The following post is contributed by my spiritual and biological sister, Jessica Lee. She, along with her husband Rob and one-year-old Mila, makes her home in Lincoln City, Oregon. One of the greatest joys in my life, is sharing faith and life with her (even if it’s from a distance.) Together, we are embarking on our first official vegetable gardens – and looking forward to an abundant harvest this summer and fall. -Melissa

By Jessica Lee
Plotting Your Prayer Garden

This year I started my first garden. In the past few weeks I’ve taken a crash course in horticulture, learning how to break up soil, finding the right spot in my yard where there is ample sunlight, watering, and weeding. It’s far more watching and waiting than I anticipated.  However, I wasn’t prepared for the amount of satisfaction I would feel seeing my first sprout.

In one of my little garden boxes, are several rows of carrots, radishes, and onions.   Had I not placed garden markers on each row, there is no way I’d remember what I planted  and where.  There are some seeds that take longer to germinate, and had I not marked their row, I would’ve forgotten entirely about them. I might even have mistakenly pulled some of them thinking they were weeds!

This got me thinking about my prayer times, and seeds that I have planted in prayer.  How many times have I planted seeds of prayer for my family, and my friends… only to forget them?  I’ve decided to create a second garden this growing season.  The second one is not located outdoors, and isn’t for growing produce or herbs.  It is a garden of prayer.

On a blank sheet of paper, I’ve drawn a garden box.  The box has several rows marked for family members, and for people I’m responsible to pray for.  Each of the seeds are marked as well.  Just as every day I go outside and water & weed my natural garden I will do the same for my prayer garden.  I’ll water these seeds every day with the word, and with faith. 

It’s no mistake that Jesus likened faith to a ‘Mustard Seed’ in Matthew.  He was showing us that there is a relationship between nature and our faith.  Interestingly, the last place we see Jesus praying in the Bible, before he was arrested, was a garden. (Mark 14 & Matt 26)

Several friends are starting their first gardens this year, and no doubt feeling closer and closer to their Creator with each sprout.  May I encourage you to take a stab at your first ‘Prayer Garden’ as well?