So it is official, our yard is awful. The soil is dry, hard clay, which makes it nearly impossible for us to grow grass, or a garden, or much of anything really. When we first moved to our home in Sakon Nakhon, we poured everything we could into making it work. We fertilized it, dug out countless stones and rocks, added new soil, planned seeds, planted plants and flowers, watered it, we did everything within our power to change our yard. But nothing seemed to worked.
We specifically went to the nursery and bought plants, bushes and trees. We asked about the needs of each one; How much sun? How much water? We did our research and did what we were told was best.
After a while though, the plants began to wither, despite our faithful efforts to keep them alive. We continued to water those plants that were barely surviving and we watered the cracking clay, in hopes that something would grow and thrive.
The only thing that sprouted up were weeds, which was better than the dry clay, but we were still disappointed.
One day we noticed a random plant growing. After looking a bit closer, we realized it was a thai eggplant vine. We were so excited and confused. Why was it doing so well? How did it get there?
We did not do anything to get it there, but it grew and was thriving. It is now filled with lots of little eggplants, which will soon be ripe and ready for eating.
I am not sharing this with you because I think you really care about the status of our yard, but because we feel that this is an analogy for our ministry.
We sometimes try so hard to pour into projects and ideas, even those that we feel called by God to do, that end up falling apart despite our hard and faithful work. The soil has been dry and hard for so long that it is difficult to brake through to others with the good news of Christ's love and salvation.
And then other times God completely surprises us by such incredible, seemingly impossible growth. And we rejoice and praise Him for those blessed surprises.
Please join us in praying for this region of Thailand. The hearts of so many here are hardened to the gospel. We so deeply desire that all would be softened to the love of Christ and his message. Let's pray that God would continue to surprise us with abundant growth.