Lessons from the Garden

Introduction

Since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated with growing things. In elementary school, I learned about sprouting seeds with the good ol’ science class bean in a cotton ball experiment in glass jars. Those hard little bean seeds went into jars with the soggy cotton balls, and day by day those seemingly dead beans came to life. First, the hard outer shell slowly softened and gave way. Soon after, a tiny little nub formed on the end of the bean with short stringy roots reaching down. Then, a small sprout and a short little stem started popping up. Before long, that stem would find its way out of the jar and sprout two little leaves. For some reason, watching that process excited me to no end and piqued my interest in growing things. I remember asking my mom if I could have some vegetable seeds, even though we lived in a tiny urban beach city yard with just a few woody shrubs on the fence line. In that little yard was also one little lemon tree and a tiny patch of grass. I didn’t realize then that plants needed sun and regular watering, so I scratched around in the hard dirt between the old shrubs and, full of hopeful anticipation, dropped the seeds in and covered them up with dirt. Much like I do now at the start of every planting season, I would dream about all the amazing things I could grow with those seeds, and sporadically I would remember to water them. Of course not a single one of those seeds sprouted, and I quickly lost interest, but I like to think that first try at gardening was a small spark that eventually ignited my passion for growing things into a giant flame. One summer my mom signed me up for a kids vegetable gardening class at our local community center. Once a week I would look forward to getting my hands into the dirt to dig rows, plant seeds, and pull weeds. I still have a strange addiction to pulling weeds. Once I start, I can’t stop! This time around, with the help of an actual teacher who knew actual things about gardening, I experienced a level of success in my gardening journey. Things actually grew! However, those classes came to an end before anything was ready to harvest. But the experience of seeing things grow from week to week was enough to thrill me to my core. The class was a great experience, and I learned about things like seasons, soil, sun, and water. In a nutshell, I came to understand that plants, like people, needed nurturing to grow. Nothing happened by accident in that barren and dry city lot. It took effort and knowledge to experience the reward.

My Testimony

At sixteen years old, getting ready to start my senior year of high school, I encountered the love of God for the first time, and after much struggle and hesitancy, I asked Jesus to be Lord of my life. As my faith grew, I also started learning there were a great many stories and parables in both the Old and New Testament about growing things. And pruning things. And watering things. There were stories about reaping and sowing. Agricultural references are everywhere in the Bible! I began to know God as the great Master Gardener, who is not only concerned with every tiny seed that falls to the ground but also takes care of even the tiniest bird. He is incredibly tuned in to details, knowing even the number of hairs on our head. There are so many life lessons that parallel lessons from plants and nature.

Nutrition and Health

After becoming a mom of two boys, Jacob and Joshua, we relocated to the suburbs east of San Francisco. It was during this time that I discovered the hard way the very important connection between nutrition and health. I wasn’t aware before then that there was a link between processed foods and declining health. Growing up in the concrete jungle of LA, I never had any health problems and rarely got sick. When my growing young family relocated to the Bay Area with its expansive grassy hills and abundance of wildflowers, I got the shock of my once healthy life. On the first day of our house hunting trip, I found myself coughing in a hotel room, gasping for air. Later that night in the emergency room, they told me I was having a full-blown asthma attack. I smugly told them I didn’t have asthma and was quickly informed that “you do now.”

That was my introduction to the world of pharmaceuticals. While they helped me breathe, they also slipped me into a dark hole. By the time our daughter Elise arrived, it seemed natural to blame postpartum depression for my emotional state. Not a single doctor ever warned me that all those medications had side effects like depression, among other things, and I never thought to make the connection.

How to Use This Book

Most precious and sacred to me are the scriptures and prayers I’ve written into these lessons because the most important thing to me is for all of my kids, and the generations that follow, to learn to love God’s Word and to know Him, the Lover of our souls, in an intimate way. Faith in the unseen is something every person has to experience firsthand to really understand, but once experienced, it’s unshakable. Nothing is more precious to me than the faith I came to understand in its seed form all those years ago that, over time and testing, fully bloomed into a peace that passes all understanding. As you begin this journey, here are some important things to keep in mind in order to get the most use out of the lessons:

Lesson Components

Included in all lessons:

Plant Benefits: Brief explanations of the key benefits and uses for the lesson’s highlighted plant.

Memory Verse: Scripture to reflect on and memorize as it relates to the biblical themes of the lesson.

Prayer: A guided prayer to the Lord for what He is teaching you through each lesson.

One of the following in each lesson:

Fun, engaging activities, challenges, crafts, recipes, or games embedded or provided as a downloadable resource. These allow the reader to be creative with the amazing botanical creations God has given us.

Activity Challenge Craft Recipe Game

Downloadable Resources

Activites, Challenges, Crafts, Recipes & Games: Each lesson includes one of these engaging, hands-on activities (provided or accessed through a free download). Coloring Pages: Each lesson begins with a beautiful, colorful illustration of the specific plant discussed. You can download a black and white version so children (or you!) can color along with the lesson. Templates, References & Answer Key: Templates needed for crafts and activities, references and resources used, as well as the answer key for the lessons’ puzzles and games are provided.

