"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you."
Hosea 10:12, ESV)
There are seasons in life when God stirs our hearts and whispers, “It’s time.” Hosea 10:12 speaks directly to those moments—moments when God calls His people to stop looking backward and start plowing forward to start something new. Israel had allowed their hearts to grow hard like unturned soil. Their love had grown cold. But God’s call was simple and urgent, “Break up your fallow ground.”
Fallow ground is land that once produced crops but has been left untouched. It’s hard, crusted over, and unable to receive new seed. Spiritually, that happens to us too. We get stuck in old habits, old hurts, and old ways of thinking. But when God says, “Break it up,” He’s inviting us into a new season, one where His Spirit can do fresh work.
When God called me to serve as pastor of FBC West, He used this verse to do it. I sensed that He was ready to do something new in West. The soil had been resting, waiting, and God said, “It’s time.”
God continues to call His people to seek Him in new ways. “For it is time to seek the Lord,” Hosea wrote. There’s a divine urgency here. It’s time! Not someday, not after things settle down, not once everything’s perfect, but now.
Maybe you’ve felt dry lately—your prayers mechanical, your joy thin. Maybe your ministry, family, or personal walk has plateaued. Hosea’s word is for you. The soil can be soft and fertile again. The rain is coming. But first, we must be willing to let God till the ground of our hearts. We let Him know we’re ready for that through honest repentance and sincere prayer.
When you seek the Lord with openness, He begins a new season in your life. His rain softens the hard parts of your heart. His righteousness restores the fallow ground. And before long, the field of your life will bloom again.
For about 35 years now I have been a rural pastor. While serving in that role I have been greatly blessed and have discovered many benefits to pastoring in a smaller, rural setting. Here are 10 of them, in no particular order:
Deep Relationships
In small communities, you have the opportunity to really know your people You can know their names, their stories, their struggles, and their joys. Pastoral care becomes more personal and family-like.
Multi-Generational Ministry
Rural churches often bring together all ages into one congregation. This allows you to nurture faith across generations and see grandparents, parents, and children worship and serve together.
Strong Sense of Community
Rural churches are often at the heart of community life. You get to serve not just your members but many of the other folks in town as well. As you share life with them you get to be a caring presence in times of both celebration and crisis.
Opportunity to Shepherd Faithfully
Ministry is less about managing programs and more about shepherding people. You can focus on spiritual growth, discipleship, and relationships rather than endless administration.
Influence Beyond the Pulpit
In small towns, the pastor’s voice is heard in the wider community. You may be called upon for civic events, school functions, or town gatherings, giving the church a unique influence.
Room for Creativity
Without the pressure of large staffs or massive budgets, rural pastors often get creative with worship, outreach, and discipleship. Flexibility can open doors for unique ministry approaches.
Visible Impact
You can see the fruit of your ministry in tangible ways, like helping a struggling family, mentoring young people, or uniting the community in prayer. In smaller churches, small acts of faithfulness make a big difference.
Rootedness and Stability
Long-tenured rural pastors can have a lasting influence on their community because deep roots create trust and credibility.
Slower Pace of Life
While ministry is never without stress, rural settings can offer a healthier rhythm than the constant demands of urban or megachurch ministry. This often allows for stronger family time and personal renewal.
Authenticity of Faith
People in rural settings often value honesty, humility, and integrity more than flash or perfection. Ministry can be refreshingly free of performance-driven pressures and centered on genuine faith.
There is no place too small, no field too remote, for the gospel to flourish. Remain faithful and let your roots grow deep in community.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
— Psalm 23:4 (ESV)
1. God’s Presence in the Dark
David didn’t say, “If I walk through the valley.” He said, “Even though I walk through the valley.” Valleys are inevitable — but so is the Shepherd’s presence. Notice that the verse shifts from talking about God (“He leads me… He restores my soul”) to talking to God (“You are with me”). When the path gets dark, faith becomes personal. The Shepherd doesn’t shout instructions from a distance; He walks right beside you.
When fear says, “You’re all alone,” the Shepherd quietly answers, “No, you’re not.”
