God is sovereign over the seasons of life. In every human life there are various seasons. Seasons of exuberation. And seasons of receptivity. Seasons of dispair and disillusionment. Yes, even seasons of death. And resurrection.

A wise and faithful gardener discerns the seasons to determine the appropriate timing for cultivating the ground and planting the seeds of faith and hope.

We cannot control the seasons in God’s timing. Neither can we affect the various climates in which different plants grow. We cannot change an arid climate into a humid climate.

Our best efforts cannot turn an arctic tundra into a rain forest. Yet within each climate certain plants thrive while others could never survive. The diversity of Christians -- hardy or sensitive, colorful or unassuming -- is the gift of God. The wise and faithful gardener discerns the climate that is appropriate to each plant.

While we cannot affect the seasons of life nor alter the climate in which individuals dwell, we CAN impact the soil from which the seeds of faith and hope are conceived. The wise and faithful gardener works within the limitations of climate and season to prepare and tend to the soil out of which springs new life and eventually -- as God leads -- a fruitful harvest.

SANCTUARY slowly and patiently reconditions the soil through agape love. It breaks up hard ground. It gradually cultivates health into barren ground. SANCTUARY creates a healthy, rich environment for the seed of the gospel to be born or, in the case of many wounded and/or disillusioned Christians, reborn.

The wise and faithful gardener plants seeds at the optimum moment for climate, season, and cultivated seedbed. The Holy Spirit brings about CONCEPTION -- often apart from our seeing. New life/resurrection in Christ, like a mustard seed, often starts unseen.

Healthy Christians produce the Fruit of the Spirit. We join and cooperate in God’s activity in the world in SANCTUARY.