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What We Plant...

Along with his day-job, my husband is a farmer. My family has been amused over the years as I have learned what it takes to be a farmer's wife. I had little interest in such things before we met. However, I knew one concept: you harvest what you plant. It would be silly to expect squash seeds to yield a crop of okra. The same is true of life.

We will always reap a harvest. The crop is up to us. This can seem a bit daunting sometimes, but we are warned in the Bible to be mindful of every word and action. Someone is always watching, especially if you are a parent! I want my kids to see me live authentically unashamed. I want my actions to be worthy of them copying.

Pastor Chuck used to say, "the grass is greener where you water it." I love this illustration. In a world of "right-now gratification," this is a gentle reminder that good things take work. Most people think, "if I can only ___________, my life will be better." This isn't the case at all. Every now and then, we have to dig deep and get our hands dirty in the process of yielding a good harvest. Trust me, though. It's worth the work.

As a farmer's wife, I have watched my husband toil over a crop only to watch it be consumed by pests or blown away by a storm. I am so proud of the fact that he never gives up on a crop and works at it. Good harvests take work. Sometimes, outside things will try to ruin the crop, and we have to be intentional about keeping the weeds and pests out. In the end, the result may not be what we expected, but it will be just what we need.

What areas in the garden of your life need work? Are there weeds threatening to choke out your relationship with God or others? Ultimately, we should always be mindful of what we say and do. Every word and action will produce a harvest. I want my harvest to be plentiful. I want the harvest of my marriage to be an example of true love and commitment for my boys to follow one day. The harvest of our home should be my children remaining close to God and us in relationship as they venture into the world and begin families of their own. The harvest of this blog should be souls renewed and encouraged each week. My very life should result in a harvest of people seeing and feeling the love of Jesus when they have come into contact with me. Some of this harvest, I may not see until we are in Heaven one day. Until then, I keep planting and watering.

© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.

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