2. Keep Walking
David says, “Even though I walk through…” The valley is not a place to pitch your tent or give up the journey. It’s a passage, not a permanent address. When pain lingers and the night feels endless, it’s easy to stop moving — emotionally, spiritually, even physically. But faith keeps walking. Sometimes that means one step of obedience at a time. Sometimes you have just enough strength to pray, “Lord, help me make it through today.”
Don’t stop in the valley. Don’t camp in the shadows. Keep walking — because your Shepherd is leading you somewhere better.
3. You Can Get Through It
The sheep who depends on the Shepherd can say, “Even though I walk through the valley…”. The promise of Psalm 23:4 is not that we’ll never face valleys — it’s that we won’t have to face them alone. And we won’t have to stay there forever. The same Shepherd who leads you beside still waters will also lead you through the darkest valley. With His rod and His staff (His power and His guidance) He will protect, correct, and comfort you. The valley may feel endless, but it has an exit. You can get through it, and on the other side, there is light, rest, and restoration.
Are you in a dark valley? You don’t have to fear it, stop in it, or live in it. With the Shepherd, you can walk through it.
This is an article I wrote for the Baptist Standard about a dangerous prayer I prayed in seminary and how God answered it. Be careful what you ask for!
Today I’m glad I prayed this dangerous prayer and now I can see great benefits from it, but getting to this place has not always been easy.
Understanding One Another: Seeing Through Different Eyes
One of the greatest challenges we face in our world today is not that we disagree—it’s that we often fail to understand one another. Each of us sees the world through our own lens, shaped by our family, culture, experiences, faith, and struggles. Those lenses aren’t identical. And that’s okay.
The fact that I see the world differently than you DOES NOT mean I hate you. It simply means I’ve walked a different road.
Different Perspectives, Same Humanity
Think about standing at the base of a mountain. From the east side, the sunrise paints the sky in bright colors. From the west, the mountain casts long shadows. The mountain hasn’t changed, but the view looks completely different depending on where you stand. Life works much the same way.
When we encounter someone whose view seems unfamiliar—or even opposite—our first instinct may be to argue or dismiss. But what if, instead, we asked them to tell us what they see? What if we were willing to share our view and listen in return?
Talking Opens Windows
Conversation has the power to open windows into another person’s perspective. Listening doesn’t mean agreeing with everything someone else says, but it does mean respecting that they have reasons, experiences, and emotions that shape their outlook.
When we talk—really talk—we begin to realize that other perspectives don’t diminish our own. They expand our understanding. They remind us that we are not alone in this world, and that humanity is richer because of its variety.
Moving Forward Together
We won’t always see eye to eye. But if we commit to kindness and curiosity instead of suspicion and hostility, we can build bridges instead of walls. Unity doesn’t require uniformity; it requires understanding.
So the next time you encounter someone who sees the world differently, resist the urge to label them an enemy. Instead, consider the possibility that their perspective could help you see something new. After all, when we look through one another’s eyes, the world becomes a little wider, a little brighter, and a lot more peaceful.
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
Habakkuk 3:17–18 (ESV)
Faith is easy when life is full—when blessings seem to overflow, when prayers are answered, when the path feels smooth. But Habakkuk challenges us to see that real faith is not dependent on circumstances. He paints a picture of complete loss: no figs, no grapes, no olives, no food, no flocks. In other words, everything that represented security and prosperity in his world had been stripped away. And yet, in the middle of that barrenness, Habakkuk makes a bold declaration: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” He chooses joy—not because of what he sees in his situation, but because of who he knows God to be.
True faith is not a reaction to blessing—it is a decision to trust God’s character even when blessings seem absent. It’s a confidence that God’s goodness does not rise and fall with our circumstances. Faith that endures through difficulty is the kind that keeps singing when the harvest is gone and keeps praising when the answers are delayed.
This kind of faith isn’t denial of pain—it’s defiance of despair. It looks suffering in the eye and says, “You will not steal my song.” It’s the kind of faith that clings to God not for what He gives, but for who He is—the God of our salvation, the unchanging One in a changing world.
