Words. So powerful. Life or death. They can either propel someone forward. Or set them back. Lift someone up. Or push them down. Words are powerful!

My 5-year-old has been so intrigued with seeds! For the space of several months now every time he eats a fruit or anything with a seed, he meticulously sets aside some of those seeds to plant. We’ve had conversations about seeds…and more conversations about seeds! He knows he will get what he plants when it’s harvest time and that excites him. It’s a dynamic law of nature and science that can’t be reversed. And so, he plants away in all good faith that whatever he plants will grow! Some of his seeds have been forgotten about till months later. Others have popped up at some unique places. Potatoes by the bush house they play in. Field corn by the shed. Peas coming up against the garage. He’s constantly planting. In his mind, he already has those potatoes and peas and corn even though he has to wait for them. Other times I’ve seen him dump a container because he forgot all about it, but still he plants more. All the while it speaks to me about my faith and what I’m sowing into, particularly with my words.

Eventually, I began to slow the frantic rush for those big chunks of time and started paying attention to the hunger—the craving—instead. I realized He was longing to train me to hear His voice WHILE I was on the run. Mom life rocked my little boat of quiet times pretty violently, in fact. And I was a mess. A couple years ago I realized I need to come up with a new game plan. Coffee shops and babies and diaper bags and long journal devotional times don’t go well together now, do they? 😂 I even…gasp…let go of my long quiet ritualistic devotions every morning. I wanted more. I needed more.

It took letting go of the shoreline of what felt good and comfortable; letting go of my selfishness and the comfort of my ritual. It took pushing out to sea to let Him train me to hear His words in the daily, sometimes joyful and sometimes chaotic routines of mom life. But He worked with me and so incredibly gently and patiently. He let me fall and rise and find my way through by trial and error. I was terrified that if I let go of my coffee shops and journals for a season that I might never see them back again. But I knew I had to let it go. And so, I did.

My understanding is that what He plants grows.

It won’t return to Him empty. I also understand that I get to steward the words He speaks and water them carefully and simultaneously keep all pesky critters away that would like to tear the seeds out. That means screening what words I listen to and let land. And heaven knows, there are a lot of words and opinions and voices out there. There are days I’ve had to lay my phone down because of easy access to all the words, words, words out there and just listen for and ponder HIS words to me. Whether I can catch His whispers and hear His words above all the rest of the voices makes all the difference in my life! Most days it doesn’t take much; just a few simple lines from Him will anchor my little ship and bring peace even when it’s noisy and busy. It helps to ‘be still.’ Be still. Be still and KNOW. Be still and know that HE IS GOD. Being still is not stopping all the action around me; it’s being aware of His presence and HIS voice above all the noise and action around me and letting that ground me and my responses to the activity and the noise.

I pray that you be blessed to hear His words to you above all the rest of the busyness around you. Take care of what He shares with you and it WILL grow! He promised. So just grab that seed from Him and consider it already done.