Author: Callie Murphy

Welcome! In the last post, I shared “The Three Things That You Can Do in 2022 to Grow Your Relationship with God”. The first one being read His word every day by the chapter, not just the verse. 

The second way I believe you can grow your relationship with God is by Growing a Garden!

Yes, yes, of course, the garden girl tells you to grow a garden. But before you skip over this post let me present my case. 

Long before I started reading my Bible daily I started gardening. Being out in nature brought me peace. My garden was a place of escape when “real life” felt like too much. If I was angry, I’d pull weeds. If I needed a cry or to talk out loud, it was a safe place. And it wouldn’t take long to focus my attention on something new growing, some beauty from the ashes. 

There are plenty of studies that show how therapeutic gardening can be. It reduces cortisol, releases happy hormones. It improves our memory and gives us clearer focus. It forces us to slow down and pay attention. Gardening grounds us.

Job 12:7-8 says, 

But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you…”

How cool is that!? If we speak to the earth it will teach us!

Creation itself testifies about its Creator.

So when I would head to the garden full of overwhelm by being a stay at home mom with young boys to raise and a husband that worked a lot to allow me to stay at home–when laundry piled up–when cooking and dishes seemed unending–when my dream job didn’t seem so dreamy–when I declared I didn’t have time to read my bible chapter by chapter–GOD MET ME IN THE GARDEN.

Not only did God meet me there, He would teach me there. My hope is that this blog will allow me to expand on some of my garden lessons with God. Over time God really started to grow something in me using my hobby. 

• Weeds
• Seeds
• Roots
• Fruits
• Water
• Harvests
• Drought

These things are mentioned numerous times in the Bible. It is full of agricultural parables and symbolism. As a culture, we have gotten away from growing our own food and being connected to the land. I want to change that. I believe everyone has the ability to be a gardener. And I believe there is an enemy that tries very hard to distract us and keep us disconnected from God.

When we slow down and grow things, God grows us. When we observe nature, we observe truth. All these biblical agriculture stories can be discovered in your own backyard. You don’t have to grow a wheatfield.

When we receive the scientific health benefits of gardening–reduced stress, happy hormones, etc.–I believe it’s because we are receiving the Peace of God. We’ve entered His home and it’s a relaxing safe place to land. 

Nature is not identical with God, however, God reveals himself using nature.

If you are looking to deepen your relationship with your Creator this year, I highly encourage you to start growing a garden. After all, Adam and Eve walking in the Garden of Eden with God is where we began. They screwed up and got banished from the garden. But we have restoration through Jesus if we choose to accept it. Jesus has paid the price for our screw-ups and we can fellowship with Him and God the Father as we walk through our gardens. That is Good News!

I’m so glad you are here and I can’t wait to share more as we Grow with God!

Up next I will share how serving people outside your circle will grow your relationship with God. 

Until then, 

Callie

1. Read Your Bible Everyday
2. Grow a Garden
3. Serve People Outside Your Circle

Nine-ish years ago I attended a homeschool co-op in service/enrichment day for the parents. I remember two things from that day. 

1. My hair still smelt of last night’s campfire and several people asked if I had been smoking a brisket–I wished. I love some smoked Texas brisket!
2. I learned about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his daily Bible reading recommendation of reading 2 chapters of the Old Testament and 1 chapter of the New Testament in order each day, along with a psalm and proverb. 

When  I returned home that afternoon and shared with my husband, John, this simple, but deep Bible reading plan, he absolutely loved it! John was all in, full steam ahead. Started the very next morning. He just used the Audio Bible App on his phone. First, he listened to NIV. When he finished the entire Bible he started over with the Message translation, then the King James translation. There may have been another translation I’m forgetting. 

Me–well, I did not jump on the daily Bonhoeffer reading plan. I made excuses. I justified. I have to get up and make everyone breakfast. These kids keep me from sleeping (that is totally true and could be its own book). I read Bible stories to the kids. I help them memorize 24 verses in a school year. I follow very godly blogs. I have my go-to scriptures. God knows my heart. I don’t have time to read 3 whole chapters every day. Hello, devotionals. Someone else can read and give me notes. John, you do you and I’ll do me.

(Of course, none of these things are wrong. They are all good things to do. The wrong was my heart and attitude!)

