What seeds of faith am I planting?

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023 / humblevalleyranch / Leave a comment

Recently, I became a co-admin of a seed library and found out that I would be planting seeds in order to have plants to sell as a fund-raising plant sale. My prayer for this started last year.

I was told that the seed library was receiving only 1/4 of the money raised at the plant sell and I became somewhat righteously angry. I started praying that if it be GOD’s will, that I would be able to donate plants towards the sell so that they would get 100% of the money raised. I was just thinking about a couple of dozen plants.

In March I was talking to the seed library lead and she was telling me that many of the plants that were started earlier in the year had been tossed around by the wind and were not going to make it for the sale. So I was given the “go-ahead” to grow some seeds for the sale. Reminder, I was only thinking a couple dozen plants. However, GOD’s plans are not our plans. I’d been given some Amazon gift cards for a class I took, so found myself looking at gardening supplies….and bought a 40 pack of twelve 1″x1″ square (40*12=480) peat planters. Plus I already had about 60 peat cups. So, I started planted seeds in 540 peat cups! Now mind you, just because you plant a seed doesn’t mean it will sprout or become a plant.

However, GOD’s plans are not our plans. I’d been given some Amazon gift cards for a class I took, so found myself looking at gardening supplies….and bought a 40 pack of twelve 1″x1″ square (40*12=480) peat planters.

Have you ever asked GOD to use something you are doing in the physical for the spiritual good?

As I was planting the physical seeds, I started praying that God would use the seeds that I was planting to bear spiritual fruit.

“ABBA FATHER LORD JESUS HOLY SPIRIT thank You that You are able to use what we do in the physical in spiritual ways. Physical seeds can be spiritual seeds planted! LORD remind us of this and empower us to sow generously in all we do.”

PLANT GENEROUSLY

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (TPT) “Here’s my point. A stingy sower will reap a meager harvest, but the one who sows from a generous spirit will reap an abundant harvest. Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious duty. Let it spring up freely from the joy of giving—all because God loves hilarious generosity!”

The Aramaic can be translated “the one who sows with a storehouse of seed” (remaining). This describes a farmer who is stingy with his sowing since he has a storehouse of seed he can afford to sow liberally.

All throughout scriptures, we see both natural and spiritual implications of this cycle.

NATURAL: if you plant a few seeds, you will reap a small harvest. If you plant hundreds or thousands of seeds, you will reap a large harvest.

SPIRITUAL: When we “plant” our time, money, talent, and energy into the Kingdom of GOD we are investing in Him and His plan – and He can certainly multiply our efforts.

Some of the seeds just did not come up, they composted (become soil again) or were no longer viable. Which surprised me, because I soaked all the seeds before I planted them (and they passed the viability test).

Some of the seeds became seedlings but either got too cold, too hot or munched by bugs.

And some seeds were slow in coming up because we had an unseasonably cold spring this year. These were brand new seedlings for the sale, so few were sold.

A lot of the seeds became seedlings and thrived to become plants ready to be sold.

Because of all the variables above (becoming compost, dying plants, slow germination), if I would have been stingy in sowing, I wouldn’t have had near as many plants I ended up with.

We shouldn’t give to get though, we are to sow with the right heart. I was not growing plants for me to receive money or acknowledgement, I was growing plants because I desired to see the seed library succeed in their plant sale, so they could succeed in their mission…and praying that GOD would use it to plant spiritual seeds in the community.

Proverbs 11:18 (BSB) The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

Hosea 10:12 (HCSB) Sow righteousness for yourselves and reap faithful love; break up your unplowed ground. It is time to seek the Lord until He comes and sends righteousness on you like the rain.

I read this verse several days before the plant sale. I prayed that GOD would break up the unplowed land of our hardened hearts and to plant righteousness and faithful love. Before that, we had A LOT of rain and no more was expected for the season. In fact, it was unseasonably warm, in the upper 80’s and 90’s.

I was getting some signs printed for the plant sale at a store. I was talking with one employee and when she briefly walked away, I started fanning my face and another employee (who was busy with another customer, leaned over to me and said, “you know it’s going to rain next week!?!”

I laughed! I had not prayed the rest of the verse! “LORD, please send Your righteousness upon us like rain!” It not only rained one day, but on and off for a week!

WHAT ARE YOU CULTIVATING IN YOUR LIFE?

What am I cultivating in my life? Am I cultivating weeds of worldliness or a relationship with GOD? Cultivating a relationship with GOD will bear the fruit of the SPIRIT .