Part 1: Flowers of the Bible

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2

Flowers just make life more beautiful, don’t you think? There’s a reason why the gift of flowers is so meaningful to celebrate special occasions. Their beauty and their fragrance can help lift our spirits no matter what we are experiencing, whether it be happy or sad. Flowers are symbols of beauty, purity, and life, and each one has its own significance, carrying a specific cultural meaning.

Jorge Luis Borges shared meaningful advice when he penned the following quote:

So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. 2

The plant kingdom as a whole plays a vital role in our environment, providing life-sustaining oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. Plant leaves take carbon dioxide and water from the air and use the energy of the sun to transform it into chemical compounds that feed the plants. While this is happening, the plants are making oxygen and releasing it into the atmosphere. So when you buy a houseplant, it is actually working as an air purifier for your home. How incredible is that?

This could explain why studies have shown that flowers and plants make for a healthier emotional environment. Even in office spaces or basements with no windows, just hanging pictures of plants has been shown to make workers happier and more productive. So the next time someone you know is feeling down, giving them a bouquet of flowers or a potted plant will surely boost their mood.

Considering this, it’s no surprise that flowers and plants have a very special place in the Bible. When flowers are mentioned, they are typically used to convey deeper meanings and teach spiritual lessons. That’s why we will study these stories and pray for wisdom to put these lessons into practice. Let’s see what we can learn from some of the flowers mentioned in the Bible.

2. Excerpt from “Comes the Dawn” by Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986), but the title is subject to debate. Some call it “You Learn” and others “After a While.” It is believed to have been written in the 1940s and possibly translated by an American translator collaborating with Borges from 1967 to 1972. The poem was published in the Spanish book Para Que Nunca Lo Olviden by Barrie Sanford Greif (paperback: December 29, 1999) and was cited as anonymous, and it has also been attributed to Yamira Hernandez of Colombia, since it is argued that it does not match the style of Borges. Thus, there is no conclusive evidence as to whom exactly is the author of this poem.

Broom Bush

Retama raetam

Lesson 1: Provision

The broom bush is a dense, twiggy shrub, with small leaves covering the plant during the rainy season and bunches of small white flowers at the end of winter. It grows to about ten feet tall and has roots that are incredibly long. Some even say the roots can grow as deep as sixty-five feet, so they can reach down in the soil for water even when the soil has become dry from lack of rain. This shrub is mentioned in 1 Kings when Elijah was fearful, exhausted, and most likely depressed.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant

God was right there with him, and when he was discouraged and ready to give up, He sent an angel to feed him and take care of him.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

1 Kings 19:5-6

After this, Elijah felt strong again and was ready to continue his journey. It’s likely his rotten mood was partly because he was so hungry and tired! And I believe he found comfort under that broom bush, since it was tall enough to give him some cool shade to rest and fall asleep in. Sometimes when we are anxious, discouraged, or crabby, it can be because we are tired and hungry. Maybe a snack and a nap could help us feel better, just like Elijah.

Plant Benefits

The broom bush is well-known in Mediterranean regions for the treatment of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. The powdery leaves are used as an antiseptic for soothing and healing wounds and skin rashes.

Memory Verse

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? —Psalm 56:3-4 nlt

Prayer

God, whenever we are feeling discouraged or anxious, help us to remember Elijah. You provided the broom bush as a place where he could rest and even brought him fresh baked bread and water. Just like you cared for Elijah, we pray you will take care of us. We trust you as the Great Provider for our every need. Amen.

Broom Brush Crossword Puzzle

Download & print the Broom Brush Crossword Puzzle and Coloring Page from the QR code on page 13.

Part 2: Wildflowers of the Bible

I pray that your heart rises up like a wildflower—growing in strength to rise up amid the storms of life that surround it. May it bloom and prosper even in the most desolate of places.5

Wildflowers are plants that grow on their own without needing anyone to plant their seeds, fertilize or water. They spring up all by themselves year after year with beautiful bursts of color. They are strong and resilient and are able to adapt to their local environment over time and provide habitats for the wildlife and insects around them. Every region has its own native wildflowers, and you can typically see them springing up in meadows, forests, deserts and even along freeways and median strips. Sometimes whole hillsides and mountains will be covered in one variety of wildflower, creating a stunning landscape. Jesus uses wildflowers as examples to teach us important lessons, like not to worry. If He takes care of all the wildflowers in the fields, He will surely take care of us.

5. Author’s paraphrase of a quote by Nikita Gill, taken from her personal Instagram account: @nikita_gill.

Lessons

Anemone

Lesson 10: Trust

Anemone coronaria

Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. —Matthew 6:28-30 nlt

The “lilies of the field” that Jesus referred to in His teaching on worry were likely not the same lilies we might recognize in our stores or garden centers today, but more common wildflowers like the crown anemone, or simply various wildflowers common in His day. These field flowers still grow today in Palestine near the lake of Galilee where Jesus spent time and preached, and those whom He ministered to would have been familiar with them, seeing them often where they lived.

This story teaches us an important lesson. This verse is pointing out that as children of God, we can trust that He is our provider, and we don’t need to fear or worry that our needs will be met. If He takes care of the flowers and the birds, how much more will He take care of us, His children? Jesus uses the world of flowers to help us understand this very important concept of trusting Him. So if you are ever worried about anything, remember the anemones and the wildflowers, remember how God takes care of them, and remember that He will always take care of you.