The chocolate daisy blooms at night. It grows in dry, rocky soil and gives off a scent like cocoa.

What a stunning picture of how God sometimes works. So often, the rough, broken places in our lives have the potential to produce the sweetest fragrance. Sometimes the loveliest gifts are offered in secret…in the hidden place. It’s easy for the eye to catch those things that are in plain sight, but we often miss what’s happening in the dark.

I feel somewhat of a kindred connection to this flower. So much of the beauty of my life has happened in subtle ways as God has worked on my heart in the secret place. These stories are true experiences from either myself, or someone close to me, where beauty made it’s appearance in unexpected ways, and a sweet, surprising fragrance was produced out of the hard, dark soil. I hope they will encourage you on your journey as well as spark a reminder that there is so much more to life than meets the eye.