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The Sunday before the plant sale, I was writing my prayer request for the plant sale “Please pray that GOD will use the seeds I have planted physically for a spiritual harvest.” As I wrote, the person speaking just happened to read from First Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 36-9 (GNT) I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow. There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done. For we are partners working together for God, and you are God’s field.

It gave me great joy, belief and hope that He indeed was hearing my prayers and was already answering them.

I had well over 500 plants by the time the plant sale came. We raised over $700 and somehow I had well over 200 plants left. I know GOD was the One Who brought the success of the plant sale. And I believe that He is growing the spiritual seeds planted into a harvest for His Kingdom purposes.

Ask yourself, “How am I sowing spiritual seeds in my life and the lives of others? What types of seeds am I planting? Am I trusting God will multiply my efforts when I have harvested in his kingdom with the right heart?

Take some time today to reflect on what you’re planting and reaping and ask God to direct your steps.

Please let me know what GOD shows you, what you are sowing into His Kingdom as well as what harvest you see Him bring in through your planting and watering

Let your generosity be contagious

November 18, 2021 / humblevalleyranch / 8 Comments

Today would have been my grandpa’s 100th birthday. I miss him very much. One of the things I miss about him is the stories he would tell.

During World War II, he was part of the Army Air Corps and was stationed in England. He was a mechanic of the planes, so he would be on the ground the entire time while he was there.

During that time, people were sending their children from London, and other cities that were being bombed, into the country to stay with family, friends and even strangers so that the children would be safe. My grandpa said that these children would be walking without adults, usually the older ones caring for the younger ones.

It was nearing the holidays and my grandpa came up with an idea. He told his buddies that they could all give up a pair of socks and some of the items that they had received from home. Everyone liked the idea and were making much talk about it.

At one point, a commanding officer heard about it and decided to get in the act too! He told some of the flyboys to see what they could bring back to add to the socks. When they returned, they had crates of oranges with them.

So, each man took a pair of socks, loot from their boxes from home and two oranges. Then, as they saw the kids walking past, they would give each child a “stocking”.

As a child, I wondered if this was really true. BUT, one time I was on a plane going somewhere and I started reading the airline magazine. I read a story of an English man who as a child was sent by his parents from London into the country to stay with family so he would be safe…AND that American men from the Army Air Corps gave him and each of his siblings a sock filled with things and an orange. The man in the article went on to say that their generosity greatly impacted his life and caused him to desire to be as generous too.

Generosity doesn’t just look like gifts or money, it can be kind or encouraging words, praying for people, giving of time and service.

My grandpa was definitely a generous person and I know that his generosity has greatly impacted my life as well!

I really miss my grandpa. I would love to hear his voice again and get a hug from him. Happy 100th birthday from heaven Grandpa!! 🎉🎊🪅

I really wish I would have kept that airline magazine article. I have looked and looked online but unable to find it! (If anyone finds it, please send it to me!)

I want to challenge you, not just in these days of the coming holiday season, but throughout the year, to be so generous that it becomes contagious.

I pray that GOD will give you eyes to see the needs of people around you so that you can encourage and build them up…and that He will show you ways in which your generosity becomes contagious!

Black bird

August 25, 2021October 25, 2021 / humblevalleyranch / 4 Comments

I love how the GOD of ALL creation can use anything…. ANYTHING to speak to us.

I’ve been wanting to go on a GOD-date again. (That is where I get away from the normal day to day to spend time with GOD. But it’s been hard because I don’t drive. Hard to believe that I haven’t since February 2019!) Anyway, I have been praying for an opportunity to get out of the house and maybe even get to the beach again.

Well today was the day! Yay! Praise GOD my friend was going to be able to take me over the hill to the beach! I knew it was going to be chilly so I was going to take layers. I had mostly purples but felt like I was supposed to take my black UCSF sweatshirt too.

We took our time getting there since it was overcast. But by 2:00pm ish the sun was out and we were finding our way to the Capitola Beach.

There were sea gulls, pelicans, a black heron that was fishing near the shore and some pigeons. The out of nowhere, a little black bird came walking past us. After I said, “Well, hello little black bird.” We both instantly started to sing…”Black bird singing in the dead of night…”

https://youtu.be/Man4Xw8Xypo (Listen to the Beatles, Black bird)

I had to look up the song because we couldn’t remember the words. It’s crazy, the Beatles and Paul McCartney should not be worship worthy songs. BUT GOD….the GOD of ALL creation is able to use ALL things!

