When we finally got to experience the spring weather, I went around to a few stores to pick out some flowers for my yard. I even got a new rosebush. My husband doesn’t like to pay for the kind of plants “that don’t come back” so every year we buy something that will regrow in the spring. Last year it was a hydrangea, this year a rose.
Because it’s been so hot lately, I’ve been adding fertilizer and watering quite a bit. It’s amazing how dry the dirt gets day to day if we don’t get rain. I’m out in the yard every evening, making sure the plants are happy and standing up straight. So far, so good. But I know if I go without watering, even for a few days, the plants will suffer.
Fertilizer and water are essential nutrients for plants. No nutrients means no growth. No flowering. No life.
My soul is a lot like those flowers in the backyard. The Lord created my soul and planted it in me the day I was born. Like the flowers, it needs to grow and bloom and radiate joy. My soul needs the same daily attention the plants get, so it can stand up and thrive. Without consistent care, it will shrivel up and lose the power to fill my life with radiant joy.
Prayer is water to the soul. Our private and group prayers invite the Lord to come and renew and refresh the relationship we have with him. As my prayer is lifted up to the heavens, the Lord releases a healing rain of grace to soak deeply into my spirit. I can stand up taller and shine even brighter because of his nurturing. Without prayer, this vital life-giving connection breaks, and my soul weakens and bends.
Good works are the fertilizer of the soul. Faith is essential, but faith without works will not last. Flowers need nutritious soil to be strong, and so do we. Every act of kindness and mercy adds stability and strength to the core of the soul. I need that strength.
The garden of the soul needs the grace of good works daily so that when storms come, I am not left uprooted and lost. It’s easy to stand tall in good weather. When life is skating along without any trouble, anyone can be strong. The challenge comes in dealing with difficulty. Responding with faith and strength to darkened skies and the sound of thunder takes a lot of stamina. Serving others with a cheerful heart will give me all the grace and power I’ll need to get through any crisis.
I enjoy working in my flower garden, and it reminds me to work in my soul garden too. As I sit back and watch the flowers grow and bloom, I imagine the Lord smiling at me while he nourishes the thriving interiors of my soul.
Water and fertilizer. Prayer and good works. Powerful tools for a healthy and growing garden plot in my yard…and in the garden of my soul.
Surrounded by the Spirit on Facebook
Linking today with: Celebrate Joy
Ceil- I love your garden analogy! What a sweet post, and beautifully written. This line is my favorite:”As I sit back and watch the flowers grow and bloom, I imagine the Lord smiling at me while he nourishes the thriving interiors of my soul.” Great message! I’m so glad I stopped by!
Hi Karen! I’m glad you stopped by too! It’s so nice to see your smiling face
It’s lovely to think of our souls as gardens, isn’t it? Growing, beautiful lives in the Lord. I really like that image.
Thanks for coming over! Have a restful night,
Ceil
The perfect analogy! Thank you for the reminder to keep my soul watered and fertilized :).
Hi Anita! Thank you for your kind comment. It’s so nice to get to know you through (in)courage.
Good to see you today!
Ceil
Great analogy..love this post. Thanks for sharing..we all need fertlizer (wink), we all need growth, we all need water etc..so glad you can put your thoughts into words..mine often come out mumbo jumbo and not quite right/there..every once in awhile I can get it right..Smiles & Blessings (hot and humid here in western NY by the way, even with the rain.)
Hi Linda! I’m so glad you liked the post today! You are so right, we all need to grow in our spirit.
I’ve never had any trouble reading your posts Linda, you express yourself just fine. You get it right!
Smiles and blessings right back to you
Ceil
A good word today, Ceil. For my soul and for my garden. Have a lovely rest of your week. xx
Hi Joyful! I had to smile at your comment…it is good advice for both gardens, isn’t it. Thank you!!
Have a good night my friend,
Ceil
Often one sees people calling themselves “Christians” as a badge. It is no more than a name or label to call themselves.
