By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”(Luke 8:8)
Our daughter and son-in-law love to garden and have turned their part-time hobby into a summertime field of greens. I’m pretty confident they will own a farm someday. Their love for animals, gardens, and wide open spaces is being squelched by the suburbs.
It’s cute to see Heather in her element. During my last visit, she was so eager to show me how her plants were thriving. She made sure I experienced the garden with all my senses, plucking edible delights, right off the plants, and encouraging me to give them a try. I was thankful to know my grand pups were not marking their territory on this side of the fence… if you know what I mean.
She then went on to explain how some plants returned year after year— perennials, while others were only harvested for a season—annuals.
I pointed to a few plants growing up between the garden boxes and asked if they were weeds. She explained that they were not weeds but volunteers, plants that had started to grow on their own from the seeds dropped naturally the previous year.
God wasted no time in giving me a spiritual lesson for the day. Perhaps it will encourage you too.
Living in Truth Ministries (LITM) is in its seventh year. When I said yes to God, I had no idea things would go this far. I’ve been amazed to see God at work year after year. Although it’s thrilling to see the ministry grow, it’s also a lot of work. Recruiting worker bees has been challenging to say the least. I was growing discouraged by the lack of ministry help and began wondering if I had come to the end of my Living in Truth journey.
I prayed to God, telling Him that I wanted to be in His will. If He said it was time to close up shop, I would, but if He wanted me to keep going, I would persevere through.
My standing prayer has been this: I will do whatever you ask, Lord; just help me be strong and courageous.
Shortly after that prayer, God brought me to the following Scripture.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:4-8)
God often speaks to me through His Word. I felt confident God was calling me to push through the obstacles and keep moving forward, even though I couldn’t see how it was possible without more help.
God is faithful.
Shortly after I committed to staying the course, God began opening doors. Our daughter who has a marketing degree had been looking for some part time work in her home. Because of a generous donor to Living in Truth Ministries (LITM), we were finally in a financial position to hire a part-time employee. Heather has strengths and abilities where I am weak, so hiring her was a perfect fit.
Shortly thereafter, a woman emailed to ask if we were hiring. I told her that we were not in a position to hire anyone else at the time, but mentioned I would still love to meet with her and hear her story.
After a three hour meeting, she and I both sensed God had connected us for a purpose. She said that she was passionate about our ministry mission and wanted to pursue the possibility of becoming a volunteer instead.
Not only does this woman have firsthand experience with an eating disorder, but she also has teaching credentials in the medical field. I couldn’t have found this woman on my own if my life depended on it. And yet, here she was, eager to be involved and passionate about our cause. (God’s ways are not our ways.)
God also brought forth three women who had been part of a recent healing group. They too had expressed interest in LITM and wanted to explore the possibility of volunteering in some capacity.
I was growing more and more excited as I watched God provide for our needs in ways I never could have imagined.
God had also connected me with a Christian woman who was a registered dietitian. I asked her to be a guest speaker during the nutrition week of our program and was so impressed by her approach to nutrition and her knowledge of God’s Word; I approached her about becoming a more involved volunteer.
Guess what? She said yes!
The most recent connection will blow your mind. I had just finished speaking at an all-girls Christian school sharing my testimony when a young lady came up and introduced herself. She said that she was a senior getting ready to graduate and was looking for an opportunity to volunteer as an intern over the summer. She mentioned something about her affiliation with Miss America and how she was passionate to help women find confidence through inner beauty. After hearing me speak, she was excited about our mission and wanted to know how she could get more involved. Before I go further, I need to explain that when she said she was affiliated with Miss America, I mean…. she is Miss Portsmouth Ohio! She is competing for the title of Miss Ohio in June, and if she wins that title, she will compete for Miss America in September. (How crazy is that!)
I share all of this for one reason—to boast about God, to give Him the glory and honor that He so rightly deserves.
Like scattered seed bursting forth from the ground, God alone has brought these women forward. He alone is growing this ministry, and He alone gets the credit.
Moving forward with eyes fixed on Jesus, I’m filled with hope and pressing on.
Take a moment to reflect on your own life and see where God has scattered seed and cultivated a harvest without your help.
Lord, may it continue to be ALL OF YOU and none of me.
