Cindy Edgett

Photography by Haas Mengloi

The Process of Planting a Garden

Planting a Garden entails many different aspects. There are a few different stages that take place from the beginning of planting a seed to the point of becoming a mature plant.  Before the seed can be planted, the ground has to be prepared and fertile.  I believe that this part of the process is life circumstances, which prepares the heart of a person to receive the Lord.  The heart is the ground that needs to be tilled, prepared.  Life and the enemy have a way of driving us one way or the other, either to Jesus or away from Him.  According to the Bible, it is within every person on this earth to be drawn to the Spirit of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Now the sower does his part, plant the seed, and within a short period of time, he watches as a plant comes forth. This is the process of evangelism, how ever that may look.  Evangelism sows a seed into the heart that God is preparing for its ultimate destination in eternity – Heaven.  There are many people who are called to walk up to a stranger and just start witnessing, encouraging or praying for that individual.  Even though they plant a seed, it does not mean that they will get to pray with them to receive salvation.  Sometimes they do!  But if you don’t get to do it all, it’s ok.  God will bring others to further the process in that individual.

The Waterer has to come back and water. His participation is to water, not to sow the seed. He may water for days, and then someone else takes over the watering process. Some people are called to water the plant, maybe help with healing the heart and soul, maybe encourage them and/or pray with them. This helps for the next stage of people who are also called to water — to disciple the plant.

There are those that are called to continue the watering process. This is another stage of growth in the plant. These are people who come along side of the plant to help equip and train – basically disciple the new believer.  This stage can take time. It is entirely the choice of the individual that is growing as to how fast they want to grow.  If you’re called to water, expect the best for that person, but don’t put unrealistic expectations on them.  We want the person to thrive, not to fail.  This is a careful process. You don’t want to under water so that they are starving, but you also don’t want to oversaturate them so that they drown and die.  So the waterer is a mature believer who discerns where the person is in their relationship with the Lord.

While growth is taking place, pests come quickly to destroy the plant. You have to find a pest killer to get rid of the bugs attacking the plant.  Some people are called to come along side and teach the new believer how to stand and war against the enemy. At this point, they teach them about their authority according to the Word of God.  They’re taught about the full Armor of God.  Then the individual has to learn how to stand on his/her own and defeat the darts of the enemy.  This is another stage of growth.

You also need someone who helps to weed the garden. This person will show the new believer how to pull the weeds out at the root. Weeds grow to try and strangle out the life of the plant.  This is when discouragement in life begins to enter. Offense tries to take hold and cut off the life of the plant.  Weeds steal from the plant.  If the weeds are left alone, they will take over the whole plant.  The weeds have to be pulled out at the root. This is where a Mentor is helpful in a person’s life.

Also during this stage of growth, the plant needs fertilizer to help it grow. Fertilizer is food. The plant must eat in order to stay healthy. Pastors and teachers are called to feed them the Word of God so that they grow and are healthy.  Hopefully, by this point, the person has learned to find food themselves as well so that they are constantly being fed.

People called to sow and harvest seem to really enjoy their part of bringing in the harvest. There is such a reward personally to be a part of that process. Yet the people who have come along side to heal, protect, encourage, mentor, weed and feed may not feel the same excitement as the sower and harvester because their job is continuous.  Just as the person watering or weeding may find little excitement for the sowing and harvesting process, the sower and harvester probably do not enjoy the tedious day-to-day process, either.  We all have different gifts and are not called to the same process.

Who are you in this process? Are you a sower? Are you called to water? Are you called to weed? Do you help feed or are you a harvester? Know what you are called to and do not allow the enemy to bring guilt or condemnation to you for being the one that is called to water and not to sow.  In different seasons of your life, you may serve in a different stage of the Salvation and discipleship experience. You may serve in all of them; but remember that no matter where you serve, each stage is vitally important to the new believer.

What is common to all of these people is that they all share in the harvest. Their goal is to bring the person from a seed, a baby plant, all the way to maturity.  So regardless of which stage you are called to, God is pleased that you are working in His Kingdom for one common goal — to save those that are lost!

Luke 8:5-8 (NKJV) 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

No matter where you serve in the harvest, I hope for each of us one day to hear these words from our Heavenly Father:  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Matthew 25:21 (NKJV) His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’

Photography by Haas Mengloi

Recently at church, Ps. Melissa Pierce, Generation Church preached the message instead of Ps. Ben.  Melissa is a great encourager and always brings a great Word from the Lord.  She made a statement that has resonated with me since last week.  “The cure for judging others is self-evaluation.”  It’s a powerful statement if you let it sink in.  It reminds me of the scripture in Matthew.

Matthew 7:1-5 (NKJV)

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

When I was in my 20’s right out of college, I began my career as a court reporter.  In that profession, you end up waiting around sometimes in courtrooms, deposition rooms, etc., and you find yourself spending quite a bit of time with attorneys.  I remember a conversation with a defense attorney that actually shocked me at the time.  He said during the jury selection process, if a person tells him that they are a Christian, he uses one of his challenges to get them off of the jury.  I asked him why?  I thought that he would want a Christian on the jury, someone who is fair and impartial, full of love, compassion, mercy and a sense of justice.  He said, “Christians are the most judgmental people I know.”  How do you even respond to that?  I was so grieved in my spirit.

