I saw myself standing in a large field…the ground around me had all been turned and planted. The soil was so rich and fresh looking. I was leaning on a garden hoe and my face and hands were dirty and my hair disheveled. As I looked, I saw that I had planted seeds in the entire huge field…rows and rows of seeds…planted in faith. I heard, “Seeds of faith”. In that instant I could see the field as it was, and I could see into the dirt…all the planted seeds. I’d been working this field for a long time.
I instantly felt God all over this vision.
Life has felt challenging, and I’ve been wondering why I’m still fighting certain situations and circumstances over and over again…but right now, in this moment, talking to you, I see it’s because I’ve been planting such a LARGE field and I couldn’t be finished until every part of the field was set for a harvest.
The planting season has been long, and it’s felt never-ending. I know some of our closest friends have been wondering what is going on because we’re still here. All I can say is, “I’m sorry if our season of planting in faith is taking longer than you are comfortable with, but I REFUSE to not see ALL that God has for our family. I am so uncomfortable…sore and in some ways traumatized by all the work and fighting against disappointment, yet I will not relent.”
If I’m honest, I do know how long this will take…and that’s part of why I’ve wrestled so much. I’m ready to move forward, and don’t know why we’re still needing to be living in a town that has largely rejected us. In fact, we rarely ever even go into town except to go to the track for exercise. Why are we still needing to be here, God? What is the purpose? Even the extreme gas prices have forced the kids and I to remain here more than in Arkansas. Before they skyrocketed, we were going over there quite often and were building solid relationships and doing ministry…but now, we’re not. It’s hard and confusing sometimes, but here in this moment I feel that it is part of His plan. I surrender to Your plan God…right here, right now…in front of all my readers.
I keep coming across words saying that God will bring “our people” to us…those we will live life with and grow in our faith with…I keep seeing words and knowing it’s accurate that they will search us out. I can’t wait. I won’t lie, I’m lonely. I’m wondering where my steadfast and long-suffering partners are…but I know they are coming.
In the meantime, I’m walking out life as a steadfast and long-suffering partner with a few others. I’m giving what I want. I’m pouring out the water of my soul into their gardens while praying and believing for their harvest season, and I see that by watering them I am watering the seeds in my own field.
Harvest.
That’s the word God gave me for the Hurst Huddle’s 2022 year. (Sidenote: For those of you who don’t know, we call our family the Hurst Huddle.)
I know that our harvest is happening this year! It’s a now word for us. What was God’s word for your 2022 year?
We have reached the half-way point in the year, and this is a wonderful time to remind ourselves what God said He would do in our lives this year. Remind yourself today. If you didn’t ask God for a word over your year, it’s not too late to begin this practice. Lean in and listen and He will give you one…I am certain.
Our harvest season is here…it’s just that right now we are in the midst of the hard work. Right now, we are in the time when you can’t yet see the plants that will become the harvest. Some buds have broken the ground…and they bring me great hope.
So, I’ll simply lean into the wonder of it all.
As I weed, and water and wait…I chose wonder. Will you?
“If you follow My decrees and are careful to obey My commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live safely in your land. I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down, and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” Leviticus 26:3-13
365 Days in the Presence 