Deep in the human soul there is a longing that cannot be satisfied by wealth, success, or even the love of others. It is the longing for God Himself. Scripture affirms this truth: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, ESV). To seek God is not merely a religious exercise; it is the pursuit of the very One for whom we were created.
Why Seek God?
The psalmist declares, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1). Just as a deer desperately searches for water, our spirits thirst for the living God. This thirst is not a weakness but a divine design. God created us with a need that only He can fill.
When we seek Him, we are not chasing after something distant or unattainable. We are responding to His invitation. Jesus Himself promised, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you”(Matthew 7:7). Seeking God leads us not to emptiness, but to discovery.
How Do We Seek Him?
- Through His Word
God has revealed Himself in Scripture. When we open the Bible with a hungry heart, we hear His voice. Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” - Through Prayer
Prayer is more than presenting requests; it is communion with the Father. When we pray, we enter His presence, listen for His guidance, and align our will with His. - Through Obedience
Seeking God is not just about knowledge but about living according to what He reveals. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). - Through Community
God often meets us through His people. The early church sought Him together, devoting themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42).
The Promise of Seeking
The beautiful truth is this: God delights to be found. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” Every step you take toward Him will be met with His steps toward you. He is not hiding—He is inviting.
When we seek Him, He gives us peace that passes understanding, joy that overflows, and hope that anchors us in every storm. To seek God is to find the treasure of all treasures: His presence.
A Closing Word
Life is full of pursuits—careers, relationships, possessions. But there is no greater pursuit than seeking God. Every other search will eventually leave us empty, but this one leads to life abundant and eternal.
Today, take a moment to pause and set your heart on Him. Whisper the prayer of Psalm 27:8: “You have said, ‘Seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.’”
In our local school district, school will start again next week. The first day of school is always hectic. Frightened, confused students and parents all show up at once and everyone has more questions than answers. It would be easy for teachers to get overwhelmed on that first day. You meet so many different students who have so many different needs and are on so many different levels intellectually, emotionally, and developmentally, that you wonder, “How in the world am I supposed to be able to connect to all of these kids at once?” Soon the behavior problems begin to appear and you struggle with the best ways to guide students who don’t want your guidance. They need limits, but push those limits constantly. And then there are the parents who should be in your corner, but seem to work against you at every turn. You work after hours and weekends with little or no break-time during the day. Unfortunately, current trends in our state laws seem to make this difficult job even more difficult. You deal with all of this for a salary that is not close to what you deserve. Educators have a tough job, without question. I admire and respect people who continue to show up for work day in and day out even though it is a hard and sometimes thankless task.
When it gets tough, let me challenge you to think of three things:
1) Remember when you were a student. It wasn’t really that long ago was it? Now you walk the halls with the assurance and confidence that comes with adulthood and a title by your name. But you can remember how big and scary those halls looked when you were a kid. You remember the constant fear that you might do something or say something that would make the other kids laugh at you. You really wanted the other kids to like you, but you were not quite sure yet if you liked yourself that much. You remember that you wanted attention, but at the same time, you just wanted to fit in. That’s a pretty hard balance to keep! Remember how you saw the world differently than you do now? Part of that was due to a lack of experience, and part of it was due the simple biological fact that your brain was not yet fully developed. Younger students are trying to figure what is real, and older students are trying to figure out who is real! You can relate to your students more effectively if you can remember what it was like when you were a student yourself.
2) Celebrate your victories! I’m not talking about getting the equipment you wanted, or the schedule you fought for, or more money for supplies, etc. Those are not your real victories. Why not? Because those are not the reasons you became a teacher. Your victories are much more subtle, yet immensely more meaningful. Many teachers never notice them, which is a shame. When your student finally understands the simple fundamental point that you’ve been stressing for weeks, you have just won a victory! When your student asks a question that lets you know the student is actually thinking, you have just won a victory! When your student has the opportunity to know what it means to accomplish something worthwhile, you have just won a victory! You get the idea. Look in the right places for the real classroom victories – and celebrate every single one of them!