As you rightly point out, our Faith is something to work on everyday; and it needs feeding. A great reminder I think. Thanx.
God bless you.
Hi Victor! I think it’s possible to be a member of a Christian community, but never show up. It happens all the time. We all need to be community people, and help each other make it to our potential, and to heaven!
Thank you for ‘watering’ me with your faithful blog-friendship. I always love seeing your name here
Ceil
It is amazing how “dry” I feel when I miss a service or if I don’t stay in the word daily. Like anything in our lives we can’t grow and stretch our souls if we don’t nurish it and care for it. Wonderful post.
Hi Monica! Great point about getting ‘dry’ without daily prayer and community praise. I think both are so important. We all want to get closer to The Lord, but it takes work!
Thank you for your kind words about the post. I appreciate your supportive comments
Ceil
Oh my dear Ceil, I NEEDED this today! I have often thought of the garden analogy but in a totally different way. . .I often think of pulling weeds in my life, weeds that are hindering my walk with Jesus. Your analogy is wonderful and such a good reminder to keep our lives watered and fertilized.
Thank you so much, friend. Have a lovely day!
Hi Stephanie! Pulling weeds is a great analogy! Or using prayer as ‘weed killer’. The garden is a great place of inspiration, isn’t it? (and perspiration too!) I like your insight a lot, thank you!
Praying for blessings on you today
Ceil
This is a great analogy, Ceil. Sometimes those flowers can be standing up so strong and beautiful and all it takes is one moment too long in the sun…they start to droop look like they are dying. Usually, if we catch them soon enough, all it takes is a drink and they are all good again! Hmmm…sounds familiar! Have a blessed Friday and wonderful weekend!
Hi Debby! I see you really understand the garden analogy! It’s a good one because we can all identify with those poor, droopy flowers. So much better when they stand tall and proud, facing the sun
You have a great weekend to my friend,
Ceil
Hi Ceil,
just popped over to see how you are doing. What a lovely post! Everything you say I totally agree with, I too love both prayer and praise, and I love the garden. Today I am hoping that the promised rain will save me from having to take the hose pipe out into the garden. Sometimes I have to make the effort – sometimes I leave it to God.
God bless you Ceil
God bless you
Hi Brenda! How nice to see you again!
Great image of the hose and effort. Yes, it does take our effort to ‘water and fertilize’ our souls. But it’s all up to the generosity and gifts of God. We’ve been getting a ton of rain, and my flowers are going crazy! I love it. Such a change from the dry, hot summer last year.
I’ll pop over and say ‘hi’
Ceil
So true! When we pray as we garden, we grow both soul and body!
Hi Jeanette! And that combo makes such a beautiful picture in my mind. Certainly Our Father loves to see us celebrate his creations, and remember him too.
Happy Weekend!
Ceil
Ceil, great analogies for the soul. I only have a small patio where I grow some flowers in pots. It gives me great joy to view their beauty. I pray I am giving God great joy with my life that needs all those things you wrote about. Bring on the rain, the fertilizer the pruning. Keep me fresh is my prayer.
Hi Betty! Thank you for your lovely comment…I think anything that grows can give joy, and remind us of the need to keep our own faith growing!
I like your attitude too
“Bring it on” is a great prayer!
Have a great weekend!
Ceil
We all need to take care of the garden of our
souls. Thanks for the reminder Ceil. Your words of wisdom is like a fertilizer for my soul!
Hugs from me!
Hi Joy! What a sweet comment my friend! I love it
Hugs right back, and have a wonderful weekend!
Ceil
Wonderful words of wisdom Ceil!
I love visiting you because I know my soul will be enriched.
I too, ponder while working in the yard, whether it is in the dirt, sniping old dead buds, pulling weeds, watering, pruning trees, just to name a few, and there is much to glean when we compare it with our walk with the Lord.
Excellent analogy you have given us!
Have a blessed week- end my friend.
Joy! Debbie
Hi Debbie! You are so right, there are so many lessons to learn from the garden. Some of the other comments have had really great insights too. You have a great list here!
