“Suppose you were in a garden where bloomed beautiful roses, and lilies, and pinks; but instead of gathering the beautiful flowers, you should seek for everything objectionable to take away to show to others as a sample of that garden. Would the objectionable things you had gathered properly represent the garden?—By no means. If Christians gather up gloom and sadness to their souls, and murmur and complain, are they representing God and the Christian life as it really is? Christ tells us that if we abide in Him, He will abide in us. Are we doing as He has bidden us? Will we gather the roses and the lilies and the pinks, and present to the world the hopeful, bright side of religion?” –The Review and Herald, April 16, 1889

“Oh, how many walk a dark path, looking to the objectionable, unlovely things on either side of them when a step higher are the flowers.” –Mind, Character and Personality, vol. 2, p. 808

“The mind must not be permitted to dwell on the most objectionable features of our faith. In God’s Word, which may be represented as a garden filled with roses and lilies and pinks, we may pluck by faith the precious promises of God, appropriate them to our own hearts, and be of good courage—yes, joyful in God—or we may keep our attention fastened on the briars and thistles and wound ourselves severely and bemoan our hard lot.

“God is not pleased to have His people hanging dark and painful pictures in memory’s hall. He would have every soul plucking the roses and the lilies and the pinks, hanging memory’s hall with the precious promises of God blooming all over the garden of God. He would have us dwelling upon them, our senses sharp and clear, taking them in in their full richness, talking of the joy that is set before us. He would have us living in the world, yet not of it, our affections taking hold of eternal things. He would have us talking of the things which He has prepared for those that love Him. This will attract our minds, awaken our hopes and expectations, and strengthen our souls to endure the conflicts and trials of this life. As we dwell on these scenes the Lord will encourage our faith and confidence. He will draw aside the veil and give us glimpses of the saints’ inheritance.” –Selected Messages, bk. 3, p. 163

“Do not listen to Satan’s lies, but recount God’s promises. Gather the roses and the lilies and the pinks. Talk of the promises of God. Talk faith. Trust in God, for He is your only hope. He is my only hope. I have tremendous battles with Satan’s temptations to discouragements, but I will not yield an inch. I will not give Satan an advantage over my body or my mind.” –Daughters of God, p. 146

“We are to go into the garden of God’s Word and pluck the lilies and roses and the fragrant pinks of His promises. Those who look upon the difficulties in their experience will talk doubt and discouragement, for they do not behold Jesus, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.” –That I May Know Him, p. 278

“Gather all the fragrance possible from the roses and the lilies and the pinks, and do not let us bruise our hands by grasping the thorns and letting them bruise us. This is what Satan would have us do.” –The Gospel Herald, Sept 1, 1898

“We may look up through nature to nature’s God. In the beautiful lofty trees, the shrubs, the flowers, God reveals His character. He is to be compared to the most beautiful lilies and roses and pinks.” –This Day with God, p. 241

“Your life is precious in the sight of God. He has a work for you to do. It is not unfolded to you now, but just walk on trustingly without a single word because this would grieve the dear Jesus and show that you were afraid to trust Him. Lay your hand in His. He is reaching over the battlements of heaven for it to be laid confidingly in His. Oh, what love, what tender love has Jesus manifested in our behalf. The Bible promises are the pinks and the roses and the lilies in the garden of the Lord.” –Mind, Character and Personality, vol. 2 p. 808

“There are enough roses, pinks, and lilies in the garden of God’s love so that you need not look at the briers, the thistles, and the brambles. Now, I did not see these things, because I was delighting myself with the flowers and all the beauties of the garden.”   –The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, p. 77

Ellen G. White