Meet my new magazine for Christian women (and read to the end for a preview of the new membership, too)! It’s called Gather in the Garden! In this blog post, I’ll share the heart behind the project, and a little preview of what to expect.
By the way, the magazine officially launches in October of 2024 and the membership tentatively opens in January 2025. If you want to be first in line, click right here to join the waitlist!
If you’d rather see the magazine than read about it, you can click here to watch a behind the scenes video!
As Christians, we should be regularly seeking God and His word.
That’s what my grandfather taught me during one of his Wednesday evening Bible class. It was summertime and the warm evening light was shining through the windows. Although it was over a decade ago, I still vividly remember the moment. He sat on his stool, leaning forward with folded hands resting on top of his Bible.
I can’t tell you what the Bible class was about, I can tell you what he said.
“If you only spend time in your Bible during Sunday and Wednesday church services, then you’re sorely missing out on a treasure trove of Scripture.”
His words made a big impact on me. In fact, that day my spiritual maturity increased a little bit more.
That’s when I decided I would be more than a Bible reader. I would become a Bible student.
That was one of the first defining moments in my young spiritual life. In fact, that moment motivated me to refine my spiritual habits and practices. Over the years, similar moments like these have urged me to be more diligent in my habits. To read more, to pray more, to study more, to serve more.
Sister, if there’s anything we should be desiring more of, it’s the Lord.
We should desire to be better Bible students.
The Word of God holds all the secrets to life. By spending time in the Bible, we will realize just how precious and generous our God is.
The more time we spend studying God’s Bible, the more we’ll see God in our day to day lives. And truth be told, this is what happens with all spiritual habits that we practice. When we pray more, read more, study more, and serve more, we’ll feel ourselves drawing closer to God.
And what’s more, we’ll notice ourselves being more driven to share the Lord with others.
We must sow seeds for the kingdom of God.
I’m sure you’re familiar with the parable of the sower, told by Jesus in Matthew 13:3-9.
Take a look at verses 18-23 below to refresh your memory.
“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
We often think about the types of soil and reflect, Which kind of soil am I? However, have we ever stopped to think about our roles in the kingdom of God? Sister, we are more than soil ourselves. We are sowers of the seed for the kingdom of God. All that we say and do reflects on the One whose name we wear.
This is a serious responsibility, and it’s up to us to make sure what we say and do represents Christ in a way that brings glory to Him.
The best way we can make sure we’re effective sowers of seeds for the kingdom of God is by making time with Him a regular part of our lives.
It’s up to all Christians to sow kingdom seeds. But as women in the church, we have special talents given to us by God that can help us.
Isn’t it such a gift to be a woman of God? He has divinely designed us with special skills.
We put the heartbeat in our homes.
We bring tender touches to our relationships.
We care for our families with gentle strength.
We make this world a beautiful place with our feminine grace.
And this is where Pappaw’s advice rings true for all of us. If we, as women, don’t spend time in our Bibles, then we sorely miss out on being rooted in the Word of God. And ultimately, we miss out on the opportunity to sow kingdom seeds.
It’s not the sole responsibility of men to study the Bible, to spread the gospel message, and to teach others about Christ. There is so much we can do too by leaning into God’s divine design for women.
But sometimes, it feels hard to get started, doesn’t it?
Spiritual growth can feel overwhelming.
Sister, does spiritual growth ever feel like a mountain range you’re incapable of climbing?
You want to read the Bible more, but you don’t know where to start.
You wish you knew how to study, but the Bible text seems so confusing.
You want to pray to God—like, really pray—but your prayers feel repetitive.
If this resonates with you, let me remind you of something important. There is no such thing as a perfect Christian. God is looking for your best effort, not a perfect score. Keep this in mind and take the first step forward with this brand new resource I’ve put together.
Sometimes, it can feel like we’re the only ones who are falling behind while everyone else is spiritually smart. But remember, you’re not alone in this feeling.
Introducing Gather in the Garden: a brand new magazine for Christian women
Ready to spend more time with the Lord without stressing about perfection? If the answer is YES, then you’ll love Gather in the Garden.
The quarterly magazine helps Christian women sow kingdom seeds in their homes, hearts, and habits. We focus on three core values:
- Biblically sound: we have nothing to build upon if our foundation is not on God’s word, so each piece of content in Gather in the Garden is carefully compared to the Scriptures before sharing with you.
- Spiritually rich: we do more than skim the surface of the text. We dig deep into the Bible to find the treasure troves of knowledge that God has tucked inside for us.
- Beautifully feminine: in this modern age that tries to blur the line between men and women we need resources specifically designed to appeal to the way God created women. That’s why we pour grace and beauty into each page of this magazine.
What’s inside the magazine
You’ll find a mix of articles touching on spiritual disciples, family Bible time ideas, textual and topical studies, and faith-based homemaking.
Here’s a preview of our very first issue, coming October 2024:
- Looking Back and Forward with a Grateful Heart
- Hanging Gratitude in our Homes
- How to Host a Friendsgiving
- Walking Through the Holidays with Grief
- What is the Difference Between Studying and Reading the Bible?
In addition, you’ll find my favorite fall items for the home, a quarterly Bible reading plan, prayer prompts to prepare for the New Year, and maybe even a few other surprises and resources tucked inside!
Wait, didn’t you mention a membership?
My prayer is that Gather in the Garden will be more than a magazine you flip through once before collecting dust on your coffee table. That’s where the membership comes in.
Christians need spiritual community.
Over the last few months, I’ve reached out to multiple Christian friends with this question: what encourages your spiritual growth the most? Without breaking pattern, there have been two answers from all these women:
Community and accountability.
That’s why the membership will be such a special resources to go alongside this magazine for Christian women.
The membership is a private online hub here to help Christian women to find that community and accountability.
Inside the membership, you’ll find discussion boards, group Zoom calls, and prayer request days. As a bonus gift for all the women inside the membership, every other quarter will include a new drop of digital resources––like guides, study templates, and reading plans!
The goal of the membership is to bring together sisters in Christ and spiritually grow alongside each other. We’ll study, read, and pray together while getting to know each other on an intimate level.
Does this sound like a spiritual resource you need?
If the answer is yes, then click right here to join the waitlist for Gather in the Garden! You’ll get behind the scenes content, an early preview, and a discount code to use during the preorder week!
Preorder for the very first October issue opens on August 23, 2024. I hope to see you then!
If you have questions, try one of these:
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