Sowing Seeds

3/1/2023

Written by: April Mills

I can recall my youngest daughter’s birth with such clarity. The way she entered the world would be a testament of her personality to come. She was delivered via a planned C-section, and before the doctors held her up above the sterile field for us to see, we knew she had arrived into the world.

There were no soft, newborn cries from her. What we heard was an angry, bellowing cry that rang in our ears and filled every corner of the room. The doctor held her up, and as I took in her shock of red hair, I was immediately struck by one thing: she was mad! She was so mad and she was letting the world know it. I later joked that God had sent a fireball into my life. I would later discover just how true these words would ring.

When her toddler years hit, I was admittingly naïve. I watched her be fiercely independent, and smiled at her tenacity. It wasn’t until she was about three years old that I truly understood that I was a parent of a strong-willed child. She had her own way of navigating the world. It often involved her running full speed with my husband and I desperately trying to catch and contain her. We laugh now, but whew, did she ever give us a run for our money!

And for the record, she wasn’t a difficult child. She was happy. She knew no fear-and I mean zero fear. She laughed, played and loved. She just had an iron will that could not be dampened. I clearly can remember abandoning full carts of groceries at the store. I remember bargaining with God and making futile promises in exchange for a “normal” outing. I was a stay-at-home mom at the time, and I remember on numerous occasions tearfully calling my husband and telling him, “This kid is trying to kill me”. And while I laughed, part of me was dead serious.

My little fire ball.

One day, after a particularly grueling trip to the store, I sat in my van and took a moment to recover. I felt God speak to my heart, and I decided then to stop fighting and accept she wouldn’t be anything like I thought. I decided to let go of my expectations for her and accept that this wonderous, tiny person was just wired differently. I decided to start looking at her as God sees her, and start considering His plan for her life. I decided to not be a hinderance to her gifts but to learn how to amplify them and help them grow.

Instead of praying for God to change her, I started praying this: “Lord, do something glorious for your kingdom with this strong will. Take it and use it for your glory.” I have prayed this prayer over her daily since her toddler days, and it leaves me with a certainty and a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Over the years, we found our rhythm to life. Sometimes, it was a gentle push and pull, and sometimes it felt like a great swell in the ocean. Teaching a strong-willed child can be a challenge. When it came to teaching her about the Lord, some days were easy and some, not so easy. In moments of doubt, God would remind me that a farmer goes out to sow seed with the expectation that a harvest will come. This image always helped me find renewed strength to stay the course.

God has been good to give me glimmers of His work along the way. One of these little glimmers came a few weeks ago. I had sent her a text where I praised her hard work in a particular area, while giving thanks and praise for the work God has done in her. She text me back a simple reply: “I am thankful for Jesus.” These words caused my heart to burst, and my spirit to break in humility. What a powerful moment.

So, I see you mom. I see you, Dad. I see those of you who are in the trenches of child raising. Keep planting the seeds of faith, and of eternity. Keep sowing seeds of love, mercy and grace. Plant with intention, and plant with confidence. Trust Him to complete the good work He has started.

Galatians 6:9 –

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.