Thank you for your kind words about the post, and the blog here. I really appreciate your support, and supportive words. They are water and fertilizer to my soul
Blessings and Joy to you too my friend,
Ceil
Amen! How many of us forget that we need the fertilizer until we are almost shriveled up!
Hi Patty! No kidding. I have to keep up with my backyard garden and my soul garden daily. The results are worth the effort!
Blessings to you and the family for a joyful weekend
Ceil
You have a way with words, Ceil, and I love this analogy of gardening and the garden of our soul. There is so much to glean from your words, just as there is so much to glean from reading the word of God. I love this that you wrote:” As my prayer is lifted up to the heavens, the Lord releases a healing rain of grace to soak deeply into my spirit.” and combining that with the good works “fertilizer,” as you said, “Serving others with a cheerful heart will give me all the grace and power I’ll need to get through any crisis ” sums it up well. I will be referring to this post often, I think!
Blessings and joy to you as you enjoy your garden!
Laurie
Hi Laurie! Thank you for your visit today, it’s always so fun to see you here
And thank you for your kind words too. The garden is such a rich place to see God at work. I’m so glad you liked those passages you quoted! It was a fun post to write.
Blessings to you too Montana Nana! Have a great weekend ,
Ceil
Hello friend. Oh yeah, fertilizer and water. I knew there was something I was forgetting.
I’ve been grateful for the rain. My husband needs to hurry back before everything in our yard turns brown. Now the garden of my soul is doing much better! Always enjoy what you are sharing. I’m ready for another lunch date. Blessings. xoxo
Hi Friend! I think the soul might be a more important garden to have blooming, so I think you’re okay
I sent you a FB message. Let’s see when we can arrange to meet!
Happy Weekend, and prayers for rain for the garden,
Ceil
What a great analogy!
I love your words, “Prayer is water to the soul.” So true! When we feel parched we need to got in touch with those living springs of water – Jesus!
Hi Jerralea! Welcome back, Grandma!
I like that phrase ‘living springs of water’. Yes! That’s what we get with prayer.
Have a wonderful weekend
Ceil
Wonderful analogy Ceil. I bought a Gardenia tree this year. It probably won’t last the winter, but I want it to last all season so I carefully water and fertilize it. Thanks so much for linking this at CMB.
Hi Deb! Thank you for stopping by! Ooooh, I think a gardenia would be so pretty! And they smell so good too. Maybe if you brought in the plant? My friend has hibiscus, and her neighbor stores them for her over the winter.
Good to connect again with your blog-hop!
Ceil
You have awesome analogies, Ceil. We’re in dire need of the Sources that make us grow strong and healthy… to avoid Him is to live on the edge of withering and dying. We honor Him when we’re in bloom, showing His majesty, sovereignty, and love.
Hi Floyd! I like that idea of honoring the Lord in our blooming. And realizing that the value is not in us, but in the reflection of his grace. Great point! Thank you!
Have a great weekend, blooming for the Lord
Ceil
Great post, Ceil!
How are you dear friend? It has been a crazy summer! I haven’t had much time for blogging, so please don’t think I’ve disappeared or something. Ha! I’m here and checking in.
I don’t want to be a plant that doesn’t get watered and fertilized. I want to flourish and have bright colors with a lovely scent of the Holy Spirit! With these dark days of the world, I want to make sure I shine brighter than ever before!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Ceil!
Hugs and Blessings,
Amy
Hi Amy! Welcome back!! Hope your vacation was a fun one
Thank you for ‘checking in’, I always enjoy seeing your name pop up here.
I know that your spirit makes a light in the world my friend. Keep shining, and reflecting the Lord. You are a joy to the Father, and to your family…and me too!
Happy Weekend!
Ceil
God always speaks to my heart in amazing ways as I garden. Love your analogy.
Hi Mindy! Thank you for your visit today
I agree! There are so many lessons in the garden, and some of the comments add their perspectives. I’m so glad you liked the analogy.
Have a blessed week!
Ceil