September brings the first quiet hints of change. The cornfields are beginning to take on their harvest color, the days are growing a little shorter, and before long, the green leaves along the tree line will be touched with yellow.
The change doesn’t happen all at once. At first, it may be only one leaf or a subtle shift in the field. But little by little, a new season begins to show itself.
Maybe something new has been quietly taking shape in your life, too.
“Maybe that idea brewing in your heart is ready for its season to grow.” ~ Kelley
Perhaps you have an idea you keep returning to - - a small business, a new routine, a creative project, a healthier habit, a home improvement, a ministry opportunity or something you would simply love to try.
You may have talked yourself out of it more than once. Life is already full. There are meals to make, bills to pay, people to care for and responsibilities that cannot be ignored. Women are especially good at placing their own ideas at the bottom of the list.
Wives, moms, grandmas and farm wives often spend much of their time helping everyone else grow. We encourage our husbands, care for our families, support our children and grandchildren, and keep life moving through every busy season. Somewhere in the middle of doing all that, it can be easy to forget that we are still allowed to have dreams, ideas and new goals of our own.
Growth Often Begins Quietly
On the farm, a seed does not become a harvest overnight. Much of its earliest growth happens beneath the soil, where no one can see it.
Ideas can be that way, too.
An idea may sit quietly in your heart while you think, pray, learn and gather what you need. That time is not necessarily wasted. It may be the beginning of growth.
But eventually, there comes a time to move forward.
You do not need to have every detail figured out before you begin. You don’t need the perfect plan, unlimited time or everyone’s approval. Sometimes you simply need enough courage to take the next small step.
Write the idea down. Make the phone call. Research the opportunity. Clear a little space. Set aside thirty minutes. Create the first page. Try the recipe. Open the account. Tell someone you trust what you are hoping to do.
One small step can turn an idea you have been thinking about into something you are actively growing.
Change Can Be Good
Change can feel uncomfortable because it asks us to leave what is familiar. Even a change we want may bring uncertainty.
But when the leaves begin changing, we do not look at the tree and think it has failed. We recognize that it is moving into a new season.
The same can be true for us.
Changing direction does not mean you made a mistake. Beginning again does not erase what you have already learned. Outgrowing an old routine, goal or version of yourself does not mean you are ungrateful.
Sometimes change is exactly what allows new growth to begin.
Maybe the children are older now, and you have a little more time to consider what comes next. Maybe retirement has changed the rhythm of your days. Maybe you are adjusting to a new role as a wife, mother, grandmother, caregiver or business owner. Maybe farm life has entered a different season, and you are learning how to grow alongside it.
Wherever you are, you are not finished growing.
Tend the Idea You’ve Been Given
Not every idea is meant to become something big. Some ideas are simply meant to make your home run more smoothly, bring your family closer, help another person or add a little joy to your days.
The goal does not have to impress anyone to be worthwhile.
Ask yourself:
- What idea keeps returning to my mind?
- What would I try if I stopped waiting for the perfect time?
- What is one small step I could take this week?
- What might grow if I gave it a little attention?
- Have I prayed about where this idea may be leading?
Take your thoughts to God. Ask Him for wisdom, direction and the courage to move when the time is right. We may not always be able to see what lies ahead, but He does.
“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” ~Proverbs 16:3 KJV
Your Next Season May Begin With One Step
The idea brewing in your heart may not be fully formed yet. That is okay. You do not have to know exactly what it will become before you begin tending it.
Give yourself permission to explore it.
Learn something new. Make a simple plan. Start small. Adjust as you go. Let the idea grow at a pace that fits your life and responsibilities.
A field does not apologize for changing with the season, and neither should you.
This fall, as the leaves begin to turn and the fields move closer to harvest, let them remind you that change can be beautiful, growth can begin quietly, and moving forward does not always require a giant leap.
Sometimes it begins with one idea, one prayer and one faithful step.
What idea has been brewing in your heart? Maybe this is its season to grow. 🌻
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