Al-ope Vera

 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord…

Jeremiah 30:17

I have a confession to make… I have a black thumb. As much as I would love to have my mom’s passion for plants, I must give myself a D- in the plant department. I either under or overwater them. I rarely feed them plant food and forget about transplanting them into new soil. Yup, I am more of a plant killer than a plant caretaker. So, when a colleague gifted me an aloe vera plant, I fought to hide my concern for killing it as I thanked her for her very meaningful gesture.

Years passed, life happened, and that aloe vera plant ended up near a window in our basement. Many times, I would look at that plant and wonder if it was time to toss it into the garbage. However, something (or some One) would always prevent me from doing so. This went on for almost a decade. Yes, ten years of neglect… ten years without water. When I think of how much time elapsed with that plant surviving as a basement dweller, I can’t help but place its existence into the miracle category.

I truly believe God has been protecting this plant for a decade while planting this aloe vera into my heart. So, with some research, I purchased aloe vera friendly soil, transplanted it into a larger planter, and relocated it to a window in our living room. Based on my lack of plant caretaking skills, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I knew God wanted me to care for it. Every day or so, I would check in on it, feeding it water with little sips, not big gulps. For a period, I didn’t notice any change. Then, during one of my check-ins, I saw a new shoot peeking out of the soil. Upon caressing the stems, they felt thicker and looked greener. Fast forward a few years and this plant now looks like three plants, not one. I am in awe every time it catches my eye, knowing the neglected state it lived in for so many years.

This plant’s enduring and practically immortal qualities inspired me to research the benefits of aloe vera, which I now refer to as “al-ope vera” (an all vera of hope). Turns out, al-ope vera isn’t just for a sunburn. It is a natural moisturizer that heals wounds, treats burns, and even reduces acne. If its skin benefits are enough, it also promotes digestive health, acting as a laxative, reducing IBS symptoms, and even soothing heartburn. Yet, there is even more. Al-ope vera contains antioxidants that boost the immune system while protecting the body from free radical damage. If these healing properties aren’t enough, this plant even offers HOPE to diabetic sufferers by lowering blood sugar levels.

My miracle plant has become another life lesson from above. Just as God heals our minds, hearts, and souls, He provides us with stories of HOPE like a plant that existed in a basement for a decade without water. He restores us so we can be used for His good and His glory. He is the author of irony… using whatever divine means necessary to touch our hearts and souls with His goodness, love, and HOPE. I know for certain He used this al-ope vera plant and my black thumb as a backdrop for His eternal, everlasting, and immortal story of faith. If it wasn’t for His wisdom, love, and HOPE that plant would still be in our basement, collecting cobwebs while slowly fading away.

This al-ope vera plant offers a powerful redemption story of HOPE. We humans are a lot like this plant, sitting alone in the dark, slowly dying from the inside out. Our soul thirsts for hydration only God can provide and wholeness only God can fill. While we try to fill this thirsty void with earthly pleasures, they only leave us feeling hollow and unfulfilled. We experience more stress and anxiety, more loss and emptiness, more thirst and hunger… when we live without God, without His love, and without His HOPE.  

Instead, like those who are saved by His grace, our al-ope vera plant has a new life and a new purpose. From now on, when my skin is wounded or my digestive system needs healing, I will look to our al-ope vera plant and thank our amazing God for delivering another miracle with a lesson of eternal healing and HOPE. What an awesome God who loves me so much to patiently wait a decade for me to see His healing power through the healing power of this plant. Ten plus years He purposefully waited for me to see yet another way He heals both internally and eternally.

I am forever grateful for this lesson of HOPE from a vera of al-ope. It is my HOPE you will witness God’s healing, grace, and HOPE through His Son, Jesus Christ. His Son, who suffered a horrendous death on the cross to forgive our past, present, and future sins. His Son, who heals believers from the inside out. His Son, who offers His own al-ope of HOPE. It is my hope, you never look at another al-ope vera plant the same… seeing God, His Son, and His Spirit as great healers of minds, hearts, and souls. Perhaps you will be inspired to gift someone you love with an al-ope vera plant while gifting them a story of God’s HOPE.

Al-ope Vera Juice Recipe

Mix: 2–3-inch slice of al-ope vera gel, 1 cup Hշ-ope, 1 tsp. honey, and 1 tsp. lemon juice.

EnJOY the healing power of al-ope through the healing power of Jesus 😊