series one/ post 2
Last week was my very first post on this new blog. As I explained, my first series will be called “Graveyards to Gardens.” I began by sharing the story of how my girls and I attempted to plant our own garden last year but didn’t quite end up with favorable results. As it turns out, there were a few things we forgot to include along the way and some things we could have done better. I mainly focused on some basic principles from the lessons we learned. Here is another look at the six main lessons:
#1 Desire is a good place to start.
#2 Ask the experts.
#3 You will need the right tools.
#4 Timing is of the essence.
#5 Observation is key for growth.
#6 Perseverance will result in a harvest.
I would eventually like to share each of our lessons separately, not only from the practical side of things but also some spiritual application. The Father opened my heart as I reflected on our experience and showed me some deeper insight I had not thought of before. As it turns out, there is a lot of insight I would like to share. In an attempt to not overwhelm you, I plan to share a little at a time. I promise if you practice a little patience and stay with me throughout, you may gain some deeper understanding and maybe even some new perspective. I would love to hear your feedback along the way.
This week I’m just going to share why “desire is a good place to start.” The subject hits hard as it’s something I have struggled with the last several years. Desire and passion can seem intimidating, and honestly, I’ve even struggled writing this particular post because I feel like I am still in the middle of figuring it out. My journey began so well. I was a single woman with a single-hearted focus on the Father, and my only goal was in pleasing Him, my One desire. Then, I found my passion and desire dwindling as life got crazy after I became a wife and mom. I am hoping that my transparency will inspire your own honesty–that you will be able to examine your own thoughts and feelings truthfully and gain clarity. Because some things are not always clear at first, they require self-reflection and life experience for clarity. For example, as a single woman, I would read the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 7 and wonder at the practicality of his advice. “Stay single” did not seem like a practical reality in my world.
“I wish that all the people were as I am; but each person has his own gift from God, one of this kind and one of that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows, [that as a practical matter] it is good if they remain [single and entirely devoted to the Lord] as I am.” (verses 7 and 8)
I wondered at the time how being single could be considered “a gift,” especially since all I wanted was to be on the fast track to married life. Watching all my friends get married certainly didn’t help matters. It just seemed to point out my singleness even more. As I kept reading through verse twenty-eight, I saw that Paul explained a little more.
“But if you do marry, you have not sinned [in doing so]; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned [in doing so]. Yet those [who marry] will have troubles (special challenges) in this life, and I am trying to spare you that.” (1 Corinthians 7:28)
The last part about having special troubles and being spared was what remained unclear. My head was clouded with romance novels and friends getting married, focusing on their wedding days. Life was like one big, giant, Hallmark movie where the couple meets, falls in love, and lives happily ever after. I couldn’t see the truth in Paul’s words with my lack of experience in marriage. (Thankfully, patience helped me mature while I waited on my turn for marriage.)
The most precious thing I gained while waiting for my future husband was a single focus of heart. Now (as a married woman), I understand that is precisely what Paul was talking about. Paul says that remaining single (like himself) is a gift because it allows you to have a single focus of heart, mind, soul, and body. Married life quickly becomes complicated and tough because there are now two of everything involved–ideas, opinions, agendas, expectations, ways of communicating, etc. It becomes much easier to become divided. This is something I didn’t fully foresee or understand as a single woman. My “single focus” as a single woman was on my Heavenly Husband. He became my Love, my Joy, my Hope, and the only One I needed to please. He was my Audience of One. Pleasing Him became my one passion and desire. Like I said previously, I started out well. The passion and desire I had for the Father became the foundation and basis of my relationship with Him.
So, getting back to that first lesson we learned from our gardening experience: “desire is a good place to start.” The whole reason we decided to begin a garden was because my daughter Naomi expressed the desire to have a garden. On a basic level, that desire becomes the foundation to set goals, stay motivated, find fulfillment, pursue growth, and gain maturity. Naomi’s desire led her to set some goals for the garden and kept her motivated to keep pursuing her goals (looking ahead to that upcoming harvest). All the ways in which she practiced caring for the garden—watering, weeding, watching, and talking to the plants every day—brought satisfaction and fulfillment to her heart. She was also gaining valuable experience and maturity through the responsibility of caring for a garden. “Passion and desire are fundamental human motivators, driving individuals to pursue goals, overcome challenges, and find fulfillment (purpose).” (Google AI overview on “the importance of passion and desire.”)
This first lesson showed us the importance (value) of passion and desire. It is an excellent place to start because they are essential. They become the foundation for ALL of life, not just gardening. Passion and desire become even more valuable when you realize that your HEART is where they originate. It is difficult to give your heart to something or someone without passion and desire. Remember what I said earlier that as a single woman I had a single-hearted focus on the Father, that my passion and desire for Him became my foundation for the rest of my life? I was able to move into a deeper understanding, and it allowed me to stay focused, motivated, fulfilled, and gain maturity (growth).
Again, the difficulty in writing this post comes from the fact that, although passion and desire have played a key role in my life, over the last several years I have suffered a lack of the very same. I originally planned to take the space of one blog to write about passion and desire, but as I have taken the time to write these words, the Father has shown me that there is so much more to share. I believe it would be unwise of me to share about passion and desire and fail to mention the obstacles of passion and desire, which have become my own struggles with them over the last several years. I would like to leave the practical side of things aside for next week and share more of the spiritual aspect. My topic will be “Roadblocks: Obstacles of Desire” as I share some of the things that have decreased my passion and desire. I hope you will join me again as I continue to get real with my struggles in this area…*gulp*
Until next week, please take time to listen to the songs below. Each one of them has spoken to my heart in a special way throughout my journey. Music has become a way in which the Father speaks life into my heart and soul, like a soothing balm (Zephaniah 3:17). I believe music is one of those “universal” languages. Sometimes you simply can’t put things into words, but music helps express your heart in a way your head can wrap itself around.
Songs that inspired me while writing this post (seriously, I’ve been known to play them on repeat):
-Bethel Music “You are My One Thing”
https://youtu.be/Pj_vwFK2O9k?si=_a5fjQWqOe7Z1Syo
-Misty Edwards “Glance”
https://youtu.be/z_P-65Z2s2A?si=LsL0D68eZLJsKred
-Jeremy Camp “Consumed”
https://youtu.be/FrF5o0Tw1P0?si=ZjqoUi70Kt5FIal1
-TobyMac “Burn for You”
https://youtu.be/Q2qwbcwSJFY?si=c3x0HTZSjrAqkdTR
-Matt Maher “Just Like You”