Amber Staehle: The Importance of Pruning

Faith Family, 

How did your life change when your children were born? 

My great-grandfather was a rancher and an army veteran, who had once put sailors to shame for his naughty choice of words. 

Then one day, he became a great-grandpa, and he never uttered another bad word. His way of life changed forever, at the age of 66.  

We experience new life all around us, and each one impacts us differently. As someone new is brought into your life, how do you react and what do you learn from them?   

Maybe for you, nothing immediately changed, but as these relationships grow, it is inevitable that you will be impacted on a cellular level by speaking differently, reacting differently, and even loving differently. Saying “I never knew I could love like that,” or “I didn’t know I had room in my heart.” This is the change we experience, and it is Good. 

Do the friends and family in your life represent a fig tree that blooms? 

As you enter the New Year, I pray that you reflect on your tree and cut the branches that do not produce fruit. Allow more room for those that blossom and keep your tree alive. 

Jesus Christ was born not just to make everyone coo over him and wonder at the virgin birth. Throughout his life, he encouraged us to grow closer to Him by making the necessary changes in our life. 

If my great-grandfather had never stopped his foul language, I may not have grown as close to him. If you do not rid yourself of the dross in your life, are you really changed by the birth of Jesus?   

Go into the New Year with an appreciation for miracles, forgiveness, grace, and humility, and your life too can change—even at 66. 

Peace and Love,  
Amber Staehle  
Director of Christian Education and Family Life