There’s a Reason

A few miles from where I went to college, a friend of ours had a plot of land with a creek running through it. 

He’d timbered a portion of the property and even though the land was a bit scarred up, it was open to the sunshine—with ample fresh water.

Digging out a garden was a tough challenge. Ironically, it was also a difficult season in our lives. 

The garden came to represent our hope in a future we couldn’t see. We planted seeds, nurtured them, and waited. When the earth yielded succulent veggies, it was worth the effort.




In late fall, we moved to my mom’s property and decided to create a new garden—in another area riddled with tree roots and rocks.

We cultivated the ground, and the fresh earth was ready for seeds, but it wasn’t planting season. Waiting had never been easy for me. The garden was teaching me patience.

But we moved before we had a chance to plant—our effort would help someone else’s garden.










New gardens were planted every time I moved—mostly small plots, with big hopes. It seemed that however long I stayed, there needed to be the promise of growth. 

Life and gardening both have seasons—some easier than others. I’ve learned there’s a reason for every difficult season. 

But if I grow through the hard season, work through the challenges—even till some new ground, then eventually there’ll be a good harvest—whether it be a harvest of food or a harvest of faith.

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