Life Lessons: The Mustard Seed Challenge

“If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you” Matthew 17:20

The Bible verse regarding mustard seed faith is one we all have heard. I was awake with thoughts and concerns swirling in my head and lifting up prayers. Concerned about family, health, outcomes, and life, I was unable to sleep. Ever been there? When I cannot sleep I like to believe that is the time that God wants to spend with me. I pondered the verse “ If we have the faith of a mustard seed, NOTHING shall be impossible.” I thought, a seed is just a seed until it is planted. I got up and looked in my kitchen cabinet and found an old tin of mustard seeds.( I have no idea what I had used them for in the past. ) At 2 am I got a bowl and headed to the garage with my night gown on. I found a garden spade, potting soil and I dropped mustard seeds into the soil one at a time. A seed for each of my children, my husband , for my patients, for my church, for my life, each I ceremoniously dropped into the soil. I lifted them up in that cold garage and reminded God of the promise,” if we had the faith of a mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible.” Each day for a week I talked to those seeds, reminding God and myself of His promise that if we believe, nothing is impossible. One week later after a long difficult day, feeling discouraged I asked God for a sign of His presence. Sometimes when we try so hard and nothing seems to change it feels like our little is so small that nothing will ever change. Too my shock, tears spilled from my eyes for those mustard seeds were growing! That was 5 months ago and they are still growing!

Here is what I am learning: Pictures Day 1: It is good to have seeds and faith, but we have to take a step farther and plant them. Day 7: Faith only grows if we continue to water, nurture and act toward our dreams Day 14: Faith, growth, miracles are a process that require nurture daily. Day 60: Many of the seeds died, only one stalk remained, but it was getting longer and stronger. I choose to believe that one stalk is you, it is me. We can plant seeds of hope for our loved ones but only God can control outcomes. Our behavior is the only one we can control. As we hope, believe and encourage, those shoots growing off our one stalk will inspire others to keep growing and keep planting. Month 5 My daughter took the challenge and was saddened when her first set of seeds all died. She replanted and now they are robust! What we are reminded: Never give up! If one path dies, keep planting! The irony: I pulled out that old tin of mustard seeds and it expired in 2016! Powerful life lesson! There is no expiration date for hope! Take the mustard seed challenge! Waiting for a miracle? Keep planting, watering, nurturing and believing. What now seems buried in the dark, will soon manifest in the light! Mustard Seed Faith: Keep Believing! With God, in His time….NOTHING Shall be impossible!