Robin Meade
“I know you know where flowers come from,” Ambrand said, pausing and gesturing to Tiflin with an open hand. The night sky above them was full of stars. Their campfire only made the stars look brighter.
“The fairies make them, don’t they?” Tiflin answered confidently. She was tucked snugly into her bedroll for the night.
“Very good! But have you heard the story of the most unique of all the fairy flowers, the Black Lily?”
“The Black Lily?”
“Ah, not actually black but a very deep indigo with light silver underneath the flower and a golden middle.” He said motioning with his hands as if he could see the flower.
“Oh!” Tiflin exclaimed, sitting up and looking around. “Where do they grow? Can we go see them?”
“This flower,” Ambrand began slowly, tucking her back in, “was created by Birgitta, princess and the great warrior who led the fairy tribes during the time of the Shifter Wars, very long ago. Legend says she fought with two swords always and when she drew them, she focused so completely on her foe that she was an unstoppable force of fierceness and beauty, defeating her enemy first with fear and then with the sword. But Birgitta had the most power in her heart. She had three loves and these loves produced most of the flowers we know, including the Black Lily.”
“THREE loves?” Tiflin looked perplexed.
“Yes, shhhh, three,” Ambrand nodded. “Settle in and I will tell you about all of them.” Tiflin settled further into her bedroll. “Birgitta’s first love was her fairy people. You see, she was orphaned at a tender age during the first Shifter War. Her parents and her older brother, all mighty warriors, were slain in a trap for the fairies as they returned from battle by the evil wizard who shall not be named. As the heir, Birgitta took up her duty as ruler. There were some who doubted she would be able to rule but she had been trained well by her parents in the ways of the court and ruling. But most of all, she loved her people above all. This love inspired Birgitta to create incredible flowers and flowering plants of all kinds, helping to restore the land where the war had ravaged mercilessly.”
From the author: Joel 2:25 tells me God wants to restore the years that the locusts have eaten. Maybe you don’t have actual locusts, but we have all experienced loss that pains us deeply. Maybe due to choices we have made or even choices others have made that impacted us negatively. God sees all of this. Your season of hurt and grieving is not forever. Ask God what he is trying to teach you in the circumstances he has allowed in your life. Lean into him and don’t let go no matter what. Hold onto his promises, pray, ask for wisdom and seek him until you see the blessing, until the restoration comes.