Most days I’m operating in my true gifting. I have the spiritual gift of killing plants. I am infatuated with the idea of gardening. My foodie heart swoons over the prospect of plucking plump produce and harvesting herbs from my own garden to use in cooking creations.
However, I’ve discovered gardening requires commitment. There’s weeding and watering, pruning and picking to do on the regular. For many years, gardening remained on my to-don’t list because I was raising babies and writing books and pulled in a thousand other directions. House plants didn’t have a chance in my home, and gardening was not a high priority.
Finally, I decided to try again. In Central California where I live, gardening is somewhat challenging because of our extreme heat in the summer. Temperatures soar into the triple-digits for weeks with little reprieve. A few years ago, everything in my garden got fried over a weekend under the scorching rays of the hot sun.
Last year, I tried to plant a garden, but started too late. My plants sprung up quickly but then shriveled back after several nights of cold before any real fruit could develop.
This summer I enlisted my dad’s help to cultivate my vegetable garden. My 82-year-old daddy has time on his hands and loves to tinker. He turned the soil and helped me weed. Then we pushed seeds into the earth and watered diligently.
I was excited to watch the cucumber plants grow next to the basil, peppers, and tomatoes. I let myself start dreaming of Tomato Basil Bisque and tender layers of Eggplant Parmigiana with my Italian tomato ragù and melted mozzarella cheese on top. I actually got a good little crop of veggies over the weeks that followed.
Everything was producing — except for the eggplant. The plant itself shot up and pale purple flowers bloomed on the sturdy-looking branches. But weeks and weeks went by with no eggplants, just pretty flowers. No fruit was to be found even though the plant climbed upwards and outwards in my backyard planter box.
Finally, I did the thing any amateur gardener would do. I asked Dr. Google for advice. Scrolling through different gardening sites, I discovered eggplants are primarily wind-pollinated, so very hot or still days can prevent them from bearing fruit. Sometimes the plants go into survival mode and won’t produce fruit at all when it’s too hot to save their nutrients.
Then I read a “hot internet tip” that I could gently shake the stems of the plants to help instigate pollination. Apparently, shaking the plant can help pollen fall from the anthers to the pistils. I went outside several mornings in a row and shook the stems of those plants. It seemed a little far-fetched but I had nothing to lose. And maybe this would get me one step closer to that Eggplant Parmigiana I dreamed of making.
Do you know what happened?
The following week I went out to see how the eggplants were doing and there were three plump, shiny-royal purple eggplants ready for picking.
Sometimes God’s creation preaches the most surprising sermons. Even though I’m a novice gardener, the metaphor was not lost on me. Sometimes we need a little shaking up to prompt us to flourish in the calling God has for us.
If we go digging in the garden of the book of Esther, we see that’s true in her life too. In Esther 4, Mordecai shakes Esther from her sheltered palace life with news about an edict to exterminate the Jews. Queen Esther probably didn’t know about the plot produced by the evil Haman. He was ultimately irritated by her cousin Mordecai because he wouldn’t bow down to Haman. Then Haman allows his anger to escalate into punishing all of the Jews.
Mordecai, who was like a father figure to the orphaned Esther, challenges her to leverage her position and stand up for her people:
“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:13-14 NIV
Esther sends these weighty words to Mordecai in return:
“Then I will go to the king though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
Esther 4:16 NIV
In these words, we see Queen Esther rise up with agency to step into her calling. Prior to this, Mordecai had always guided her, but now the queen begins to lead in her own way. She even urges Mordecai to gather the Jews in Susa to fast for three days as she considers her next move. The hidden hand of God is working in Esther and in these circumstances to rescue His people.
Friend, I wonder if there’s something in your life that God is shaking or shining a light on today. Is there something He is calling you to do or say, or someone He is prompting you to reach out to or serve? Take some time to pray, bring your fears and hesitations to Him, and step up with courage “for such a time as this.”
