Our first harvest of the season. Not much by some standards, but enough to remind me that God is faithful.
There is still so much gardening season left. We have only harvested one plant so far, and I know there are many lessons yet to come. But even this early in the season, God has already been teaching me more than I expected through dirt under my fingernails, watering cans, and one humble bowl of potatoes.
Patience Doesn’t Come Naturally
Gardening has reminded me that good things take time.
You plant seeds and then…you wait.
You water, you weed, you check on them every day, and often it feels like nothing is happening. Yet underneath the soil, unseen growth is taking place. Roots are forming. Life is developing. Preparation is happening.
How often is God doing the same thing in our own lives?
We pray and wait. We trust and wait. We wonder if anything is happening, but God is faithfully working beneath the surface where we cannot see.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9
Faith Means Trusting the Provider
Before a single seed went into the ground, we prayed.
Not because potatoes or tomatoes are magical, but because God is the One who provides. The plants themselves are simply a gift He already gave us.
Gardening has strengthened my faith because it requires trust. I cannot force growth. I cannot command the rain or sunshine. I cannot make a single potato appear.
All I can do is faithfully tend what God has placed in front of me and trust Him with the increase.
Sometimes life is the same way. God gives us opportunities, resources, and responsibilities, but ultimately, He is the Provider.
Nothing Is Too Small to Pray About
One thing I have loved most about this gardening season is how much prayer has become part of it.
We prayed when we planted.
We prayed while watering.
We prayed during the storms.
And when we harvested these potatoes, we thanked God for every single one.
Some might think praying over a garden is silly. But I’ve learned that nothing is too small to bring before the Lord.
If He cares about sparrows, surely He cares about potatoes.
Prayer doesn’t always have to happen in church pews or during major life events. Sometimes it happens barefoot in the garden with muddy hands and a thankful heart.
God delights in being included in every part of our lives, even the ordinary things.
Trust the Quiet Promptings
This year has been unusual.
We’ve had an abnormal amount of rain, and our potato plants are still beautifully green. By appearances alone, I probably would have left them in the ground much longer.
But something kept nagging at me.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to check them.
When we dug them up, we discovered that many had already begun growing eyes. They needed to come out.
If I had relied only on appearances, I might have missed the harvest altogether.
That experience reminded me that sometimes God speaks through those quiet promptings He places in our hearts. Not fear. Not panic. Just a gentle nudge.
The world may tell us to ignore our instincts, but I’ve found that when we walk closely with God, He often leads us through those still, small whispers.
The Harvest Isn’t Finished
This little bowl of potatoes isn’t the end of the story.
There are tomatoes still growing, peppers still flowering, and plenty of season left ahead. There will probably be failures, surprises, pests, victories, and lessons I haven’t learned yet.
But if this first harvest has taught me anything, it’s this:
God is faithful.
He is faithful in the waiting.
He is faithful in the watering.
He is faithful in the quiet growth we cannot see.
And He is faithful in the harvest.
Maybe that’s why I love gardening so much.
Not because it guarantees perfection, but because every seed planted is another opportunity to witness the faithfulness of the Creator.
And even when my hands are dirty and my patience is stretched, I find myself thanking Him for the lesson—and for the potatoes.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” — Psalm 23:2
Have you learned any unexpected lessons from your garden? I’d love to hear what God has been teaching you this season.🌿🤍
Andrea Woods
Founder, Still Waters Mercantile
Cultivating faith and embracing simple living.