I looked around my garden this morning and felt hopeless. The bell peppers had holes in them from the worms, the peas were uprooted by the moles and never grew higher than 6 inches, my kale was suffering the slow death of slugs, and the chipmunks had chewed off too many stems to count.
Last year's abundance almost seems effortless compared to this year. The way things grew unexpectedly and the way each day was a surprise. My harvest today consisted of three sprigs of mint for my water and a few pieces of lettuce.
"Lord, help me," I said, not even sure why I chose to garden again this year.
I turned around defeated and went inside to get breakfast started. I opened my fridge and stopped with the self-pity. My fridge was overflowing with fresh local produce. Some was purchased from a CSA, some given by generous friends out of the natural results of doing life together, and some offered up by neighbors from their abundance, but all of it was lifegiving nourishment.
My garden isn't doing well right now, but maybe this is my season to receive from others. In the body of Christ we all play a part. Sometimes we are the ones giving and other times we receive. Sometimes we have abundance to share and sometimes we are lacking; that's what makes us so beautiful.
What is your "garden"? Where are you needing to receive from others?
Take a moment to determine this: is there a place in your life that may not be doing so well today? Somewhere have the aphids become too prolific or has the soil become dry?
Maybe it's your mental health. Maybe today you need to spend money to go to counseling because your garden has too many moles and pests. You need to purchase the nourishment that your garden is lacking.
Maybe it's your friendships, where you don't have to pay money, but you have to invest in doing life together. Your garden feels empty, but all it takes is to go to a friend's house, admit your desire for connection, spend time with them, and you'll leave with a bundle of kale and a vase of flowers given out of love.
Maybe it's your finances. When your garden is struggling maybe nourishment looks like accepting the fruit of other people's gardens. Those plants offered to you in abundance with no strings and no obligations. This one requires taking down the shield that says you have it all figured out and requesting help. This one is humbling because you didn't do anything, you didn't grow the seed or water it. You didn't prune or prep, but when someone else experienced overflow, God meant that blessing to be shared with you. You were seen and you were known before you even knew to ask for help.
The enemy comes to steal and destroy your life and your garden. God comes to bring abundance. But that abundance doesn't look like always doing it all yourself.
Where will you set aside your pride or discouragement to take a step towards receiving nourishment today?
Thanks for the reminder Bailee, yes God does provide what we need through so many difference sources!
This is beautiful, Bailee!