Soul Gardening: Finding God in Every Season

By Renee Fisher

Seasons change, and so have we. Introducing...Soul Gardening by author and Dream Defender, Renee Fisher.

Welcome to the garden, dear reader. Life began in a garden. From the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the Final Feast in Revelation, Renee guides you along the path to...dream in a garden, disco

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renee Fisher & Co. LLC
• Release date: Jan 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781733749039

Book preview

Introduction: Garden Party Invitation

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.¹

Welcome to the garden, dear reader. Please join me for a garden party. I’ve saved a seat for you on the bench starting...now.

Benches are one of my favorite things about gardens. At the time of publishing this book, I’ve visited forty-two gardens in fifteen states and two countries. I’ve enjoyed taking pictures of the various benches I’ve spotted in gardens from Hawaii to London. What I love most about benches is that they offer a space to sit, breathe, and listen to nature. (If you would like to see the photo galleries from each garden I’ve visited, please visit my personal website PeacefulFisher.com).

Let’s go ahead and practice sitting on a bench in nature. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. I hope that helps calm your mind to get you excited to meet with God throughout the pages of this book. I’ve had some of my most intimate conversations with God on the benches of city parks, gardens, and in my own backyard. It is my hope that you will take this book to your favorite chair or bench and sit outside for a while. Please don’t feel rushed to read through Soul Gardening. Each chapter is meant to help you slow down and savor the season, as well tend to your own soul garden. As you read, you’ll work through these seven principles to help you grow slow:

Every Garden Starts with Good Soil

Each Dream is a Seed Waiting to Be Planted

Each Seed is Planted in the Dark

You Cannot Sow and Harvest in the Same Season

Ripe Fruit Bruises Easily

The Harvest is the Word of God

After Each Harvest…Rest

At the Soul Gardening Garden Party, please BYOGT—bring your own gardening tools—as this will help you take advantage of the questions found at the end of each chapter. I recommend grabbing your Bible, colored pens, and a journal before you get started. Also, a garden party wouldn’t be fun without interactive games, so you’ll find some in the back of the book. You can do them yourself or with friends. While you read and journal, feel free to listen to the playlist I created of all the songs listed in the book at bit.ly/SoulGardening.

As you read Soul Gardening, I’d love it if you would RSVP to me at [e-mail] and let me know that you are coming to the garden party so I can encourage you along the journey. As a bonus, I want you to know that your garden invitation is also good for the garden parties I host online through my professional website, ReneeFisher.com. Once I am able, I will begin hosting garden parties in person at a garden near you (my REALLY big dream)!

Without further ado, it is with great joy to welcome you to dream in a garden, discover your spiritual season, and find peace.

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1 Goodreads, s.v. Eleanor Roosevelt, accessed May 25, 2021, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/6358-the-future-belongs-to-those-who-believe-in-the-beauty.

Section I: Dream in a Garden

Chapter 1: Every Garden Starts with Good Soil

For us to function well, our souls need nourishment. Our souls are what I like to think of as the spiritual side of us.¹

I am thrilled to be your tour guide! I can’t wait to show you that you don’t even have to like gardening—or have two green thumbs—to get the most out of this book. (I confess that I didn’t learn how to keep my houseplants alive until I was thirty-five.) Before you get started, please flip back a few pages and make sure you’ve read the Letter to the Reader and Introduction, which includes a garden party invitation.

 Every tool is given by God to be used to cultivate the soil of your soul, which is the foundation for all growth.

As mentioned in the invitation, you’ll need a couple of tools to get started, including your Bible, colored pens, and a journal to get the most out of the questions at the end of each chapter. I also strongly recommend a few more useful Soul Gardening tools that you can use to grow. Every tool is given by God to be used to cultivate the soil of your soul, which is the foundation for all growth. This list is not meant to be exhaustive. Please feel free to add tools to the list below and identify what each one cultivates for you:

Prayer: Cultivates…listening, talking to, and conversing with God

Reading the Bible: Cultivates…hearing and doing the Word of God

Bible Study: Cultivates…a deeper knowledge of God and His Word

Meditating: Cultivates…being mindful of God and staying present with Him

Journaling: Cultivates…writing down important thoughts, feelings, quotes, prayers, and anything you want to remember

Worship: Cultivates…bringing God praise, honor, and glory, as well as a soft heart

Hearing the Holy Spirit: Cultivates…rest and peace to hear God’s gentle whispers

Christian Books, Blogs, Social Media Posts, and Podcasts: Cultivate…different perspectives and diversity of thoughts to challenge growth

Wise Counsel:Cultivates…making important or difficult decisions easier, as well as accountability and submission

One-Day or Weekend Retreats: Cultivate…a place and time free of distractions to grow spiritually

: Cultivates…

: Cultivates…

: Cultivates…

The good news is that when you use one of these tools, you are cultivating your relationship with God so that you can always tend your soul garden. The more you tend to your relationship with God, the easier it is to find Him in every season. And that’s not even the best