My friend, Karissa, wrote to me about a month ago and shared a verse that I’ve been meditating and reflecting on. It’s out of Psalm 37. The Thomas A. Kempis version. It said, “Trust in the Lord’s mercies and do what is right; cultivate the piece of ground he has given you, and all its riches shall be yours.” She went on to write so eloquently that her piece of ground is her family, her life, the people that stumble into her path all the time.
She wrote this to me at a time when I was struggling with my new piece of ground, with my new life here on the other side of the globe. It helped me.
I know that I don’t often share about my faith very specifically or write Bible verses on this blog – Fragments wasn’t intended to be a blog about faith per se, or as a tool to try and convince people to believe something about God – rather Fragments is a blog about my own journey, my own musings of life and love, of art and creativity, of loss and disappointment. In all honesty, I think, I’ve tried to hold God out like a wind chime in hope’s that some might hear the crystal clear tinkling of his voice, or perhaps hear the whisper of his kindness. But, I’ve been careful not to be preachy or to hang God up on my website like a bumper sticker or billboard. God is much more than a bumper sticker and my faith is far deeper than some ridiculous billboard on the side of the road.
But this morning in the quiet of my soul, in the reflection of my heart and in the pondering of this verse, I realized one must give credit where credit is due, one must be honest about where the strength comes from, where the water is drawn from to quench my thirsty soul. And for me, It’s all found in God. My faith is not an added piece of my life that I tack onto my clothing, or that I grab hold of on a bad day … but rather it is the soil, it is very the ground on which I’ve built my life. I certainly don’t think it’s my job to convince anyone that they should have what I have, or even that they need what I have. God is able to make himself known and he is quite capable of wooing us into relationship with him if we want to hear him, if we are searching. But, I am responsible to give witness, to tell my tale, to give credit where credit is due. And so today I do. My faith in Jesus – to meet my deepest needs is more real today than it was yesterday. And his riches – are better today than they were yesterday.
And what, you might ask are his riches? Oh they’re so many it’s hard to name. But…
This morning, I realized anew that the people closest to me in my heart and in proximity are the most precious riches of my life and they’re the ones I’m responsible to love and cultivate, to nurture and treasure. My husband, my Emma, my Lucas … and all those who wander onto my path because of my connection to them.
We each have people in our lives we get to nurture, love, hold, and give to. And my fragment of truth today is so simple: Love those who are close, nurture them and cultivate the ground around you with kindness.
What is the ground of your life? What are you trying to cultivate? Tell me about the riches of your heart? I’d love to hear…
Much Love,
Tina
About two years ago my life seemed to be turning upside down. Even I felt like I was being help upside down and all the things I had hidden in m pockets were falling out for all to see. I had never questioned the Lord or my faith before this challenging time in my life. I had walked steady with the Lord through good times, trials, through moves across the world and suffering. Their was something different about this trial that caused me to wonder, does the Lord really care, is He worth living for, is He a good God and does He really exist? These were huge questions for me to be asking. I had believed He loved me, cared for me, was good, and was walking me through life. The hurricane that swirled around me not only caused me to doubt and question but made me wonder if I could or my hurting son would make it through the pain, the doubt, the despair. I heard a story of two men who were praying for the Lord to bring the rain so there crops would grow. So they could live. They needed the rain. One went out and started tending the dry land. The other waited. A question was asked, which man had faith that God would answer their prayers? The answer, the man out tending the field. I had been tending my field, my family. I had been giving my all! My all was not good enough. I so desperately wanted to be the man who had faith. Faith that Jesus loved me and my family more than I could imagine. Faith the He cared, he would bring us peace, answers, healing and hope. The day I heard that story I made a choice even though I could not see through the hurricane that I would trust. I needed to go out in action but in my heart I needed to trust in the lord. Trust in who He is and who I am in Him. This is ultimately the lesson that I am learning since going through these last couple years. I barely clung to Jesus, though He held me strong through all of this. I have reexamined who He is and who I am in Him. He may not answer my prayers in my timing or how I think things should be done. But, I know he walks with me. Again, I choose this day to tend my field and trust that He will provide.
I am so thankful that you wrote me, Resting in God’s Healing. Thank you for taking time to tell me your story. I appreciate it more than I can express through feeble words. Have you ever read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis? There is a quote I think you might like. It’s from the perspective of the enemy talking to another pawn of the devil’s – they are trying to cause a new Christian to fall away from God. The enemy says to his co-tempter
“Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our enemy’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”
This quote has fed my soul a number of times in the long journey towards home …
Much Love,
Tina
Dear friend, you already know my ground and my riches (and you are counted among them) but let me say this…the earth-shattering impact of someone letting the truths of that verse and the faithful voice of Jesus in their ear can bring such transformation that really no words can do justice to trying to tell the story, but thank you for doing just that, for trying to tell a little bit of the story. Because your story and your faith make Jesus look good and they smell like hope when so much smells like garbage.
I couldn’t help thinking of my mom while I read your post…I’ve watched her cultivate the land that is our family in a new way over the past couple of years. What a gift that’s been for my heart is something I can’t possibly express. Even as a bonafide grown up 34 year old woman, there is such blessing in feeling ‘tended to’ in a way that is intentional, meaningful.
Learning to let God define my ‘soil’ and show me what needs to be cared for, grown, pruned, watered….such a worthwhile journey.
It is such a worthwhile journey! And I love that you can look to your mom as an example of someone who keeps letting God mould and change her.
Honestly, my mom is a great example too. Two months ago I was lost in a forest of sorrow – she picked up her suitcases and said “I’m on my way.”
Eucharisteo.