So why are Christians so judgmental?  After all, don’t we hold ourselves up to the same standards that we would hold someone else?  Maybe “that” is the problem.   Maybe we don’t.  Maybe the solution is to look at the plank in our eye instead of our neighbor’s.  Maybe it’s time to do some “self-evaluation.”

What does judging others actually do for us?  I think it is a way of putting ourselves in a higher position in our heart and mind.  Yet the belief that causes us to judge someone and exalt ourselves is actually a deception, a lie that we have believed.  The only One who can bring truth to the lies that we believe and break the deception is the Lord.

How does judging that person make me feel?  Prideful? Ashamed?  Find out what pride and shame speak to you, and maybe then you’ll be ready to hear truth from the One who is Truth.  The Bible says that if you ask, He will answer.  So when you catch yourself judging someone else, ask the Lord why you’re really doing it.  Ask Him to reveal what is deep inside that has been hurt and/or probably judged by someone else.  Ask Him what He wants you to know about that situation or that hurt, that judgment from others.  If you will sit with Him, take time with Him, He will heal your heart and restore it to a far better place.  Then when you are tempted to judge someone for the speck in their eye, maybe you will be willing to first get the plank out of yours so that you are able to see from God’s perspective.

Let us be Christians who are known for their love and unity.  Let us, as Christians, lead by example according to Timothy.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NKJV) 12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Let it never be said that Christians are the most judgmental people.

February 4, 2016

Whether you are a Christian or not, at some point in your life, disappointment will come; however, the way we handle it may very well be the breakthrough moment we’ve actually been waiting for.

I love the story of Hannah, probably because I can personally relate to it.  After six years of marriage, my husband and I were told by the doctor that we would not have children of our own and that we would need to adopt. That was truly one of my deepest desires, to have a husband and a family. So like Hannah, I was so sad and deeply disappointed.  I can remember each time that I would hear that someone was pregnant; their good news would trigger my personal pain.  It wasn’t that I was not happy for them; I just desired to have children of my own.

Hannah had her own personal pain.  The Bible says that she was barren.  Hannah and Peninnah were both wives of Elkanah.  Peninnah had many children.  The Bible says that she “provoked” Hannah in regard to having no children.   Every year, year after year, Peninnah, Hannah’s rival, would harass Hannah about being barren.  Finally, I think Hannah had lost all hope; all that was left was disappointment.  Something had to change for her.  So Hannah went to the House of the Lord.  Eli, the Priest, found her outside of the temple crying in anguish.  She could have done many things:  she could have hardened her heart and walked away; she could have been angry with the Lord; she could have vowed to never receive anything from the Lord again. She was at a moment of decision.  Instead of walking away, she went right to Him.  She poured out her heart, every bit of her disappointment.  The Lord heard her cries, and granted her request through the Priest, Eli.  In exchange for the Lord giving her a son, Hannah made a vow to give him back to the Lord.

Every mother sacrifices for her children; however, for those that had many children, like Peninnah, they probably did not understand that specific sacrifice.  As for Hannah, who had longed for a child, finally had one of her own, and then she gave him back to the Lord, to Eli, to raise, she had to have some kind of exchange with the Lord that enabled her to do it.  I believe she saw God in her circumstances.

Matthew 5: 8 (NKJV) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

The word “see” in the Greek is “Chadar” which means Chamber.  The root of Chadar means to enclose, enter a privy chamber. It is the innermost part. Webster’s’ Dictionary says: Privy is the sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private).

I believe when Hannah stepped into His chamber, the secret place with God, and she poured out her heart, her disappointment, there was an exchange.  She gave Him her disappointment, and she walked away with a confidence and peace that only He could give.  Her outlook and beliefs about her circumstances had changed in her mind and in her heart.  In reality, nothing in the natural had changed; but in one moment with God, everything changed for her.  I believe in that moment, Hannah’s hope was renewed for having her own child.  I think she left the temple in peace, and with anticipation that she would have a son.  She didn’t know when, but she knew in her heart that it would happen.

The story goes on to tell us that Hannah had a son and named him Samuel.  Samuel was one of the greatest Old Testament Prophets.  (I Samuel 1&2)  After Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord, the Bible says that she had three sons and two daughters.  I believe that one key moment with the Lord, gave her the breakthrough that she had been waiting for in her life.

Is there a situation or circumstance in your life that has brought you to a place of total discouragement?  Maybe it’s time for you to step into His Chamber – His Chadar, and ask God, the Creator of the Universe, to exchange your disappointment for hope for your future, for your circumstances.  Go to the secret place with Him; enter His Chamber.

