My daughter, Caris, has big ambitions when it comes to growing a garden. She often likes to grab her apple seeds after a snack and go plant them, waiting for an apple tree to sprout forth. I have tried to explain how it works to grow a garden, but Caris likes to do things her own way. She will be gung-ho about her little seedlings, watering them endlessly, for about a day and a half. Then, she forgets about them and that's that. Until the next time she decides she wants to plant a seed of some sort.

This morning, I was doing my reading for my No Other Gods study, wrestling with the thought of just what I am supposed to be learning in the crazy last few weeks of my life. I would like to understand it so I can grasp it and move on. Kelly Minter had us read in Genesis 12 about Abraham leaving his home land to go "destination unknown." Bingo. Exactly how I feel. Not sure what the destination is here, but the journey isn't feeling too fun. I hadn't really considered this spring to be a desert experience--it has been rich with being blessed by others. But, that feeling of not being sure where God is leading--yes! That is becoming a recurring theme.

So, I felt as though once again, God reached from the heavens to answer my questions. Where He is leading? Don't know. What I am supposed to be learning? Not completely sure--other than like Abraham, the Lord just wants my obedience. And, the big catch--He wants me to press on. Just keep moving forward, pressing into Him. He wants me to be a patient with the seeds He wants me to plant. In motherhood, He wants me to keep watering and nurturing my little seedlings. And to quit waiting for instant results. This motherhood thing is a marathon. I can't be like Caris. I can't just plant the seeds, water them for a day or two, and then give up because no apple tree appears. I am in the day to day grind of a strange season. My kids don't need me like they used to, but yet they still need me just in different ways. And, I can't shake this feeling that the Lord is preparing me for something, but I don't know what. I'm not sure what that harvest to come is--or even WHEN it might come? So, I'm waiting. Rather impatiently.

INTENTIONAL challenge: The good news to me today, exactly where I am, is the promise of Galatians 6:9: