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Dirt Under My Nails and Faith That Keeps Growing: What God Has Taught Me in the Garden
January is a strange month for gardeners.
Outside, everything looks dead. Inside, I’m pacing, sighing dramatically, flipping through seed catalogs like they’re novels, and side-eyeing my notebooks from last year like, “You better have written this down.”
Winter break has officially worn off. The holiday sparkle is gone. The kids are bored. I’m tense. My hands miss dirt. My fingernails look way too clean right now. And suddenly journaling about the garden becomes less of a hobby and more of a survival tactic.
Because January is when gardeners do two very important things:
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Dream boldly
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Remember painfully
This is the season where I sit inside with my coffee, my planner, and my gardening journal, trying to remember:
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What worked so well I should absolutely do it again
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What failed so spectacularly that I should never speak of it (except I need to, so I don’t repeat it)
And somewhere between sketching garden beds and muttering, “Why did I think that would work?”, God always shows up.
Because gardening has quietly discipled me for years.
Here’s what God has taught me through gardening—one muddy, humbling, hope-filled lesson at a time.
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1. Germinating: Growth Happens Where No One Can See It
Germination is boring.
You put a seed in the dirt. You water it. And then… nothing.
For days. Sometimes weeks.
No visible progress. No applause. Just trust.
Gardening taught me that the most important growth happens underground, unseen. And spiritually? Same.
God often does His deepest work in the quiet seasons—when no one is clapping, when you feel stagnant, when all you’re doing is showing up and staying obedient.
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” — Philippians 1:6
Just because you can’t see it yet doesn’t mean God isn’t working.
2. Hardening Off: Strength Comes From Exposure, Not Comfort
Hardening off is the rude awakening stage.
You’ve babied your seedlings indoors—perfect light, warm temps, zero wind. Then you put them outside for five minutes and they act personally offended.
But without gradual exposure, they won’t survive.
Spiritually, I hate this lesson. I want comfort. God wants resilience.
He doesn’t throw us into hardship recklessly, but He does lovingly prepare us for the real world.
“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials… because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” — James 1:2–3
Strength isn’t built in safety alone. It’s built when God slowly introduces us to discomfort—with purpose.
3. Thinning: Less Can Be More (Even When It Hurts)
Thinning seedlings feels wrong.
You grew them. You nurtured them. And now you’re supposed to pull some out?
But overcrowding kills growth. Everything competes. Nothing thrives.
God has taught me that sometimes He thins my life—not as punishment, but as mercy.
Less commitments. Fewer distractions. Simplified rhythms.
“Let us throw off everything that hinders…” — Hebrews 12:1
Not everything that can grow should stay.
4. Direct Sow: Some Things Need to Be Planted Right Where They’ll Grow
Not everything needs to be started indoors.
Some seeds do best when planted directly in the ground—right where they’re meant to grow.
Spiritually, this reminds me that God doesn’t always call us to prepare endlessly before obeying. Sometimes He says, “Plant it here. Now.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart… and He will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5–6
You don’t always get a greenhouse season. Sometimes obedience is the preparation.
5. Companion Planting: We Were Never Meant to Grow Alone
Certain plants thrive together. They protect each other. Improve flavor. Deter pests.
Isolation makes gardens—and Christians—weak.
God designed us for community, even the awkward, messy, imperfect kind.
“Two are better than one…” — Ecclesiastes 4:9
If something in your life keeps you separated from godly community, it’s probably not helping you grow.
6. Deadheading: Letting Go Makes Room for More Life
Deadheading is removing spent blooms so the plant can keep producing.
It feels counterintuitive. Why cut flowers off a flowering plant?
Because holding onto what’s already done drains energy from what could grow next.
God has taught me that sometimes I need to release what was beautiful—but is finished.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” — Isaiah 43:18
Letting go isn’t failure. It’s stewardship.
7. Transplanting: Shock Is Sometimes Part of God’s Plan
Plants don’t love being moved.
They droop. Panic. Act dramatic. (Honestly, relatable.)
But if left in the wrong place too long, they’ll outgrow their space or never reach their potential.
God has transplanted me more than once—emotionally, spiritually, situationally.
“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” — Psalm 138:8
Discomfort doesn’t mean you’re out of God’s will. Sometimes it means you’re being positioned for growth.
8. Self-Sow / Volunteers: God Grows Things You Didn’t Plan
Volunteer plants pop up where you didn’t plant them.
And sometimes? They’re better than the ones you planned.
God has taught me that He doesn’t need my spreadsheets to be fruitful.
“The wind blows where it wishes…” — John 3:8
Some of the most meaningful growth in my life came from seeds God planted—not me.
9. Stratifying: Cold Seasons Prepare Seeds for Future Growth
Some seeds require cold before they’ll grow.
They need winter.
That one wrecked me.
God uses cold, quiet, uncomfortable seasons to unlock future fruitfulness.
“There is a time for everything…” — Ecclesiastes 3:1
Winter isn’t wasted. It’s preparatory.
10. Compost: God Redeems the Mess
Compost is literally decayed waste turned into nourishment.
Old failures. Rotting things. Stuff you’d rather forget.
God never wastes our mess.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good…” — Romans 8:28
He turns what’s broken into something that feeds new life.
A Little Dirt, A Lot of Grace
Gardening has taught me that growth is slow.
Messy.
Seasonal.
Sometimes you’re thriving.
Sometimes you’re just surviving.
Sometimes you’re staring at a plant wondering if it’s dead—or just resting.
God is patient in every season.
That’s why I wrote Seasons of Growth: A 92-Day Devotional for Spring—a place where faith meets dirt-under-your-nails living. It’s filled with what God has taught me through gardening, the messy moments of life, and the slow, steady spiritual growth I’ve experienced since finding Jesus.
If you’re a plant mom, a faith grower, or someone just trying to keep both your houseplants and your heart alive—you’re not alone.
God is still tending the garden.
And He is really, really good at growing things.
© 2025 Alissa Hill. All rights reserved. Please do not copy, reproduce, or distribute any part of this blog without written permission. Sharing direct links is always welcome and appreciated!
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