"I've got the seeds, but it's cold outside."

Over the pandemic, I've become slightly obsessed with gardening. 

My first time around, I planted squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The cucumbers WILDLY grew, but I only got a few squash and maybe 2 good tomatoes. Nonetheless, I loved it so much that I decided to try my hand at a "winter" garden. I planted a few types of lettuce, some herbs, and radishes. The radishes WILDLY grew, but everything else....lol...NOTHING. 

Yet, here I am ready for round 2 of Summer gardens. So far, I've purchased cucumber, okra, kale, and some herb seeds.  Last week I had every intention to start the germination process, and even plant a few straight in the ground. Now, the directions, and all advice from my google sources, have warned against planting some of those seeds when the temperature is below a certain level. In fact, I think the kale seeds' packaging clearly noted that if the temp got below like 60 degrees, the germination process would be ruined. 

Now, in normal circumstances, I may could've gotten away with planting the seeds, but for some strange reason it got REALLY cold last weekend. At one point, the HIGH was 59. Yes....in APRIL!!!!!

Sure enough I was glad I didn't plant the seeds. In fact, the seeds are still in their packages. I have them....but I haven't planted them because the circumstances aren't right...right now, it's just not time. 

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I'm at this point in my life where I'm approaching a fork in the road. I have some major decisions to make, and I'm constantly asking God for guidance and wisdom. I've told Him MULTIPLE times that I don't want to make the wrong move, but I know I have some major gifts that have to utilized. I don't want to be the person that buries my talents. Instead, I want to be the one that goes and makes more (Parable of the Talents).

I was praying that same prayer today when the Holy Spirit showed me the seeds (cucumber, okra, etc..) that I had in my hand. He showed me the potential the seeds had for bringing me such a great harvest, but it wasn't time to sow them yet. It wasn't time to plant them because the circumstances weren't right. He showed me that just as the seeds had to be planted at the right time to bring the harvest, in order to properly grow, my gifts, my "talents"....what I had in my hands had to be planted at the RIGHT time, as well. 

It's so easy to get caught up in the potential that you have, the wherewithal...the "coulds"....but in order to operate in purpose, timing is OF THE ESSENCE.

What good is it to prematurely deposit your possessions into something that is not right for you? What good is it to have all the great makings of something amazing, but for your own impatience, ruin it before it can even get started?

This reminded me of that phrase "...for such a time as this."

If you spent any length of time at church, you've probably heard this 6-worded phrase. It comes from the story of Esther. Without going too deep into the story, basically God places Esther in a position of leadership to save her people. Now, its a slightly awkward position, but Mordecai (her cousin), poses the question in Esther 4:14 that maybe....just maybe....God put her in the position to answer her people's problems at that specific time.

"...for such a time as this."

I love the use of the word "this" because it denotes some specificity. It's not an estimate or a "round about" time, it's a very SPECIFIC, INTENTIONAL moment. It reasons that there is a particular, already ordained moment where everything aligns....the seed, the purpose, and...time.

That's all I wanted to share.

The seeds might be in your hand. You might have everything you need to get start, but.......until it's time, just hold on to it. God will let you know when its time, but until then...just wait.

I'll leave you with this:

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31