What Season is Your Business In?

I don't know about you, but here in the Pacific Northwest, it seems like Springtime already. Unseasonably warm weather has been hanging around for weeks, and my Italian prune tree has decided to send out its' leaves this week. Later this month, it's also my birthday, which makes me another year older and closer to new seasons of life. Not to mention that with all that's happening with KBWomen right now, it feels like a season of tending tender plants after the seeding time is done.

Can you relate? What season are you, or is your business, in? Imagine this scene in your mind:

You are a farmer with 10 acres of farmland. Your house is on the first acre, near the road, then behind that, is 9 acres of garden. Right now, the garden needs much preparation; weeds, rocks, grass, sticks, and vines have taken over. After weeks of removing the old gunk and turning the soil with some new fertilizer, you look out from your porch and see the rich, dark soil ready for seeds. Seeding takes time, and you have to have a sound plan to ensure a good harvest.

You push seed after seed into the ground, carefully aligning each row. Finally, seeding is complete. You take your position in the rocking chair on the porch and wait. Much effort and work is done, for now. Although there is zero evidence that anything is happening, you have hope for your harvest. Each day you water, and wait. Water and wait.

A couple weeks later, you wake up, go out to the porch and see signs of life. Small, green shoots have come up sporadically. It's very exciting! About a week after that, you survey the field to see that it is completely covered in fresh, green plants bursting up everywhere. Something big is on the way. Are you ready?

As we know through the Bible, our life in the spiritual realm matches this natural process. That goes the same for our businesses as well. I'd like to share some commentary that goes along with the story above. Here goes:

• Too many times, we try to plant something new before we prepare our soil. Get rid of the old gunk (bad habits, negative actions and emotions, unhealthy relationships, etc.) and turn the soil (renew our minds) and add fertilizer (new wisdom) first.
• Leaving a cleaned-up field idle invites the weeds to grow again. Quickly replace the gunk with intentionally planted seeds.
• Have a plan when planting, otherwise your harvest will be a jumbled up mishmash. Probably not what you'd enjoy.
• Waiting takes great faith. Don't walk away from your field prematurely.
• Signs of life is the evidence of things hoped for, but not time for slacking off.
• Seeing a huge, coming harvest can be intimidating. Plan ahead for an overflow of blessing so that you are ready to receive it.
• Good stewardship in small things qualifies you for more. Increase your capacity.
• We can all use a little (or a lot) of help during this process from wise mentors and those willing to co-labor with us! As one of my mentors says, life is a team sport.

Be intentional about what is happening in your fields - relationship fields, business fields, spiritual fields, physical fields. Plant, tend and harvest with purpose!

Krista Dunk, www.KBWomen.com