Faith in the Garden: How Homesteading Has Deepened My Walk With God.
Homesteading and Walking With God: Finding Faith in the Everyday Work
When people think about homesteading, they often picture peaceful mornings in the garden, baskets full of fresh vegetables, homemade bread cooling on the counter, and chickens happily scratching around the yard... and sometimes, it really does look like that.
Other times, it looks like standing outside in the Florida heat wondering what ate your plants overnight, trying to figure out why a chicken suddenly stopped laying, watching a fruit tree struggle despite your best efforts, or realizing that the garden has absolutely no respect for your schedule.
Homesteading has a way of humbling you, and maybe that is part of what makes it such a beautiful place to walk with God. The more I learn to grow, raise, preserve, repair, reuse, and make do with what we have, the more I realize how little control I actually have and how much there is to be thankful for.
Planting Seeds Is an Act of Faith
There is something almost strange about planting a seed when you really think about it. You take something tiny and seemingly lifeless, bury it in the dirt, water it, and wait. You cannot force it to sprout. You cannot pull on the stem to make it grow faster. You can provide good soil, sunlight, nutrients, and water, but eventually you have to wait. Faith can feel a lot like that.
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
— 1 Corinthians 3:6
We can do the work in front of us. We can prepare. We can be faithful. But growth does not always happen according to our preferred timeline. Anyone who has ever stared at a seed tray every morning waiting for the first tiny green sprout probably understands that lesson better than they expected to.
The Garden Teaches Patience
There are seasons for planting, seasons for growing, seasons for harvesting, and seasons when it appears that very little is happening at all.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says:
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
That truth is easy to read but sometimes harder to live. Homesteading gives us a physical reminder of it. You cannot harvest the same day you plant.
Caring for Animals Is a Lesson in Stewardship
Raising chickens has taught me that animals do not care whether I am tired, busy, or running behind. They still need food. They still need fresh water. They still need a safe place to sleep. They depend on us.
There is something meaningful about caring for something God created. Stewardship is not necessarily about having a huge farm or dozens of acres. It can happen in an ordinary backyard with a few chickens, a small garden, some fruit trees, or even herbs growing in pots.
“The righteous care for the needs of their animals.”
— Proverbs 12:10
Homesteading has made me more aware of where things come from. An egg is no longer just something that appears in a carton at the grocery store. Vegetables do not magically appear on a shelf. Food requires resources, work, time, and care. That awareness has made me more grateful.
God Provides, but That Doesn't Mean We Sit Still
One of the things I appreciate about homesteading is the balance between trusting God and doing the work in front of you. The Bible talks about God's provision, but Scripture also speaks often about diligence, preparation, wisdom, and work.
Proverbs 6:6–8 points to the ant:
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”
Growing food, preserving what we can, learning practical skills, repairing things instead of immediately replacing them, and being careful with money are not about living in fear. For me, they are about stewardship. I want to use what we have wisely. Sometimes that means growing food. Sometimes it means cooking from scratch. Sometimes it means fixing something that was headed for the trash. Sometimes it means finding a way to make the budget stretch a little further. A simple life still requires work. But there is satisfaction in knowing that you are learning to care for what has been placed in your hands.
Homesteading Has Made Me Notice the Small Things
It is easy to overlook ordinary blessings; A ripe tomato, ahe first egg from a young hen, a single luffa finally growing after what feels like a hundred male flowers, a fruit tree putting out new leaves after you were convinced it wasn't going to make it, rain arriving after several hot, dry days... seeds finally breaking through the soil... these are small things. But perhaps part of walking with God is learning to notice them.
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
— Psalm 118:24
Gratitude does not have to wait for something enormous to happen. Sometimes gratitude is standing in your backyard holding the first vegetable you successfully grew and feeling ridiculously excited about it. I think God meets us in those moments too.
When Things Don't Grow
Of course, not everything works. Sometimes the seeds never sprout. Sometimes pests destroy the plants. Sometimes the weather changes. Sometimes you put time, money, and energy into something and have very little to show for it. That can be frustrating. But failure is a surprisingly good teacher. Homesteading has taught me to try again. Change the planting location. Improve the soil. Plant at a different time. Protect the seedlings better. Learn what went wrong and start over.
Our faith journey can have difficult seasons too. There are times when prayers seem unanswered, plans change, and we cannot understand what God is doing. Those seasons can feel a lot like staring at bare soil. Just because we cannot see growth does not mean nothing is happening.
Contentment Is Different From Having Everything
Homesteading culture can become another form of consumerism if we are not careful. There is always another tool to buy. A bigger greenhouse. A better chicken coop. More raised beds. More land. More equipment.
It is easy to believe we need everything before we can begin. But one of the biggest lessons I have learned is to start with what you have. You do not need 20 acres to grow something. You do not need a picture-perfect farmhouse. You do not need the most expensive equipment. You do not have to become completely self-sufficient.
Philippians 4:11 says:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
Contentment does not mean that we cannot have goals. It means we can be thankful for where we are while still working toward where we hope to be. That lesson applies to homesteading, finances, family life, and faith.
There Is Worship in Ordinary Work
Colossians 3:23 says:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”
There is something comforting about knowing that ordinary work can have meaning. The tasks may be repetitive. The laundry will need to be washed again. The chickens will be hungry again tomorrow. The weeds will come back. The family will need another dinner. But caring for a home and the people and animals within it is valuable work.
I Am Still Learning
I do not have a perfect homestead. I do not have everything figured out. My garden does not always cooperate. My projects do not always go according to plan. I still buy groceries. I still make mistakes. I still have days when I am impatient, frustrated, or tired; and my walk with God is still a journey too.
Maybe that is why homesteading and faith fit together so naturally for me. Both require patience. Both require humility. Both require trust. Both teach us that growth takes time. And both remind us that we are not in control of everything.
I can plant the seed. I can water it. I can care for what God has placed in my hands; and then I have to trust Him with the growth.
Final Thoughts
Homesteading does not make someone closer to God simply because they grow vegetables or own chickens, but it can create opportunities to notice Him. In the changing seasons; in provision; in the responsibility of caring for living things; in the lessons that come from failure; in the joy of a harvest; and in the quiet, ordinary work of caring for a home and family.
My homestead may be casual, imperfect, and constantly changing, but so am I. Day by day, seed by seed, lesson by lesson, I am learning to be more patient, more grateful, and more aware of the blessings already around me. Perhaps that is one of the most beautiful parts of this journey.
A Prayer for Our Little Homestead
Lord,
Thank You for this home and for the little piece of earth You have given us to care for.
Thank You for the seeds that grow, the chickens in the yard, the food on our table, and even the lessons that come when things do not go according to plan.
Please bless the work of our hands. Give us patience when growth is slow, wisdom to use what we have well, and grateful hearts that notice the small blessings all around us.
Help us remember that we do not need a perfect home, a perfect garden, or a perfect life to be thankful. Teach us to be good stewards of what You have already provided and to trust You in every season through planting; waiting, harvesting, and starting over.
May our home be a place of peace, love, hard work, laughter, and faith. May we always remember that while we can plant the seeds and water the soil, You are the One who brings the growth.
Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment