Seeds

Are any of you like me?  You like to see a little growth from your planting efforts?

Well, Jesus spoke to this in Mark 4.  Jesus shared that some seeds will last, but not all of them will produce.  Check out the parable for yourself today.

The last several years many of you know that through the ministry I've had the joy of teaching many women that have faced addictions, abuse, and more difficulties than one truly is able to imagine.  Honestly, after a couple of years I had to step away because I was taking it so personally when the seeds did not grow or I wasn't able  to see the growth.  I was actually becoming very depressed with the situations and the circumstances.  I was not coping very well.  The women were struggling with very difficult situations and many were by things they had no control over and others were bad choices, but all of it was very, very sad and difficult.  No easy answers.

One Sunday morning at Summer Grove Baptist I was speaking to a Sunday school class that had requested I come to share about what was happening with the ministry.  Frankie was attending with me and we were sharing with this class.  We were sharing the good, but also the bad.  I guess our feelings of sadness were showing through and one man gently reminded us that all we could do and all our job was...is to plant the seeds.  It was such a moment to be reminded of Jesus words and it was so loving, because truly I felt Jesus speak through this man's reminder.

Well, last night I was sitting in a restaurant when I ran into one of the ladies.  I spoke to her and ask her how she was and she began to share the little seeds that were planted in her journey through our time together in Bible study.  I truly didn't believe she would remember a word with all of the addiction problems, but God taught me in that moment that He is able to use the seeds through any situation.  It was also such a wonderful moment of healing for me.  All of the feelings of doubt, of sadness seem to ease with the realization that indeed we will not see whether the seeds produce, unless God gives us a wonderful gift at the most unexpected moments.  God gifted me that indeed some of the seeds were planted!

I share this today with encouragement to continue to plant the seeds and allow God to do the rest!  Check out Mark 4 and be reminded about "the planting of seeds".

Planting the seeds,

Deb