Make it Plain Monday Reflection: Holding on to Hope in the In-Between

There’s something about those season of life where you can sense growth happening beneath the surface- where you feel the budding fruit of your hard work beginning to form- but the harvest hasn’t arrived yet. I’m learning to embrace this season of “budding fruit",” and maybe you can relate to this tender place of anticipation.

I decided to take advantage of the 50% off scholarship offer for the program I applied for a full-ride scholarship at, diving deep into psychological behavior change and consumer purchase intention in the first module. The insights are great, and while it’s too early to see the full harvest of how this will impact the curriculum I’m developing for my clients. I can sense the fruit beginning to bud. As I told my mother during her recent visit, I can see the budding fruit of our (my fiancé and I) work- our circumstances just don’t show the harvest yet.

But let me be real with you for a minute. While I share gratitude and encouragement as a business, the reality it that I am human too. Sometimes I need help while waiting for the fruit to ripen. We recently had to re-register for food assistance because our current income simply doesn’t stretch to cover rising food costs, especially with three kids home for the summer. Is it embarrassing to admit you need help while your fruit tree is still budding? Absolutely. But authenticity matters more than image for me.

Here’s what I’ve learned about gratitude through seasons like this: it’s not about pretending the harvest has already come. True gratitude is the thanksgiving in your heart that says, “Even while I’m waiting for my harvest, I’m grateful to God for the budding that I see because growth is happening, even if slowly.” Sometimes the growth stage teaches us more than the harvest itself.

At sixteen, I was working part-time to help my mother cover bills, but it wasn’t enough. We lsot our home and spent two years bouncing between friend's’ and family members’ houses. It felt like we were in the dead of winter with no signs of spring coming. Not knowing what or if we’d eat was tough, but we had each other, and we learned to nurture hope even in the harshest soil until the growing season returned.

It’s in these dark, damp and heavy moments, that Psalm 30:5 becomes the anchor: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Ager two years of what felt like winter, spring did come for my family. The same God who brought that harvest season wants- and will- bring the fruition of what He’s growing in me now.

But how do we tend to the fruit without growing weary? Romans 5:3-5 reminds us that we can actually glory in our sufferings because they produce perseverance, which builds character, which creates hope. Like a gardener who knows that pruning and waiting are part of the growing process, we can trust that God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit to sustain us.

Leaning into the Holy Spirit during this budding season means actively seeking His guidance through prayer, Scripture, and openness to His leading. It’s like learning to trust the growing process- releasing control over the timeline and trusting Him to bring the harvest in His perfect timing, following Proverbs 3:5-6 to “lean not on your own understanding.”

This takes practice, but when you recognize that your fruit needs more time to develop, trust the One who planted the seeds. He knows exactly when the harvest will come.

So for now, I’ll continue receiving assistance where I can while tending to the budding fruit, knowing that seasons change and what’s growing beneath the surface will eventually flourish.

Stay well and keep nurturing what’s budding in your life.