1. EachPod

13 | Count the Cost: What Gardening Teaches Us About Effort, Grace, and Long-Term Fruit

Author
Sanda Valcu
Published
Tue 12 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://rootedingrace.podbean.com/e/13-count-the-cost-what-gardening-teaches-us-about-effort-grace-and-long-term-fruit/

 


Scripture Reflection

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”

— Luke 14:28 (NIV)


Rooted Jesus Girls,


Today we’re having an honest, grace-filled conversation about the real cost of cultivating a garden—and a faithful life.


This episode is for you if:




  • You feel tired from the weight of the work




  • You wonder if the slow progress is worth it




  • You’re navigating seasons of starting over again (and again)




Inside, you’ll hear:




  • Why gardening often costs more than we expect—emotionally, physically, spiritually




  • How to reframe “failure” as part of formation




  • Why slow, steady, unseen work often bears the most lasting fruit




  • How to return to your garden (and your life) with joy even after disappointment




And you’ll be reminded that the most beautiful harvest may not be what’s in your basket—but who you’re becoming along the way.


🪴 Take the Free Quiz: What Kind of Garden Grows in Your Soul?

If today’s message stirred something in your spirit, take the next step:

👉 southernsoilsunshine.com/quiz


This quick, thoughtful quiz will help you uncover your unique spiritual-gardening type—Rooted Dreamer, Graceful Grower, Quiet Tiller, or Creative Forager—and receive a printable that speaks directly to your season of soul.


It’s the beginning of your journey into the upcoming GROWTH Workshop, where we’ll walk through a 6-cycle framework for spiritual transformation rooted in the natural rhythms of the garden.


✍️ Rooted Questions for Journal & Prayer


  • What has gardening cost you—not just financially, but in energy, time, or emotion?




  • What unexpected gifts has it given you in return?




  • Where are you investing effort that feels slow or unseen?




  • How do you define “success”? And how might God be redefining it for you?




  • What would it look like to trust slow, faithful work—even without instant results?




💛 Stay Connected:

You don’t have to be limitless to be fruitful.

You just have to show up. Tend what you can. And trust that even what costs you—can transform you.

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