God Gave Me a Garden

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Gen 1:29 KJV

Discoveries:

I have been enjoying reading through my Bible year after year. Recently God started to show me all the different verses that talk specifically about gardening. There are SO MANY references to growing food and harvesting. Key Words to look up: herbs, plant, sow, harvest. God is our good Gardener and Creator of all Good things! He has grown more in your backyard than you can imagine! Have you ever stopped to look in your yard to see what plants, herbs, or fruits God may have given you to eat? 

(Did you know Dandelions are edible? Did you know they are considered to be a "bitter herb"? By the way, in Europe, they are harvested for food. Did you know God talks about them in His Word? Ex. 12:8)

Research/Wait:

"Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house." Prov. 24:27

Before I destroyed any part of my backyard, I did ALOT of research to discover what I already had. I found out that I have MORE edible foods than I thought possible! :) God loves to give good gifts to His children! Here is a list of what God has given me:

* Blackberries
* Green Plums
* Cherry Plums
* Two Hazelnut trees
* Horseradish roots
* Lots of Dandelions
* Clovers

I have borrowed books from the library such as: "Your Farm in the City", "Compost", "Organic Gardening, and "Western Garden Book of Edibles". All excellent reads! I got an app that shows you what plants you may have. It's called "LikeThat Garden". I started "gardening journaling" to keep track of my plants/fruits so that I could maintain them.

Laboring/Working:

I stepped out in faith believing that God will give the things I needed to succeed. I began planning on what to weed out. I began a compost for helping the soil to continue to thrive. As I labored, God blessed my efforts and, through the generosity of family, gave me some seeds and some herbs for my growing gardening!

Adding to the List:

* 7 Herbs (Dill, Rosemary, Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Sage)
* A tomato plant
* Onions
* Lettuce
* Carrots
* Snap Peas

I know if I am faithful in maintaining and caring for my garden, God will continue to bless my work. He is my gardener. I am his servant.

Results:

I am already planning on preserving the fruits and berries by canning. I am excited to enjoy the herbs throughout the summer and preserve them for winter. I can't wait to taste the veggies and show my daughters how they are formed. 

This edible backyard will teach me more about my Creator. Just as I prune my fruit trees, God will teach me how to "prune" myself. Just as I weed out the bad plants, God will teach me how to weed out the sin out of my life. I'm excited to learn about God's Garden.

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: 

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning." Prov. 9:9

Friendship in Four Parts (P4)

"A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

My Best Friend:

(Jesus Christ to John, the disciple Jesus Loved)

Who is your best friend?… Write their name down.

Each of us have an earthly best friend, even Jesus did. John is referred to… as the disciple that Jesus loved. Jesus revealed to John the "revelation" of this world. He got to see visions of the last days before anyone else. John was always near Jesus. He was as close to Jesus as he could be….

Do you realize that you have a best friend? Someone who will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. You have the perfect friend already. You just need to get to know Him better.

Jesus has always been my best friend. I am "alone" most of the day... but I'm not really alone ever. I talk with Jesus all day long. I tell him my trials, I ask Him for wisdom and insights on daily tasks, I even asked Him to help me write this lesson and what to say to you. I am always talking to Him and continuously trying to read more of His Word, the Bible. He teaches me how to be a good friend to others. He is the best example for me to follow, because He has never failed and never will fail in our friendship. He will always have a listening ear and understanding heart toward me. He loves me more than anyone else ever has. (John 15:13, John 10:17-18)

And He is there for you. Talk to Him. :)

     Ways to Grow Closer to Christ:

     #1 Pray. ~ OFTEN. DAILY. ALL THE TIME.~ (1 Thess. 5:17, Psalm 65:2)

     #2 Read and Study your Bible. (Psalm 119)

          ~ Every day. Meditate on it.

     #3 Go to church. (Psalms 27:4-5)

          ~ Don't just be a faithful attender… but get involved.

     #4 Sing Bible hymns and songs.

          ~They encourage you. They talk about Jesus.

     #5 Love others, especially other Christians. (John 13:35)

          ~As you serve others, you learn more about Jesus' love for you.

          ~This how the world will know that you follow Him!