The mustard seed is one of the tiniest seeds found in the Middle East, yet it is a fast-growing annual herb that grows up to ten feet tall in just a few short months. While Jesus used this parable to show his kingdom appeared to have small beginnings, it would grow into a worldwide community of believers.
Aren’t we tempted to quit when things get hard or uncomfortable? I wonder how many times in our lives we would have realized our dream, the desire of our hearts, or the call on our lives if we had pushed through just a little longer.
God chooses and uses unlikely people. He proves it again and again through the stories in His Word. The life messages of women in the Bible whose lives were gloriously interrupted still powerfully change lives today.
Are our words a refreshing influence on others or a discouragement? Scripture says “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34 b) and our words can bring either life or death (Proverbs 18:21). Therefore, in order to share words that uplift rather than tear down, we must be intentional about filling our hearts with God’s Word. And, on occasions when we don’t know what to say to encourage the people in our lives, we can always use God’s words found in the Bible.
Dear Mushka is a Nashville-based company that pairs jewelry, apparel, and home goods with scripture. It was started by Katie and her husband Robert in 2014 as a blog that turned into a way to raise extra funds for the adoption of the Lewis’ first child. Since then, the business has allowed the family to bring home three sons through adoption (plus two more children biologically), as well as to donate to many others’ adoptions.