By Heather Spiva 
When we moved to the house we’re in now, one of the biggest features that originally sold me was the fruit trees. We had orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit trees. We also had an apricot tree that was beautiful in the fall with its changing leaves. Our neighbors had apple and peach trees that hung over onto our side of the yard.
Needless to say, we had a plethora of real, organic fruit available to us. It was wonderful. And it still is wonderful. Having fruit nearly year-round is a dream come true in our suburban lifestyle. It’s a little bit of country in the city that creates such a respite for us in our hectic environment.
I loved all the fruit trees, but that apricot tree was the most beautiful. I would collect its fruit, and take the most brilliant fall color photos of it.
After one particularly big storm, my beloved apricot tree decided it didn’t want to stand anymore. My heart was broken. I often wondered why that one went down. We had plenty of other trees that wouldn’t have broken my heart if they fell. But this one was my favorite, and it was gone.
After a few years of a barren area where the tree once stood, my husband (who preferred peaches to apricots anyway) planted a peach tree. This wasn’t just a random peach tree from the local big box store. No, this was a seed from a peach that he had eaten from our neighbor’s tree. We hadn’t poached this low-hanging fruit, either (not this time). This peach was given to us by the neighbors; they gave us a whole bag full of delicious, juicy peaches to enjoy, and that’s where the pit came from.
My husband cleaned the pit, planted it into a small pot with dirt, and kept it inside until it sprouted. Once it was big enough, he planted the sprouted seed where the apricot tree once stood.
The tree has already grown many feet, and in a couple of years, it will be big enough to start producing fruit. The leaves will also change to brilliant colors in the autumn—my favorite part.
While I miss the apricot tree, the peach tree has even more sentimental value than the apricot tree. The tree I thought meant the most to me has now been supplanted (pun intended) by this peach tree growing beautifully, and will mean more to me than probably any tree I’ve ever owned. My husband, my love, replaced the old and dead tree with a new and alive tree.
God may take away things we thought were good, even things that made us happy. But in time, if we’re patient enough, we will see the replacement is often better. He gives us the desires of our hearts when we’re honest with Him and trust Him. As we wait, only then will we see that He has our best interests at heart in everything He does. All the time. Even if we don’t understand the process.
I may not have that apricot tree anymore, but I have a peach tree in its place—and it makes me happy. It’s even more joyous because it’s one my husband planted. That tree will take root, grow, and one day shade our home and offer beautiful, juicy peaches we can enjoy. It may take more time for that to appear—years, even—but I’m willing to wait for the reward.
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NIV)
by Tiffany Nardoni 
by Shelby Skiles 
