This is not a self-help book, but I hope it will help you.  There are already enough self-help books out there. The Bible is full of stories of people who had the miraculous experience of God showing up, changing their names, solving identity crises, healing impossible situations, and making mind-blowing promises - and then they decided to believe the cliche, “God helps those who help themselves…”  - self-help at it’s finest.  And it usually fell apart at that point! They impatiently meddle in the Alpha and Omega’s timing and fracture their families - and God still uses them in the ultimate family tree: He gets born, He “births Himself” right into the thick of humanity by putting Himself into a family tree, lists His genealogy at the beginning of two gospels, lets Himself get nailed to a roughly manufactured tree - to redeem the whole mess we make of ourselves with all our “self-help” and to redeem the beautiful world He gave us.  

I had to look it up online: What is it called when a plant is cultivated in a garden?  I felt astronomically disappointed when I got the answer; cultivar. It felt like I was asking a question, but not an intelligent question, much like Jesus’ bumbling disciples did when they were hanging out with Him… Google showed me through their A.I. generator, that the website Quora states, “Cultivated plants, broadly, are plants that are planted and grown, rather than emerging naturally as part of the biome where they are found.” If we contemplate the Christian life, Jesus said that we are to be reborn or as many call it, “Born again.” This book is about gardening metaphors, because I really love gardening and can lose myself daydreaming in the greenery and mire of the blissfully mundane.  

Take a listen to the song “Would You Come” by Tehillah Worship on the Spotify Playlist. It's here, for the introduction, because simply starting out in a way where we are asking the Holy Spirit to come into your space and meet with you as you dive into scripture, is a powerful habit to cultivate in your prayer life! The main difference between Christians and unbelievers is where they are found and how intentional they are about staying, or refusing to remain, where they were found. God loves us so much that He can’t leave us where we are; the sinful world that we are born into, and the sinful genetic makeup that we might be dictated by in our very being, just isn’t good enough for us, because “while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” We are called to experience supernatural transformation by renewing our minds as we focus on Christ, the living embodiment of God's words.  When we trust in these words and obey them, they transform us and the world around us!  By living our lives faithfully and following Jesus' example, we can fully embrace this transformation!

He denies Himself - His divine self and then calls us to deny ourselves, and serve each other first. Let this devotional be a companion in your daily life, a safe space to challenge your preconceptions, ignite your passion, and recommit your messy, sacred journey of faith.  This devotional plan, and community here and on the private facebook group is designed to help you dedicate your entire self to the God who created you, enabling you to know and serve Him, as well as those He loves, including His church.  Let's embark on this exciting adventure together, and share experiences along the way!