Quiet Bloom of Confidence

A Sunday Reflection on Courage, Crafting, and the Quiet Blessings of Being Encouraged

This afternoon, my daughter Ashley—my flower-loving, artistic ray of sunshine—came over with a mission. She had one goal: to help me finally begin the shadow boxes I’ve been planning for my daughters, daughters-in-law, and granddaughters. She knows me well enough to sense when I'm procrastinating, and today she gently but firmly nudged me out of “analysis paralysis.”

Truthfully, she was right. I’ve been second-guessing myself for weeks. Yesterday at the Christmas Fair, I even found myself asking Brynda for one more piece of advice, hoping to feel just a bit more confident. But Ashley wasn’t having it—she jumped into the project with both feet, and before I could talk myself out of anything, she had blooms spread out, layouts forming, and creative momentum swirling.

At first, I hovered on the edges like a spectator. But little by little, I found myself reaching for blooms, mixing combinations, shifting layers—and then suddenly, there I was, hot glue gun in hand, fully immersed. I even caught myself giving Ashley little suggestions near the end as her energy dipped and motherhood called her back home to her own sweet girls.

What started as hesitation became joy. What began with uncertainty blossomed into confidence. And what felt intimidating ended up being deeply satisfying.

Shadow Box Project

I was reminded today that sometimes all we need is someone to gently invite us in—to urge us past the fear of not being good enough and toward the simple delight of trying. Creativity has a beautiful way of drawing out parts of us we didn’t know were waiting to bloom.

As I crafted alongside Ashley, it struck me that God often meets us in the very places we hesitate to begin. We wait for perfect confidence, perfect timing, perfect clarity—yet Scripture reminds us that He doesn’t ask for perfection. He asks for willingness.

Just as Ashley nudged me past my procrastination, the Lord sometimes nudges us through the people He places in our path. They become holy reminders that we’re not meant to stay stuck in fear, but to step forward—however imperfectly—into the things He’s calling us to create.

If you feel the whisper of something new—a project, a conversation, a ministry, a dream—don’t let “analysis paralysis” keep you on the sidelines.

Pick up your “hot glue gun.”Take one small step.Trust that God will meet you there.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” —Zechariah 4:10

What began as a simple crafting afternoon became a reminder of something much deeper: creativity awakens courage, shared moments become blessings, and sometimes the smallest projects reveal the biggest truths about ourselves. Ashley came to help me finish a task—but God used it to stir something inside, reminding me that joy often waits on the other side of simply starting. Today was more than gluing dahlia blooms into a shadow box; it was stitching together confidence, connection, and gratitude—one beautiful layer at a time.

Sincerely,

Debra Flaming

Inspirations

Flaming Acres Dahlias