The freshness and promise of spring has given way to the heat and parched ground of a very hot summer. The garden I referenced in my last long ago blog was planted and is producing fruit. Some plants are still maturing to the fruit producing stage if they survive the heat. Some plants are succumbing to the heat or to the deer encroaching and nibbling as food sources dry up for them in the close by woods.
Ministry trips I have taken over the years almost always have the dry and dusty period...after the initial excitement and before it is close enough to the end to count the days until I return home...that is the hard time. It is hard to keep ministering with purpose and not pull back and just go through the motions. It is the depths of summer the dry and dusty period of the growth cycle.
Life is like this.
Between the seeding of fresh energy and vision and the fulfillment of the harvest comes the time to wipe the sweat and chose to continue on. We persevere with the promise that we reap a harvest if we do not give up (Gal.6:9).
Several weeks ago I drew away from the day to day to seek God at School for Apostles. I received several prophetic words assuring me that I was ministering and moving in the right direction. It came with exhortation that I was not to hold back in timidity. So a part for me to do, and a part for me to walk in a deepened trust of what God is doing...even in the midst of the heat and sweat. It was like drink of meadow tea on a hot day. It renewed me and increased my God confidence in the normal day to day.