Are you you singing in the dead of night? Are you singing in the deepest areas of pain? Worshipping GOD when ALL looks hopeless? Are you worshipping GOD when your wings are broken and you are unable to fly? Are you worshipping GOD when you are unable to see what lies ahead?

Could it be that if you worship that you will see that what you have been waiting for is right here. You are free in Christ to fly, spread your wings and fly into the light. Take your light into the dark.

I found myself worshipping GOD on the beach. I was wearing black. I was the black bird. I need to worship in my suffering more. I need to be willing to take the light He has placed in me into the darkness more than I do too.

How about you? Do you feel challenged?

Challenging you to create a Psalm

November 16, 2016February 4, 2021 / humblevalleyranch / 3 Comments

At the beginning of August, I started reading a Psalm a day. Weeks before, I was asking God to increase my confidence in Him. I decided to use an older Bible that I had not used in a while and when I turned to Psalm 1, I read many notes that I had written in the Bible years earlier. One of the notes reads: “Confident believers are happy because their faith is adequate to provide them total trust. (The Upper Room Disciplines 2000, May 29).” What a great confirmation that God was going to increase my confidence in Him.

Also, a Women’s Bible study came available right around then, “A Sweeter the Honey Study of the Psalms”. I signed right up. It was filled with so many good and tasty treats from God’s Word, Yummy! (Taste and see that the LORD is good, oh the joy of those who trust in Him. Psalm 34:8). It was really a blessing and truly a help to increase my confidence in God.

One of our assignments was to write a Psalm. We were given a tool (below) based on Psalm 18. The day that the ladies in my class shared our Psalms, I challenged my Facebook friends and family to create a Psalm of their own. Several people asked me for tips and tools to start their Psalms, so here they are.

Pray that God will help you.
Be honest with yourself and God – open up.
Take down notes of Bible verses that minister to you, your life verse or other verses.
Be creative – whatever that looks like to you.
Spend time silently with God asking Him to speak to you.
Listen to things that others say that encourage you or speak to you.
Use the tool below as a guide.
Have fun!

Believe it or not, you might be surprised with what comes through your writing time. After I read mine aloud to the group, one of the leaders said, “What a beautiful Psalm of Confidence”. So I renamed it. I had not told her that I desired to have more confidence in God. But that is what came to light in the finished product through the process of writing.

This is just a tool. I will add my picture Psalm as well as my written Psalm below. Some of the ladies in my class wrote Psalms similar to the template, but others started with it and ended up with something far different. One lady set her Psalm to music and another lady had an Ebenezer (Rock of Victory or Memorial stone) which she had written on. You can paint or draw a picture, put together a collage of pictures or words. You can write a song or a story. Spend some time asking God what He would like you to do. I don’t draw very well, but I am inspirited (excited) that my picture actually looks like a treasure chest! Be creative!

Psalm 151 A Psalm of _________________ (your name)

I love You, O Lord, my _____________________________(What/who is God to you, eg. Savior, Refuge, Counselor). The Lord is my _______________________, my ______________________ and my ____________________ because He _______________________________ (Write something God has done for you) I will praise Him.
(Explain your situation, distress, enemy,….here, and write how it makes you feel) ____________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
I trust You Lord with ______________________________________________ (Your situation, future, enemy, …) and know that You will hear me. Lord, give me victory over ______________________ _____________________________, give me strength for the battles/suffering that may lie ahead; and give me grace and mercy as I wait upon You.
Lord, You delivered me by _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Lord, I praise You _______________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

A Picture of my drawn Psalm: The LORD is my Treasure, my very Great Reward:

A Psalm of Confidence – Psalm 151

Beloved LORD and My God, my confidence and hope are in You. You are my Rock and my Refuge; You are my Shield and my Buckler. You are my Path and my Guide. You are my Light and my Life, apart from You there is nothing. You alone are my Provider, my Inheritance, my very Great Reward.

I am Your daughter, You have chosen me. In You alone will I trust; I will not lack anything and I will not be put to shame. Oh I long for the day that flesh and distractions no longer get in the way of a sweet time with You. Then I will fully know You and Your great love for me.

Thank You LORD that You hear me, that You communicate with me and respond to me. You hear me when I cry and You answer me.

God, I need You! Unless You come through, there is no hope (Tikvah) and the enemy will have won. He mocks me saying, “she will never recover from her ‘sacrifice’ or from debt she has accrued and will accrue.” The enemy taunts with lies saying I am not hireable where I can receive a decent wage and benefits. He says no decent vehicle will be found for me to own, and there’s no place to call home. He says all the men who follow You are married or too busy to want to be with “the likes of me”.

