How Does How Does YOUR Garden Grow -- With Pretty Flowers or Pesky Weeds?

After a week away from home, I was overwhelmed when I saw the weeds that had popped up in my flower beds in such a short period of time. Whew! Dear God, why did you create weeds to grow so well and oftentimes grow so much healthier and stronger than the beautiful flowers and plants that have difficulty growing?

I remember reading a friend’s post when she asked for advice for getting rid of weeds in her garden. Some of the comments and recommendations from others were: “Put newspaper around the plant – it will suffocate the weeds”; “Put grass clippings around the plant”; and I loved this one “Don’t plant a garden!” LOL!

Those garden weeds caused me to think about the weeds that may have grown in our heart’s garden – weeds of selfishness, pride, self-centeredness, laziness, bitterness, anger, envy, doubt, unbelief, sadness, fear, etc. I don’t know about you, but I recognize those weeds that creep into my heart’s garden when I haven’t watered my heart with prayer enough or focused enough on God’s “Light” (His Word).

As soon as I sense THOSE heart weeds, I get out my “weed eater/annihilator” out and I:
1) First, cultivate the soil and add a good mixture of fertilizer (prayer).
2) Plant the seeds of God’s Word (Bible reading, meditating and speaking the words) into my heart.
3) Give the plants (my heart) plenty of sunshine (speaking the light of God’s Word over the situations that may be troubling or concerning me)
4) Give the plants plenty of water (thanking, praising, trusting in God’s goodness and mercy to complete what He started).

It was a beautiful, cooler and rainy morning here in Frisco yesterday. I made up my mind that as soon as the rain would stop, I’d go out, while the soil was wet, to easily pull the weeds out of my flower beds and herb garden. I did. No doubt, those little weeds will show up again one day soon, but, no problem – I’ll be the weed eradicator once again. And in the same way, I’ll keep monitoring my “heart” garden and I’ll make sure it is “weed” free so that an abundant harvest of sweet and beautiful fruit shows up daily. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.......” Galatians 5:22,23

St. Paul said it so well. Once we plant the seed…..God will make it grow! "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." I Corinthians 3:6,7. God is the Master Gardener, and what He plants, always yields a great harvest!

Never Underestimate What God Plans for Your Kids

I'm back in Texas, and had the opportunity to visit with my husband's best bud and cousin, Wes Wuerch and his precious wife, Letha Wuerch, Pastors here in Texas. I loved talking about the "good ole' days" and remembering the times when these two guys played their trumpets in church and sang together. They both went on to be ministers and pastors and they served God and His people in such beautiful ways. And now seeing the fruit of their labors by the many people whose lives were radically changed, and, they too, are being used by God in amazing ways today. Seed time and harvest.

Who knew those two little mischievous boys would have such an impact on this world? Their mamas.... and God. I'm telling you mamas and papas, today, "Never underestimate what God will do with your kids. He has great plans for them." These two guys are proof that He just needs the seed. He's the Master Gardener and he turns seeds into a mighty harvests." Now it's time for us to cultivate the soil, plant the seed and let God give the mighty increase!