Madeline says
I learned something new- yet again! I learned about how to get an eggplant to grow, but more importantly, I learned I need to pay better attention to what God is shaking me up to do. I have a feeling this shaking things up will be on my mind today. 🙂
Dorina says
Madeline, I’m right there with you! I can’t stop thinking about it!
Michele Morin says
I’m a veteran gardener, but have given up on eggplants because of my stunning failure rate!
Thanks for the hot gardening tip, but even more—thanks for words of reassurance that flourishing can follow failure.
Dorina says
Ha! Thanks for the affirmation too. It’s amazing what we can learn in the garden from what is failing + flourishing there!
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
Dorina I am not a gardener. My late Mum had a green house. She used plant tomatoes lettuce and strawberries in it. They all grew. Because she gave them the love and care they needed. My late Mum loved doing and loved being her greenhouse. But I have one house plant in my kitchen that someone gave me. So it reminds me it being in my kitchen to water it. It’s not that I deliberately for get if in another room in the house as it used be up stairs. I forget about. With being so busy. Unless in the room it in. It not big big it ones that is in house pot for house plants that sits on the windowsill. So I see on my kitchen windowsill. So I remember to water it. I must have it about 4 years now. It as healthy as the day it was given to me. It has taught me not to get to busy in my life I forget about God or too tired to spend time with him. As other things take over that make me so busy. That what Satan the Devil wants so I am to busy then to tired to spend time with God. I say I have in the past. God understands. I will pray read my Bible tomorrow. To tired now. I do read my Bible or say my prayers. Then I feel guilty. God showed me like the plant you have to give water every so often for it to live thrive and grow. If you don’t it will die. God said it’s like me. If you don’t put aside some of the business to get tired and spend time in my word the Bible and prayer. You will die spiritualy. If you don’t do that I can water you with my word so as you keep spiritualy alive so does your soul. If you don’t do that you will fill with weeds get so tired and do things you shouldn’t do. Then you be coming to me to ask me to pick out the weeds. Help you grow in your walk for me physically and spiritualy. So you have to not get so busy that happens. That is what the Devil wants. You to be busy to get so tired you can’t read my word and say your prayers to get fed by me to grow. So it been hard for me to slow down do less leave some of it to the next day. Not try and get all fitted in on the one day get all done. As I am a person like that. So I got now with God help I am slowing down. Yes it hard but with God help I not doing as much. So as don’t get to tired not to spend time with God in his word and prayer. Thank you Dorina for what you wrote it spoke to me. All incourage in my prayers. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Irealand xx
Dorina says
Dawn, I’m so glad these words ministered to you just as they preached to me too! I’m learning to tend my garden and more importantly my soul. Bless you!
Brenda M Russell says
I have heard that the experiences all Believers encounter are filtered through the Hands of our Creator. I did not grow up with this sense of things. I still have to know that God Knows Everything ! I do have a free will that is limited by circumstances. I am married with children. I cannot afford to act in a wayward manner.
Even when my emotions get the best of my demeanor, I know God is with me and He never leaves me alone.
Life has certainly added to my list of financial challenges and I made some unwise decisions ahead of time in an effort to help my child after her knee surgery.
Now I need tremendous financial support to get through the next two weeks. I have consolidated several financial matters. I have prayed for guidance. I have cried over this situation. My faith is being tested and I feel shaken. This too shall pass.
I pray for my Sisters in Christ. We all need one another to ensure that we stand after doing all we can do.
Brenda
Dorina says
Brenda, thanks for sharing your story with us so we can remember you in prayer too. I pray for God to guide and provide in ways only He can. You are certainly not alone!
