Watching Faith Seeds Grow

Watching Faith Seeds Grow

A Gradual Life Transformation

This little mint garden was a hostess gift I received from my Sister Ann at Christmas time. In the chaos of the season, it managed to get lost in the back of my pantry, where it was just recently discovered. After following the very specific instructions, I managed to coax a few little seedlings into life. Perhaps its the severity of this winter season, or just my longing to see something green, but I was ecstatic when their delicate sprouts broke through the soil.

A similar, but much more profound growth has taken place for my husband recently. Like many people, Mike had exposure to “religion” as a child and even served as an acolyte (aka altar boy.) As Mike grew into adulthood his questioning mind became skeptical of whether God actually existed. In fact, he was quite certain he did not. Then came the diagnosis of ALS and the “faith question” became a much bigger issue. Literally a matter of life and death.

Answered Prayers

God knows exactly what each of us needs to be awakened to His truth. For Mike, this took the form of a series of TV shows that explored the historical and spiritual side of faith. Things started to change when he realized a higher power had to be involved in creating the intricacies of nature and the human body. Easter was upon us shortly after that, and its significance became very personal for Mike. Death is not the end because Jesus overcame death with his victory on the cross. Slowly, Mike’s faith broke through.

While we have the opportunity to be the sowers of faith seeds, God is the one who ultimately makes them grow. This became abundantly clear when I found this prayer box, a gift from Mike a few years back. There were just a few prayers recorded on these small pages, but their significance was quite big. As I read through the prayers, I realized every single one has been answered. The most important prayer being “help Mike to come closer to you every day.”

Do You Have A Foundation?

Mike and I recently watched a Netflix movie we really enjoyed called An Interview with God. In one scene our main character, a journalist, asks God whether a person has to have faith to be a moral person. God answers no, but likens that person to a house without a foundation. He goes on to say, “you better hope you are never shaken.”

Forgive my rough paraphrasing from this scene (my memory is not the greatest.) Regardless of the exact wording, the message is crystal clear. We WILL be shaken in our lifetime. It’s only a matter of when. When that happens, will your foundation be strong enough to support you? Does it include the creator of the universe, the one who defeated death and the living Spirit of God?

Heavenly Father, I pray that you will take the seeds that are planted in your name and make them grow. Even when that growth can seem imperceptible, let us not lose heart. May you become a strong foundation to all who believe in you so they know where to turn when they are shaken. I pray this in your matchless eternal name, Jesus.