Psalm 91:1 (NKJV)

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

In closing, Curtis and I were blessed with children of our own and with many spiritual sons and daughters.  We have raised three young men and God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters.  The picture above is our Face time Christmas photo for 2015.  When I look at this picture, I’m reminded that God has certainly taken our sadness and disappointment and exchanged it for joy and anticipation for greater!

Today I was reminded of the simplicity of faith — child-like faith.

Years ago, I was at home and very sick with the flu.  My children were young at the time.  Brandon was 8; Reid was 5; and Keith was 2.  I was in the bathroom, feeling as though I was puking my brains out.  All of the boys came in to try and help me.  Brandon rubbed my back and held my hair back.  Reid grabbed a wet wash cloth for me and stood by waiting to help. Keith stood at the side of me and laid his hand on my shoulder and said, “Jesus, Jesus.”  At that moment, I stopped throwing up.  I went back out to the living room and laid on the couch.  Still pretty out of it, I heard the Lord say, “You would still be throwing up if it weren’t for your son.”  I laid there recalling what Keith had spoken – two simple words, “Jesus, Jesus.” Yet these are two of the most powerful words that you can speak!

Keith didn’t have his Masters in Divinity, what he had was his faith at 2 ½ years old that said that if he prayed, I would be healed.  It was that simple.  You see, Keith saw Curtis and I pray, and he saw God answer.  He did what his parents did, and look at the result.  The Bible says that we are to do what our parent – our Heavenly Father does.

John 5:19      (NKJV)  19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Jesus did what He saw His Father do and He spoke what He heard His Father say.  I think the key here is “listening” for the Father’s heart when we pray.  I think that sometimes we just rush into praying out of a routine instead of simply listening for His voice, His direction, His Word.  The Lord taught me through my 2 ½ year old, that simple is powerful! The mighty name of Jesus spoken twice was more powerful than a five-minute religious dialogue.  I have tried to learn through his example to wait and just listen for my Father’s heart.

You hear in many industries the phrase, “Go big or go home.”  Actually, I think it’s the opposite.  I think “less is more.”  When we decrease, the Holy Spirit can increase.  He can do a greater work with less than I can do with more.  So let us, as followers of Christ, follow Jesus’ example to listen to the Father’s heart – His voice.  Let us be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to move through our prayers.  I believe God is ready to move mountains on our behalf; heaven is just waiting to hear our voice.

Photography by Haas Mengloi

God’s timing is not always our timing; but His timing is always perfect.

Have you ever felt like you were spinning your wheels?  It seems as though no matter what you do, nothing changes.  You continue pressing forward, but everything stays the same.  You don’t see anything changing.  I think that sometimes God wants to do something in the present moment of our lives, but maybe we are not in agreement with Him.  We must declare His vision for our futures, for our lives. How do we do that? Choose carefully, the words that you speak.  Speak life over yourself, over your family, over all that God has given to you. 

Has God given you a promise but you have yet to see it fulfilled? Have you given up because the word or the vision that God gave you years ago seems as if it will never come to pass? Have the days and years gone by, and you’ve become discouraged? Maybe you need to change the words that you speak.

God told Abram that he would be the Father of many nations.  It was actually 25 years from the time that God gave Abram the promise and the time that Isaac was born.  The name Abram means Exalted Father; and the name Abraham means Father of many Nations.  The name Sarai means Princess; and the name Sarah means Princess of many.  In Genesis 17 God changed both of their names from the singular form to the plural form.  I’m sure Abram didn’t understand how this was going to happen since he and Sarah were so old, but the Bible says that Abram believed God’s promise.  Genesis 15:6 says, “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”

They had waited 24 years for God’s promise to take place.  Abram even tried to help God’s prophecy along by having a child with Hagar. We have all done that at times.  We think that God needs our help.  You have to remember that Abraham was 99 years old, and the Bible says Sarah was beyond the child bearing age.  When their names were changed, every time they called out to one another, they were speaking – declaring God’s promise over one another. 

Their words had to change.  We don’t know what words were spoken during that 24 years before God changed their names.  Maybe they were grumbling about their lives and how it was turning out.  Maybe days and years went by and they gave up.  Maybe they settled to live in the place they were because hopelessness told them nothing would ever change.  Yes, we are to be content with where we are in life; but what if God has more for us?  Being complacent in a place where we’re not supposed to be will not bring contentment.  It will probably be a breeding ground for negativity, discouragement, hopelessness, confusion and more.

I love how the Lord allowed them to walk their own way for 24 years; but then one day it was as if God said, ok, enough is enough.  I’m going to help them change their destiny by changing their words.  We know the story, after God changed their names to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac was born one year later. 

Sometimes we need to be reminded about the words we speak.  Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) says:  21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Let’s declare through positive words our destiny for this life.  Allow faith to rise up within you to believe that God really and truly has your best interest at heart.  Jeremiah 29:11 will begin to feel true to you.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

As 2016 begins, be conscious of the words that you speak.  Make a decision today to not think and speak negatively.  Let’s speak life over our households.  Maybe it’s time today to align our thoughts and words with what our Heavenly Father thinks about us and declares over us.  Maybe today is God’s timing, and He’s just waiting for us.