3) Never lose you muse! I have to admit, I am probably exaggerating the use of the word, “muse,” but what I am saying is, “Never forget what inspired you to become a teacher.” Why did you choose such a difficult profession? It wasn’t the money. It wasn’t the fame. It wasn’t because everyone would love you. What motivated you to become an educator in spite of the challenges? I bet I can guess. I might be off, but for most educators who read this, I bet I can tell you how you were motivated to enter into a life of education. My guess is that somewhere along the way there was a teacher who connected with you. Maybe it was no big deal at the time, but looking back, there is one or two teachers who come to mind. They opened a new world to you, or at least they found a way to shed some light on the world around you. Their influence affected you and now you want to have that influence on others. Don’t get discouraged with things like schedules, regulations, work hours, and bus duty. Those are not the things that define you because they are not what brought you here. Focus on why you teach! You teach because someone reached you by teaching! Soon you will face a classroom of students ready to be taught. Here is your opportunity! This is what you’re about. They may never thank you, and you may never realize it, but you are about to impact someone’s life! It’s what you were made to do. Somewhere down the line, a few years from now, some of those students will look back and realize that you inspired them. Perhaps they will go on to inspire others, and your influence will outreach your own life!
The first day of school can be overwhelming at times. You will meet kids with ADD, HDD, OCD, ODD, and a couple who seem to be DOA. It will challenging and scary. You may even feel the urge to cry a little, but hang in there. You’ve got this. On the last day of school, you will feel the urge to cry a little again, because you have built relationships with those little monsters and you love them and hate to see them go! Until that last day of school gets here, remember what it was like to be a student, celebrate your victories, and NEVER lose your muse!
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” — Job 23:10
When life feels unfair, uncertain, or unbearable, it’s easy to wonder where God is. Job knew suffering intimately. He lost his children, his health, and his wealth. His friends accused him. His world crumbled. But in the middle of that pain, Job made a bold declaration of faith: “He knows the way that I take.”
Job reminds us that even in our darkest valleys, God is not absent. He knows—not just facts about our lives, but the heartache, the struggle, the questions we carry. And more than that, God is not wasting our trials. They are a refining fire.
Job believed that when the testing was over, he would “come out as gold.” That’s not optimism. That’s trust in a God who can redeem anything.
Gold is purified by fire. In the same way, trials remove impurities from our character, deepen our faith, and reshape our priorities. The process may be painful, but the outcome is priceless: we are transformed into something more beautiful, more enduring, more like Christ.
📖“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…”
— Hebrews 6:19a (NIV)
In times of uncertainty, when life’s storms surge and the winds of change howl through our circumstances, we all instinctively search for something — anything — to hold on to. The author of Hebrews offers a compelling image to believers enduring hardship: hope as an anchor for the soul. This isn’t wishful thinking or vague optimism. This is not the fragile hope that says, “I hope things get better,” or “Maybe tomorrow will be easier.” The hope described in Hebrews 6:19 is deeply rooted, immovable, and anchored in the very promises of God.
1. A Hope That Holds
The soul, tossed about by waves of doubt, fear, persecution, or temptation, is anchored by hope. This hope holds us steady because it is based on something unchangeable: God’s promise and His oath (Hebrews 6:17–18). God doesn’t lie. His Word doesn’t falter. His character doesn’t shift with the tides. So the hope we cling to is not only powerful — it’s permanent.
2. Firm and Secure
The verse continues, calling this anchor “firm and secure.” In ancient times, ships depended on strong anchors to keep from drifting. Today, we need something just as solid for our inner lives. The writer uses two adjectives:
- Firm – immovable, reliable, unwavering.
- Secure – safe, locked in place, not slipping or breaking loose.
This hope doesn’t just comfort us — it sustains us. It keeps us grounded when we might otherwise be swept away by grief, fear, or despair.
3. Where Is Your Anchor?
An anchor is only as reliable as what it’s attached to. An anchor thrown into soft sand may not hold; an anchor clinging to solid rock will.
The question for every believer is not, Do I have hope? but rather, What is my hope anchored to? If our hope is in health, wealth, politics, or people — we’ll drift. But if our hope is anchored in Christ, we are held by the very presence of God.
John W. Crowder 