I praise You LORD, You catch me in a net of Your mercy and grace so that I will not fall into the enemy’s web of lies. I praise You LORD, Your Word illuminates the darkest places and brings truth to light.

LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the enemy. Help me, LORD my God, for I rely on You, and in Your name (Ha Shem) I have come against the vast lies of the enemy. LORD, You are my God; do not allow the enemy to be victorious in his plot to ruin me. Do not allow anyone to look at my circumstances and say that it is because You do not exist or that You do not care.

LORD You are the Cornerstone and Foundation. You are an Anchor in the storm. You are the All-Powerful Creator God and Conquering King. With one command from Your mouth, LORD the enemy will be put to death.

Abba Father, LORD Jesus, Holy Spirit, You love me, You have a very good plan for me and You are in control! I am confident that I will see Your goodness in the land of the living.“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” May those who do not know You see what You have done for me and know that You alone have moved on my behalf.

So, consider yourself officially challenged by me to create a Psalm to God. Please share with me (and others) what you end up creating. May I also encourage you to give others the same challenge??? You never know what will come of it!

Also see the story and the Psalm from the “Sweeter than Honey Bible study continued… Challenged to write another Psalm.

Up for a Baking Challenge

October 2, 2016 / humblevalleyranch / Leave a comment

I enjoy a good challenge every once in a while. Do you?

Around November of last year a friend and I were out shopping when we came across a kit to make a pineapple upside down cake. I looked at the ingredients and didn’t know what a lot of them were so I put it back on the shelf. I’ve made a pineapple upside down cake before and I don’t recall it having unknown ingredients. Anyway, as I was putting it back on the shelf, I said, “Wouldn’t a coconut and pineapple upside down cake taste good?” I got a, “Uhhh Yah!” out of my friend.

Well, I had just had surgery a little less than a month before that conversation and I was no where ready for a baking challenge. I shared my idea with several ladies at church and they all agreed that a coconut pineapple upside down cake would taste good.

Between not feeling up to baking and not feeling creative, I kept putting off looking to find a recipe. Then one of the ladies told me that she was having to go on a low-potassium, low-sodium diet and she was having a hard time finding recipes. Actually, several of my friends have been placed on the same diet, so I felt a challenge to help them come up with something yummy to eat.

I looked online to see if I could find any recipes and was surprised that I couldn’t find any…well until today when I actually thought of looking up “pina colada” muffins…Go figure, I have already made my own recipe! Haaa Haaa!

Here it is: Low-potassium, low-sodium, Processed sugar-free, Coconut Pineapple upside down muffins! (long name!)

1 C Quick Oats

1 Cup Shredded Wheats (or other low-potassium/low-sodium cereal) Shredded/broken up

1/2 C Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1/2 C Coconut Sugar

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt (optional)

1 C Butter Milk *(See notes)

2 T melted unsalted Butter

2 T melted coconut oil (Or use 1/4 C Butter or 1/4 Coconut oil if you don’t want to mix them)

1 – 2 t vanilla

1 egg

Topping

1/4 – 1/2 C Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1 C Unsweetened Pineapple (or 1 1/2 C Frozen pineapple – Trader Joe’s brand is good)

*If using canned pineapple, reserve the juice and use it as part of the liquid and reduce the amount of buttermilk. Also, if you don’t have buttermilk, mix regular milk in with the pineapple juice and allow it to sit for 3 to 5 minutes. The acid in the pineapple will curdle the milk to make buttermilk.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Grease or butter your muffin tins (this makes 12). Distribute the coconut from topping as evenly as possible between 12 tins. Brown the coconut in the oven for 2-3 minutes (watching it so that it does not burn). Once you pull the muffin tins out of the oven, distribute the pineapple evenly on top of the coconut in the 12 tins (2/3 ring fits perfectly or 4 pieces if cut up).

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Add the egg and the rest of the wet ingredients mixing well. Once combined, add the mixture on top of the coconut in the 12 tins. Bake for 18-23 minutes watching to make sure they don’t burn.

When you take them out of the oven, let them sit in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before taking them out. I had to scoop some of the coconut from the tins onto the muffins, but other than that, they looked delicious!!!

It was worth the challenge. I hope my friends will enjoy the special treat.

Have you been given a challenge that you have not completed for some reason? I encourage you – no, challenge you – to complete it. Please share with me how it turns out. Do you have a challenge for me? Let me know.

God bless you!