouraged. The glorious truth for those of us who know is that God has a perfect plan. While things seem to be dead, bleak, and empty, there are beautiful flowers and sweet fruit waiting to be seen and enjoyed.

Lent reminds us of the time that things seemed bleak and empty for the world. Jesus was nailed to a tree, and laid in a borrowed tomb. All seemed lost, but, as is always the case in God’s timing, there was a much sweeter and glorious plan at work for each of us.

Chris Cook is a premier southern artist and owner of Madison Studios, a web design, maintenance, and e-commerce and marketing company. For his artist biography, contact information, or to view more of his work, click HERE.