Betsy Basile says
Dear Dorina……Funny that you would choose this subject today. I was just looking at the one plant that friends had given me over a year ago. It is not going to survive much longer. I am 77 years old and living alone due to my husband’s dementia and he abused me every night for 3+ years until 4/20/2022 when he came very close to killing me. 10 minutes later, he would have not remembered that he did it. I was married for 54 years and actually, Friday would have been our 55th anniversary, but the divorce was final on 7/17/2024. When he was all right, his mother who loved with us for 16 years after her husband died from a botched heart operation which never should have happened. She and Jim always took care of all the plants in our large house as it seemed like all I had to do was look at them and they faded so now I have this plant that I think needs to be transplanted into a bigger pot, but I do not have the foggiest idea how to do that and I think it is too late. I admire you for deciding you were going to plant that garden you always wanted. You were successful except with that little eggplant. Oh and by the way, the minute you mentioned Eggplant Parmigiana , I started to drool. One of my favorites!!! I live in a facility where the food they make is really inedible and they will not do anything about it and we are paying for it. I enjoyed your story about Esther and I am a churchgoing woman, due to my 55 year old job, I had no extra time to read the Bible and handle the big house and every thing there is to do. I did get the (in)courage Bible which I love and am starting to read it when I have a little time. Thank you again Dorina for your words and have a Blessed Day and a great Thanksgiving and Christmas which really should be called “Holy Days” not holidays. I was reminded of that in one of the devotions posted last week I think. Hope to talk to you soon………………………Betsy Basile
Dorina says
Betsy, I am so sorry for the hardship you have endured. I am grateful for your persistent faith. Thank you for your encouragement. i wish I could deliver a plate of Eggplant Parmigiana to you tonight. Sending a prayer and hug from my garden to you!
Janice Simpson says
Love the eggplant analoy. We all need shaking up at times. I happen to be in a season where I’ve been shaken quite a bit lately. It’s all turned out for my good. Just like the eggplants. I am thriving in areas I was only striving just weeks or months ago. God is good. Thank you.
Dorina says
Oooh, Janice. I love hearing your testimony to this! It’s never fun in the middle of the shaking but what a gift to be able to look back and see HIs hidden hand at work!
Jen Ludwig says
This is great encouragement today, Dorina!
Dorina says
Thank you for reading & taking time to encourage, my friend!
Courtney Humble says
Always learning. Thanks for sharing.
Dorina says
Yes, I’m preaching to myself here too! Blessings!
Lisa Will says
Dorina,
I can relate as I don’t have a green thumb either.
I ♥️ the teaching example you pulled from shaking the eggplant!
Sending you autumn joy,
Lisa Wilt
Dorina says
Thank you for reading, Lisa! I’m so glad the metaphor reached you today too!
Dawn Davies says
Dorina, Maybe 2025 should be the “Year of the Eggplant!”
Not only does it love being shaken up to produce its bounty, but it’s beautiful deep purple color also symbolizes Transformation & Wisdom!
thank you for the inspiration!
Dorina says
That’s beautiful! I love the symbolism in that royal purple color. Thanks for encouraging me!
Beth Williams says
Dorina,
We need to pay attention to the lessons God is teaching us through our trials. Back in Fall of 2022 I was ready to quit my job. The duties had changed drastically & put me into a depression. God gently shook me & said stay here. He had better plans in store for me. Eventually I was given a different position. One that I like a lot.
Blessings 🙂
Dorina says
I love that you can bear witness to this too! Thanks for sharing, Beth!
Barbara Rothman says
Dorina,
I also live in Central CA & know firsthand of the triple digit heat we encounter. I use to garden when all 3 of my kids were little & it was fun having red rose potatoes for the picking! We also though have hungry gophers & rabbits that come & have a feast while we sleep. We use to have a peach tree (my husband cut it down after so many years of supporting the racoons) & I tried everything in vain to keep the squirrels, birds & even racoons away. Right when the peaches were ready to pick our smart racoons came & had a peach party on our deck leaving the pits for us to clean up! I was told that if I left a radio going thru the night it would scare them away – nope!
Needless to say, we use Farmer’s Market & Talley Farms now besides the markets for fresh produce.
Lord bless you as you garden & enjoy the delicious flavors of fresh picked produce!
Dorina says
I loved hearing your gardening adventures! And yes, I’m grateful for the plentiful farmer’s markets in the area to find all the goodies!