Scripture: Prov. 11:25:
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Aim:
To teach the women how local, seasonal produce can be made into a delicious and nutritious meal. And to remember that all that is harvested comes from God to provide us nourishment. What is grown and harvested is also an illustration of what happens in our own souls when we cultivate the seed of faith and water it with God’s word.
Meeting Ideas:
- If you are in an urban/city setting,visit local fruit and vegetable markets and research what the seasonal vegetables and fruits are for your area. If you are in a rural setting find out if there is a local farmers market nearby and what each farm specializes in growing. Explore the possibility of the women picking their own produce.
- Create a list of all local farms, fruit and vegetable stores, and butchers who use local farmers and give these to the women as a resource.
- Have the women help prepare a meal using only local and seasonal ingredients and locally sourced meat. See links below for recipe suggestions.
- Have the women create a beautiful table using rustic decorations, using burlap for runners or placemats. Let them women create centerpieces with mason jars and fall flowers and leaves.
- Have a nutritionist come in and talk about the difference between organic food and “normal” foods. Have them explain the benefits of locally sourced food, and eating what is in season. Go over the recommended daily intake of fruits, vegetables and meats.
- Show a short video on Farm to Table: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1XbEpNZ5yk
Recipe Links:
Main Dishes
- https://dishingupthedirt.com/recipes/zucchini-noodle-spaghetti-farm-stand-tomato-meat-sauce/
- https://dishingupthedirt.com/recipes/hearty-vegetable-ham-stew/
- https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-turnip-green-lasagna
- https://www.cookingclassy.com/one-pan-autumn-chicken-dinner/
- https://theforkedspoon.com/apple-cinnamon-pork-chops-with-butternut-squash/
- https://wearychef.com/fall-potluck-casserole-with-turkey-and-squash/
Side Dishes:
- https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/root-vegetable-mash
- https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fall-salad-beets-apples
- https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/candied-roasted-squash
- https://familyspice.com/farm-to-table-roasted-baby-carrots-with-thyme/
- https://juliasalbum.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-cinnamon-butternut-squash-pecans-and-cranberries/
- https://skinnyms.com/roasted-apple-cinnamon-sweet-potatoes/
Dessert:
- https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/apple-pecan-carrot-cake
- https://belleofthekitchen.com/apple-crisp/
- https://laurenslatest.com/pumpkin-pecan-cobbler/
Centerpiece Project Ideas
- https://www.hometalk.com/43749385/fall-mason-jar-centerpiece
- https://www.thefrugalnavywife.com/diy-burlap-autumn-jars/
- https://www.hometalk.com/23394185/diy-sunflower-centerpiece
- https://oldsaltfarm.com/easy-mason-jar-lanterns/
From Seed to Produce
Before the devotion time, pass out small packets of tomato seeds. Have women open them and hold one small seed in their hand.
Look at the seeds in your hand. Imagine that something so small can produce something that will nourish your body. This small seed can produce wonderful tomatoes that can be made into so many other things, like spaghetti sauce, ketchup, pizza sauce, or chopped up for a salad.
However, many things have to happen in order for this tiny seed in your hand to become a full-grown tomato. It has to be placed in soil that is rich. It has to be watered correctly— not too much and not too little. It has to have sunlight and warm temperatures. It needs to be kept free of parasites that might destroy it. You may even need to put a fence around it to make sure rabbits and other wildlife are kept out. It is a delicate process to take this seed and help it to become what it was intended to be. It almost feels like a miracle that something like that could happen at all. Nevertheless, it does! All you have to do is walk through the produce aisle at any store and you can have your choice of hundreds and hundreds of tomatoes. It is proof that the process does work.
The same is true for that small seed of faith that is planted within us. It too needs to follow a process in order to grow and develop into what God intended. We need to make sure that we water it with the Word of God by spending time reading scripture. We need to let the sunlight of prayer warm the soul and give light for it to grow. We need the warmth of God’s love through other people who share our faith. We need to keep it free from the parasites of sin, and put a fence of protection around it to protect it from worldly things like greed and power that would destroy it. If we let this tiny seed of faith within each of us grow, there is much fruit to bear for His kingdom.
Scripture is full of references to this process of growth. Our scripture for today tells us: “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered” (Prov. 11:25). This reminds us that when we bless others, we enrich our own faith, and when we water others, we are watered. Our faith grows in what we do for others.
Tonight as you hold the seed in your hand, I want you to think about that small seed of faith within you. I want you to imagine all the ways God has given you to protect and grow that seed. When I look around this room at all of you, I can see the bounty that God has grown already. I pray that you will continue to nurture that seed within you and watch and wait with expectation for all He will do with the harvest of your faith.
