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1. A Garden’s Whisper: The Ever-Changing Dance of Seasons
Each spring, I begin again. My garden never looks the same from one year to the next. The mix of crops changes, the rows shift, and new varieties find their place among the familiar ones. In the small space of my raised beds, I decide which roots will be given room to grow.
Each choice reflects a bit of curiosity—and a bit of memory.
2. Seeds of Heritage: Planting the Past in Present Soil
For several years, I didn’t plant corn—and I missed it more than I expected. The stalks never yielded much, yet there’s something deeply satisfying about watching them reach for the sky. When I chose to plant corn again this year, I paused to ask myself why it mattered.
Maybe it’s because my grandparents were farmers, and their love of the land still echoes in me. My mother’s parents raised corn and other crops on their Dunlap, Iowa farm through the 1920s and ’30s, and my mother passed her love of gardening down to me. It’s a legacy I carry in my hands and, perhaps, in my very DNA.
Each time I press a seed into the earth, I think about those who came before me—their hands, their patience, their faith that something unseen would one day rise from the soil.
3. From Tiny Seed to Towering Stalk: A Testament to God’s Divine Grace
I look at a corn seed and marvel that something so small can grow into a towering stalk that bears magnificent ears of corn. It’s a miracle I never tire of witnessing. I prepare the soil, bury the seed, keep it watered and protected—but it’s God who brings the growth.
Watching that transformation reminds me of how much joy a simple act of growth can bring. If I find such wonder in seeing a tiny seed fulfill its purpose, how much greater must God’s joy be when He watches us grow into the people He designed us to be.
4. The Silent Seed: Dreams Waiting in the Palm of our Hands
But what if I held that seed in my hand, carried it around with me, and never planted it? What if I didn’t nurture it or give it the chance to become what it was meant to be? Its life would be cut short—not productive or useful. There’s a sadness to that.
In many ways, we hold our own “seeds” the same way—dreams, callings, or ideas that God has placed in our hearts but we’re hesitant to plant. Sometimes we fear failure. Sometimes we’re waiting for the perfect moment. Yet a seed wasn’t meant to stay in our hands; it was meant to grow.
5. The Courage of a Single Step: Lighting the Spark of Becoming
Likewise, what if we have a dream we carry around but never take action to make it a reality? Even the smallest spark can kindle a great fire—but it can also be snuffed out if we neglect it.
We may doubt our ability or hesitate to take that first small step. Life’s demands can easily crowd out what matters most. But if we listen closely, God’s Spirit nudges us toward growth, reminding us that every season has a purpose. Just because we couldn’t pursue a dream before doesn’t mean it’s too late now.
Perhaps this is the moment—today, right now—to plant the seed and begin. And even if our first efforts seem small or uncertain, God delights in the courage it takes to start
6. Joy in Small Beginnings: Where God’s Delight First Blooms
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
— Zechariah 4:10
I love the encouragement of this verse. It reminds me that God values our beginnings, no matter how modest they may appear. When we take that first obedient step toward a dream He’s placed in our hearts, He rejoices—not in the size of the work, but in our willingness to begin.
Amen. This is my word to you.
If you’re holding a dream, what steps can you take—even small ones—to make that dream become a goal, with smaller action steps along the way?
I think of the steps I’ve taken to become a writer. It has been one step at a time. Looking at the whole process can feel overwhelming, but what if God simply calls us to do the next thing—to be obedient in that one small step?
As I’ve walked this path, I’ve noticed something beautiful: God is stirring dreams in many hearts, not just mine. I see His creativity unfolding in the lives of others, too.
7. Echoes of Dreams: Stories of Hope Taking Flight
I have friends and school classmates who have taken new paths, and I’m in awe of what they’ve accomplished.
They’re writing stories and getting published, picking up musical instruments they once set aside and creating beautiful recordings. They’re painting in oils or watercolor, sketching with pen and ink, traveling to faraway places, volunteering at animal rescues, or retiring to a cabin in the woods and living more simply and fully.
Each one has taken a small beginning—an idea, a passion, a spark—and nurtured it into something life-giving. Their courage reminds me that it’s never too late to begin again.
Seeing their journeys reminds me that God is always at work, stirring new dreams and possibilities within us. What He’s done through others, He can also do through you.
8. Listening to the Whisper: Finding God’s Path Forward
If you sense God tugging at your heart, pray and seek His guidance through His Word. He will order your next steps on the way to that dream.
It may be a new-to-you dream, but it’s still valid. You can be one of those who intentionally goes after your dreams—whether you’re a young adult, someone who makes changes midstream in your career, or you’re pursuing your passion after retirement.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him by His hand.”
— Psalm 37:23–24
Following God’s direction doesn’t mean the path will always be smooth. Growth takes time, and sometimes the soil of our lives needs breaking before new roots can take hold. But every step, even the hard ones, is part of His plan to bring something beautiful to life.
9. Roots Beneath the Storm: Trusting God through Trials and Growth
There may be setbacks along the way, but God promises to be with us and uphold us through those times. Just as a gardener tends the soil after a storm, God tends our hearts, steadying us when we falter and renewing us when we grow weary.
The same God who rejoices over small beginnings will also sustain you through the seasons in between. Keep planting. Keep trusting. He will bring the growth—in His time and in His way.
Thank you for joining me today. If you haven’t already, I invite you to sign up for my newsletter below or at https://jeri-stockdale.kit.com/newsletter and you can visit the rest of my website for more information on my books and my writing journey.
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5. The Courage of a Single Step: Lighting the Spark of Becoming