Hey friends! 

Did anyone else pick up a quarantine hobby that you've kept until this day? Jesse started learning digital art on his iPad, and, like many others, I became a plant mom! Plants are unique and more complicated than I initially assumed. They need the perfect environment and diet to survive. Nope, just watering them isn't enough, but it's definitely a major part of it... I may have forgotten to water them a few times. Instant death for my succulents lol. You have to make sure the temperature is correct, their spot in the house has exactly enough sunlight, the soil is good, and yes, water them. Something I learned is you can't put just any plants next to each other! I was gifted a plant, and when I put it with the rest, those instantly started to die. The new plant was sucking up more of the oxygen around them. It was killing my little plants. There is so much that goes into making sure a plant thrives. You can't just set it by other plants and hope it grows the same. 

Much like my plants, humans also need specific care to thrive and grow into the people God has called us to be. We can not hope to grow just by being around others. We must be watered and nourished directly by God. We have to be careful who we are surrounding ourselves with, as some might be taking the oxygen around us and actually killing us instead. We are in a time where injustice is all around us. In the streets, at school, at work, on social media, and in the news. I loved when our pastors reminded us that justice is not a Black, Hispanic, Asian, or White thing. It is a God thing. He wants justice! Jesus died for justice! But we can not have any of it if we do not have new hearts in Christ. 

So if you want justice all around, first we must have heart change. We must be watered by Christ to grow. When we have Christ, we are made whole, and in our wholeness, there will be justice. Think about what is being poured into you. Are you being watered by God or just reposting online, hoping that something is going to change? We can get dry like a thirsty plant sometimes, so make sure you are nourished in this sad, hard drought. Let's pray for our nation, for an overflow of God's grace and love, and for heart change this week! 

We love you and are praying with you!

Jesse and Marissa