Fruit

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 13:23

If you keep a grain of wheat in your pocket, it will look exactly the same ten years from now. But place it in the right environment -- some good ground, enough water -- it will sprout into a living sheaf of grain! Every kind of life requires its particular corresponding environment in order to achieve its full and predestined potential. It’s no different with the seeds of the fruit of the Spirit in our hearts! God has readily made available to us the seeds of success. He gives us the opportunity to live a life of much fruit! A life abounding in the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. But here they are -- just seeds -- sitting in our pocket -- waiting until we decide to plant them and allow them to become trees of plenty in our lives. Is your soil is fertile and ready? Let’s plant some seeds today and invite the Lord to water and nourish them so that we can produce fruit one-hundred fold for the Kingdom.

Prayer for this week: Faithful God, help us remove the seeds in our pockets and plant them for you to nourish. Help them spring into new life in a new season at St. Mark’s. May the fruit produced bring joy to others. AMEN

We draw closer to the close of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and becoming the LSIM Center for Worship and Community Outreach (my thoughts on a title). This may bring both relief and sadness to this uncertain time in this church’s life. All of the LSIM rostered pastors and myself are available to you should you need assistance or visit. You will be receiving a letter in the mail, shortly. It will contain your record of giving for this year, an informational letter and a voting card. Please open it immediately as your final vote will need to be registered for the State of Ohio. There are also unsold items in the basement, please come by and make a small donation for anything there.

Be a blessing this week. Nancy Trimble LSIM Deacon