Last Fall, I transplanted a tree in my back yard. I’m not sure if it is a maple or sweet gum tree. But as Winter had passed and Spring arrived, the tree that I had transplanted had not yet shown any signs of Spring. It looked dead. The young once brown bark was dormant and grey. I looked the transplanted tree up and down. It must be dead. Everything else was in bloom. The flowers everywhere joyfully reached for the sun, the azaleas were bright, camellias were smiling, geraniums were showing off, and every other tree was beautifully green and leafy. Yet winter seemed to have taken its sacrifice. The transplanted mystery tree was dead. After noticing that the tree wouldn't make it, my prayer life seemed to realize many things that needed change. Not every tree produces good fruit. Sometimes branches that are not fruitful and need to be pruned. My life in ministry seemed full of examples where I had hoped to see ...