Harvesting flowers of God’s grace

"He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with joy, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6

One winter morning in June (our seasons are opposite from the Northern hemisphere) while on our walk, Tony and I passed an elderly neighbour who asked if I’d planted the ranunculus he’d brought me. I told him I was wondering what it was that I’d found on my porch. He told me to soak them in water and then place them in the ground and I’d have flowers by spring. I took a little time one morning to put these unpromising looking little brown “stars” into the ground. At the time of planting I did not know that the points of these bulbs which look like small bunches of brown bananas should be planted facing up. Surprisingly, before the end of winter, there were lacy green sprouts pushing up everywhere I’d planted a bulb, so they managed to come up even when I couldn’t have planted more than 50% of them by chance in the right direction! I waited and watched almost 2 more months, looking for some sign of coming flowers. Only a week ago I found the first buds and as of today I’ve already snipped two bouquets—one to give away and one to keep. There is the promise of a full season for this beautiful flowerbed and many cut flowers, because the more you cut the more blooms the ranunculus will produce.

Since March we have spent many, many hours several days each week in the work of sowing, sometimes on ground that looks so unpromising, waiting for someone that might resemble a flower of God’s grace. How encouraged we have been recently over a number of professions of faith since August.

Randall and Norleen trusted the Lord when Jeremy and Tony visited their home for a second time on the last day of August. About 2 weeks later, Tony and I visited their 25 year-old-daughter in hospital and witnessed to her for a second time. She also made a profession of faith there in the waiting room outside her ward. Tony is teaching the three of them discipleship in their home in Suburban, Delft, next to Eindhoven, on Thursday evenings. Rachel, shown above with me, trusted Christ as her Saviour on Septermber 11 when Tony and Jason presented the gospel in the home where she and her mother and her little son are living in Eindhoven. Rachel is evidencing a real desire to learn. She attends the Sunday afternoon Bible study at Jeremy and June’s home and prepares her lessons for the discipleship class that I teach her on Thursday mornings.
Bradley and his fiancee, Oriel, came to our home for some counseling on September 15. He learned of us from his brother, Chris, who trusted Christ a few months ago. They were open to the gospel and after a 2-hour session in Tony’s study, they both prayed to receive Christ. Tony hopes to get with Bradley each Saturday for discipleship and I plan to meet with Oriel nearby at her work during lunch

On September 18, when Tony and Jason were visiting door-to-door in Eindhoven and met Charmaine, she began to cry when they explained conversion to her. She had a great spiritual struggle and Tony stressed that she needed to trust Christ, not herself or her own ability to be faithful to Christ, for salvation. She made a profession of faith that day. We hope to see her begin discipleship classes soon.