By Marilyn Bazett-Jones

This time of year, I get excited as I look outside and see the trees beginning to bud. With both the warmth and the light increasing day by day, the magnolia has large pink buds, waiting to pop. The lilac bush has tiny bursts of purple and light green. The house plants in the sunroom are excited about spring too: new sprouts abound! It’s been a long winter and it’s time to come alive.

Environment plays a significant role in growth, as we know. So, is your environment conducive to growing as a disciple? Do you seek positive people, stimulating conversations, uplifting articles and movies, focused studies, energizing conferences and inspiring music? Or are you content with whatever mainstream media pushes your way? As we know, there is quite a difference!

We are products of our own environment. We need to pay attention to who we are letting into our circles of influence. The thoughts that roll around in our heads play a huge part, as we read today. I could relate to Rick Warren’s description of how tiring it is to try to overcome our autopilot. Have you ever tried to do that? Even the disciplined apostle Paul was frustrated with doing what he didn’t want to do and with not doing what he wanted to do. Warren says the best solution is to reprogram our autopilots to go in the right direction. We can ask the Holy Spirit to transform us by the renewing of our minds.

There is much debate over how little of our brain capacity we actually use. No matter what that percentage is, there is always more potential to be tapped. Isn’t that exciting? God has so much more for us if we are willing to grow!

Are you interested in growing as a disciple? Interest is a good place to start, but as we know, nothing really happens until we are committed. We find a way to accomplish the things we are really committed to doing. Change starts first in our minds. It needs to be intentional.

If we are committed to seeking God more passionately and becoming better disciples, we can daily ask His help with that. The Holy Spirit then creates the transformation. We might think of ourselves as those budding works of nature. Great potential is within each one of us and God sees it. Given the right environment, we can bloom, thrive and flourish.

Suggested assignment: Go outside today and revel in God’s creation. Take a close look at something that is ready to come to life. Then ask the Creator to work His transformation in you.

Marilyn Bazett-Jones is a communications specialist at WEC Energy Group in Green Bay and the author of the newly published book "Life, Love and Loss."