“As for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance” (Luke 8:15).

Bearing Fruit: Cultivating the Garden of Our Hearts

Gardens are an important setting in Scripture. Adam and Eve are created in the Garden of Eden, born out of God’s great love for us (Genesis 2). Jesus prays and suffers in the Garden of Gethsemane before he is arrested and crucified (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46)—again, out of love for us.

This Lent, the Catholic Women in Business team is meditating on our interior garden, where we can invite God to help us bear fruit. As St. Augustine wrote, “The turn of phrase by which the man is said to work the land, which is already land, into also being landscaped and fertile, is the same as the one by which God is said to work the man, who was already a man, into also being godfearing and wise.”

I’ve never had a green thumb. Growing up, yard work at our home was basically a punishment. The thought of raking leaves made me cringe, mowing the grass was out of the question, and if my parents left town and asked me to water the plants, I hoped I could remember to keep them alive.

Fast-forward to the present day. My husband and I have been homeowners for four years, and I have found a new sense of pride in owning our own home. We began to find joy and excitement in the little projects that we worked on in our humble suburban house. The daily and weekly responsibilities that came with our new space, specifically the yard work, brought a sense of purpose and gratitude into my life that I didn’t know could exist. We took on the rigor of a DIY landscaping project and added some beautiful hydrangeas, flowers, and boxwoods.

While I can now sit and reflect on how we tended to the exterior visuals of our home, and the determination we had to bring a certain curbside appeal to our cul-de-sac, I look inward and ask myself what the interior appeal of my heart and soul looks like.

Trying to Grow in Weak Soil

While we added many new flowers and bushes and even laid seed to grow new grass, it was our Japanese maple tree that my husband took the greatest care of to ensure a long and prosperous life. The Japanese maple was planted by the previous owner of our home, who tragically passed away in an accident. We were told that he took great pride in caring for the home, and since years had passed since he planted the tree, we questioned how long the tree would last. The roots began to grow beneath the cement steps of our front porch, and the clay-like dirt was no longer providing the tree with the nutrients it needed for a healthy life.

As years of my life have passed, I’ve allowed certain sins to root so deeply into my heart that I feel like they’re cracking the foundation of my being. The shows I choose to watch, the music I listen to, the gossip I partake in are lost in the clay that I allow myself to settle into. I know that my environment can take a very real toll on who I am as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and businesswoman.

Uprooting and Transplanting

After doing some research, we made a risky choice to uproot the Japanese maple and plant it in a location with richer soil. When we transplanted the tree, we had to chop off part of the roots, because they were buried too far beneath our steps. People told us to cut our losses and throw the tree to the curb, because it wouldn’t survive. We were skeptical but decided to carefully nurture it back to prime health.

Our culture often paints a facade that we are missing out and that others are much better off than we are. My co-worker has a bigger home, my friends take nicer vacations, my siblings have better jobs, etc. The lies that we feed on about the exterior lives of others can seem like a cacophony of banging cymbals that distract us from our spiritual goals.

Breaking off the unnecessary noises of the outside world, which aren’t grounded in faith and prayer, might be exactly what you need to have a shot at personal growth. Delete social media apps, put down your phone, step away from toxic relationships … transplant yourself away from whatever it is that prevents you from nurturing your soul.

Thriving in Place

Since the tree was pushing four feet tall, we had to run stakes into the ground beside it and wrap twine around it so that it would remain upright. We watered the tree twice each day, especially during the heat of the summer. We thought that we could help the Japanese maple survive for the year and work on its growth the following year. The more we tended to the tree, the more it thrived. The color on the leaves were more vibrant than ever, and we began to see new limbs form.

Sometimes, I find myself saying one-liners like, “I’m fine,” when in reality, I’m not fine. I prop my heart up with metaphorical stakes and twine so that I can appear stronger and more confident, but they are a crutch that I use until the inevitable realization that I can’t do it all on my own. A little nurturing can go a long way, though. By taking care of my heart through daily prayer and reflection, and by being open and vulnerable with the people I’m close with, I find that I can thrive.

As the seasons come and go, the tree remains rooted in its place, ready for the cold Midwestern winter and the heat index of the long summer days. While it’s currently withstanding the harsh snows we’ve had this year, we’re already planning our spring care routine so that we can continue to nurture the tree.

Much like the tree, I sometimes find myself in seasons of life when I need to be gentle on myself and remember that there is room for growth and strength. Finding proper spiritual nourishment will ensure the health of my soul, but it will also extend like the branch of a Japanese maple and touch everyone within reach. It acts as a subtle reminder that wherever we are planted in this course of life, there is a God who will continue to provide for us, and he promises not to abandon you.

Colleen Godinez is a freelance copywriter living in Kansas City. She graduated from Kansas State University with a BS in psychology and a minor in journalism and mass communication. In her spare time, she loves laughing with friends and family and finding new wines to sip on (sparkling rose on warmer days). She has learned to appreciate the little things in life and soaks up every moment she can with her two kids and husband. You can follow her on Facebook or Instagram.