Healing in the Garden: Staying Attached to the Vine
I’m not sure how you feel about gardening. For years, I had what you might call a “love-hate relationship” with it. I loved the idea of flowers, herbs, and homegrown veggies… but I hated the reality of spending money on seeds and watching them wilt under the Texas sun.
My first real attempt was at our very first home—flower beds full of weeds and, as it turned out, poison ivy. That experience alone was enough to make me swear off gardening for years!
But God has a funny way of using the very things we avoid to teach us the lessons we need most.
Some of the herbs were great, and some not so much!
“I Was Healed in the Garden”
A friend once told me she was healed in the garden. At the time, I didn’t get it. I kill most of what I plant. But the phrase stuck with me.
My husband, Reggie, always wanted a garden. He spent summers on his grandpa’s farm and loved the process of planting, growing, and harvesting. I always said, “We’re not farmers—we’re city folks!” But when we moved a couple of years ago and finally had space for a garden, he started digging in the dirt one afternoon after a particularly rough day.
That moment turned into a blessing in disguise.
Over the next year, we watched new life literally spring up in our backyard—cantaloupe, zucchini, black-eyed peas, herbs, a few tomatoes, and green beans. We spent time together, worked side by side (ok, he does most of it), and even shared the garden with our grandkids (who now make a beeline for the watering cans and boots the moment they visit).
Our garden became a place of peace, connection, and reminders of Scripture.
Cantaloupe, Watermelon , Black Eyed Peas and Zucchini
Lessons from the Garden
It didn’t take long for me to notice the parallels between gardening and motherhood—between nurturing plants and nurturing faith in our kids, and the growth in my own heart staying connected to Christ.
Some of our seeds thrived; others never sprouted. Some vegetables flourished until a storm or swarm of ants destroyed them. And some simply couldn’t handle the Texas heat.
Just like in mom life, some seasons bring growth and beauty, while others bring challenges and pruning. But the lessons are always the same:
Soil conditions matter. What we plant our hearts in—our community, our habits, our time with God—determines what grows.
Tending matters. Growth takes consistency, discipline, care, and prayer.
Connection matters. The closer we stay to the source of Life, God himself, the more fruitful our lives become.
Abiding in the Vine
In John 15:5, Jesus says:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.”
I didn’t truly understand that verse fully until I saw what happened to the cantaloupe and tomato vines that broke away too early. They shriveled, slowed, and stopped growing. They couldn’t mature or produce fruit because they were no longer attached to the vine. And the longer they were disconnected from the source of life and sustenance, the more decay they became.
The same is true for us as moms, wives, and women of faith.
We can’t pour into our families or lead our children to Jesus if we aren’t rooted in Him ourselves. Like the Southwest Airlines safety reminder says—“Put your oxygen mask on first.” For us, that means making space for prayer, worship, Bible study, and quiet time with God.
Because abiding in Christ isn’t about checking off a devotional box—it’s about daily dependence.
Healing in the Dirt
That garden—messy, imperfect, and often more work than we imagined—became a sacred space. It is teaching me patience, surrender, and joy in watching something grow.
And somewhere between the seeds, storms, and harvest, I began to see how God uses the dirt of life—the disappointments, the delays, the hard days of motherhood—to bring healing.
But, you won’t grow what you don’t plant.
And you won’t see fruit if you aren’t connected to the vine. God, the Father, our source of forever strength and life.
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind Ife and breath and everything.”
So, mama, as you think about your faith and your family in this next season, ask yourself:
Where do I need to reconnect to the Vine?
What “seeds” am I planting in my home and my own heart?
Where is God inviting me to grow—even through the daily dirt?
One of about 65 cantaloupes we grew this year! (Reg was so proud:)
A Word of Encouragement
Psalm 127:3 reminds us: “Children are a gift from the Lord.” And just like our gardens, they need care, consistency, and truth to grow strong.
The grandkids love to help water.
Let’s make 2026 the year we intentionally stay rooted in Christ—through prayer, community, and time in God’s Word. Because when we do, the fruit in our families, homes, and hearts will show it.
If this resonates with you, listen to this week’s episode of the Drive Thru Moms Podcast—Healing in the Garden: Staying Attached to the Vine.
Let’s grow together, one seed of faith at a time. 🌿