The Spring Issue; March 2024 > Home > Welcoming

One of the activities we love to do as a family is plan our garden. Over winter, we’ve talked and dreamed about what we’d love to grow, where we’d love to put it. This will be the first spring in our recently purchased house and we are filled with anticipation to add life to our backyard space. 

A fun way to invite others into this individual or family dream is to host a seed or planting party. Often when we order seeds or visit that long awaited greenhouse, we end up with more than we can actually use. Are there others nearby that you may want to swap some seeds with? Perhaps they are planning to grow something you hadn’t thought of or could learn about. 

Find an experienced gardener and allow them to pass on their wisdom about growing in the garden and in life. My friend Mary has planted, grown, lost, learned about so many flowers, plants and veggies. Not only that, but she has a gift of seeing the potential in what is growing in her yard as well as people. She has told me before that certain plants remind her of specific people and she will pray over them as she tends to that spot in her yard. What a gift to cultivate with your hands and in your heart. Her love of planting was birthed from losing her mother, a woman who loved flowers and believed in the hope of spring. I love how Creator God can take our tears and pain, offered to Him like dirt and seed, and grow a beautiful garden of His faithfulness. 

Maybe you’re more of a starter plant kind of person. Ask friends and family to come over to help you dig, plant, decorate and design a dreamy backyard space. Finish up with some lemonade to celebrate. 

As we dream about what we want to grow in our yards and in our hearts, take the chance to invite others into it. You may find the encouragement you need to step out, get your hands dirty and learn something along the way.