Written by Tiffany Jacox, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Bellevue, NE
Last summer my husband started really getting into gardening and I wasn’t all that into it. So this year he decided to go much bigger and I was not at all excited about this. That being said, once the time came to start getting the garden area ready I was out in the yard helping him pull weeds and prepare the space. This is when I found the time to be still. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10a, NKJV). I found I could let go of the stress of work, the news, social media, and all the distractions. It didn’t take me long to begin appreciating the time outdoors and this special time with not only my husband but with creation, and with God. I began to long for that time in the yard. I felt so close to God there.
As we began planting the seeds and learning how to care for our natural, organic, chemical free garden we began to imagine what life was like for Adam after the fall. This gave my husband and me time to talk about what the garden may have been like and gave us greater appreciation for the punishment God gave man (Gen. 3:17-19,23, NASB) and the toil of cultivating the land through each generation. It gave us lessons in patience and encouraged us to be students of our ecosystem. It drew us closer to God. Each and every day was new and exciting to see what He had blessed us with! Even when the insects had their small victories.
This garden started out as a small hobby for my husband last year and a way to grow fresh vegetables for his family and friends. It turned into a huge lesson, mission, and blessing from God this year. It helped grow our marriage as we spent more time together working in the garden and just being outside enjoying our hard work and God’s beautiful bountiful blessings as we continually added to the garden. It helped us to grow in our appreciation of God’s amazing power and love in creation. It helped us to bless many people by providing and sharing in the food that we were able to grow. We were able to share our garden journey and the knowledge we learned both through social media and in person with others.
It redefined us in gratitude to be thankful for God and what He blesses us with. Each and every day was a beautiful gift I was able to open. Redefined in gratitude by the gift of a new day; by the gift of a beautiful new flower fully bloomed; by vegetables ready to be picked; by the gift of being able to get up close and personal to see His creation and the function of birds, bees, butterflies, grasshoppers, praying mantis, ladybugs, and so many more!
I found myself running to the window every morning to see my husband sitting outside in the garden to spend his time before work with God and the sunrise. I’d go out at lunch time and visit the plants and soak up the sunshine and talk with God. Every evening my husband and I would tend to the garden and care for it and harvest the blessings and then sit and admire God’s work in abundant gratitude.
In this season of giving thanks, what has God done to redefine you through gratitude?
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18, NASB)