Weeding Our Garden

March 24, 2020 // Pastor Luke shares his thoughts in this encouraging blog post on strengthening your faith.

I was out in the garden yesterday evening weeding. It’s the one job that every gardener loathes but the one job that must be done. It’s the job that separates gardeners from the black thumbs of the world. Very few people realize that indeed this one task can make a world of difference, not by making what you see look good but it has implications on the very health of all your plants. My garden is full of daffodils right now. Peony’s are pushing through the soil and roses are pushing their spring shoots. My quince has become the harbinger of spring with its crimson studded limbs. But there are weeds from the winter. Most folks move quickly from the front door to the car door and never mind the garden during the winter. But under their noses the weeds spread. Yes, even in the winter. These weeds can choke out the new life of spring in the garden and at the very least make an otherwise tidy winter garden look like a vacant lot. The weeds can even soak up fertilizer and use up vital nutrients that play a key role in the prospect of a healthy spring and summer garden. In short, no matter what time of year, no matter the season, weeds are there. They impact the fruitfulness of your garden. 

Your spiritual Garden is no different. 

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6 Words That Got My Attention

By Brooke Jack

It was Friday, February 6, 2015. I was cleaning up in my kitchen while the kids were scurrying around the living room after breakfast.  As I moved about putting away dishes and scraping Cheerios off the floor, I was battling in my mind – frustrations, pressures, the cares of the world.  I caught myself going down that road of self-focus and literally, slammed my hand down on the counter and said “Ok, enough.” We were leaving soon to go to intercessory prayer, which happens every Friday morning, and I thought “Is this how I’m going to prepare to meet with you, God?” Fed up with myself for entertaining distracting and defeating thoughts, I shook my head and said, “God, what’s on your mind?”

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