"The Compost Pile"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 99 -

This morning, as I was praying for a ministry friend of mine, God put it on my heart to pray -- not just for the minister's message to be anointed, -- but for the soil of the hearers' hearts to be fertile, so that His Word would bring forth it's best fruit.

"The seed is the Word of God.  

... But the seed falling on good soil 

stands for those with a noble and good heart, 

who hear the Word, retain it, 

and by persevering produce a good crop." 

Luke 8:11,15

As I paced back and forth in my prayer closet, I happened to look out the window, into my back yard.  At that very instant, it was as if I were looking into my backyard as a kid.  There, in the far left corner was my father's compost pile.  I could remember my dad telling me, in detail, all about this project he was working on, and how it would help our plants and vegetables grow better.

"Here's an interesting thought,"  said the LORD.

"All the crap, clippings and garbage get put into a big pile.

Over time,  it's stirred up --  it heats up -- it breaks down, 

and in the end, it provides the exact nutrients necessary to

 fertilize a garden,  producing magnificent fruit."

"There's a choice to be made here."  He continued.  
"People can throw all the crap, clippings and garbage 
of their lives in My compost pile -- allow Me to stir it up,  
add a little heat, and break it down over time --  and I'll 
give them a harvest of awesome fruit?

                                       - OR -

They can let it all build up in the closet of their hearts 
until it stinks up their life?  And trust Me... it will!"

"Compost"  is organic matter that has been decomposed 

and recycled as a fertilizer and soil amendment.

A variety of organic materials are layered on top of one another:

• remains of fruits and vegetables (garbage)
• straw, twigs, sticks, and leaves
• grass clippings, dead flowers, and dirt
• newspaper and cardboard
• coffee grinds and used tea bags
• hair and fur
• even crushed egg shells
• and manure

A plastic covering is placed on top of the heap so that it heats up, breaking down the nutrients.  Every day, for several weeks on end,  the pile is disheveled, turned and stirred. The outcome is a fertile dirt, complete with all the nutrients and microorganisms that make up "good"  soil.  

Isn't it interesting how God works?  I recently read that compost  creates nutrient dense fruit.  It creates an inspirational garden -- one that is admired by many.  That's God's desire!  That our lives would be inspirational gardens of lush and abundant fruit!

In RED shoes,

Gail