Years went by and John finally landed on the Daily Audio Bible App, DAB for short. It’s an awesome resource that goes through the entire Bible in a year and gives historical context. It has a community and people pray for one another. I’d hear bits and pieces, or sometimes I’d relisten to something that John wanted to share or discuss.  But I still sat on the sidelines for another three years, until life circumstances broke me down to a position of humility. A place where God’s word sprinkled in wasn’t enough to sustain me. I was either going to wilt and die, or I’d need to get deeper roots to hold me upright.

I’m thankful I chose to plant myself deep into the soil of God’s word. (And for a husband that puts apps on my phone saving me time). John knowing I’m a black and white, all or none, messy perfectionist that gets stuck when I can’t do it right–gave me the best advice he’s ever given me. 

He said, “Don’t worry about the few days you’ve missed this year. Just jump in. And If you miss a day, don’t worry about it. You don’t have to do it perfectly. Just jump on the one for today.”

Those were the “rules” my heart needed to be free. My husband is pretty awesome. 

It’s crazy! I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but I just started my third time going through the Bible with DAB. I have no regrets. There isn’t a day that goes by and I think I wasted 30min listening to the Bible. I can’t say that about all my choices. 

But let me be clear. It’s not a cakewalk. I still have to fight all the other temptations on my phone in the morning and make a choice to listen to two chapters from the Old Testament, one chapter from the New Testament, Psalms, and a Proverb. I have to NOT be distracted by chores, daydreams, and to-do lists, and believe me there are some very boring parts of the bible. There are things I don’t understand. (I’m still growing). I definitely don’t retain everything. And there have been days that it didn’t get done, although fewer skipped days than I would have predicted. 

It’s all a journey. Nothing is lost or won in a day. I just keep plugging along. And I promise reading/listening to large portions of the bible each day will grow you closer to God. If a year seems too big a commitment, just start with January and see how you feel in February. 

There are lots of yearly plans out there, both written and audio. There are Facebook groups if you desire to do this with a team. By doing the Old and New Testaments together I’m surprised at how many days have a common theme. They aren’t as separate as I’ve believed. But I also think its possible to gain a lot by just reading one chapter of the New Testament in order each day. 

I encourage you to stop settling for a verse or two and jump in deeper. If it doesn’t draw you closer to God, come tell me. I’ll make you a cup of coffee and you can tell me I’m wrong. I won’t even argue.

So that is number 1 in my 3 ways to Grow Your Relationship with God series!

 I’ll meet you back here to go over the number 2 way you can grow with God this year—Growing a Garden!!! 

This is scary! This is crazy! This is very vulnerable!!!!

Years ago, like close to 15, I daydreamed about writing a blog. I use to want to go to blogging conferences, I would write blog posts in my head while cooking and nursing babies, but I didn’t have a blog, or even a plan to have a blog. I just had this nudging on my heart that I was supposed to write a blog. But I never said yes to that nudging. Writing a blog takes discipline, vulnerability, and TIME! 

Fast forward, I started a business. My website came with a blog space. Finally, I would have my blog. Nope. not really. I lost my enthusiasm to have a blog. People don’t read lots of words. Everything needs to be fast and flashy to get noticed. I don’t even follow blogs anymore. If the Instagram picture looks good, maybe I’ll click on the recipe from their blog. Maybe.  Why should I spend all this energy writing something that will be skimmed if viewed at all?

Crazy thing, despite my plans and long to-do list I wanted to get done on January 1, 2022 before vacation ends tomorrow, God put it on my heart to start a blog–not one connected to my business.

So here it is. I don’t have any more discipline, or time, or a desire to be vulnerable than I did 15yrs ago. However, I have spent years learning to let go of perfection. I haven’t arrived, but I’m further down the path. This will be an imperfect blog that I write out of obedience to the nudging of my heart.  And it’s ok if no one reads it. Maybe it’s just a journal for me to look back on in a few years.

Without further ado, I’ll announce my very first blog series……

Drumroll, please……….

Top 3 Things You Can Do in 2022 to Grow Your Relationship with God!

I know that Growing with God is way better than Growing against God. These three things will 100% grow your relationship with God and give you more strength to fight the storms of the world. Join me this year as we grow together.