Biblical Mothers series – Eve

God has a high regard for mothers, and a woman’s highest calling outside of being a believer in Christ is to be a wife and a mother. God told Eve in the garden of Eden that the source of her hope was coming, and that source would be brought into the world through motherhood and a lineage. Eve was the mother of all people that would come from her and Adam; her motherhood was imperfect due to hers and Adam’s sin. However, even though sin would mar motherhood, God’s glory would still be had through and in spite of motherhood. Therefore, in this series, we will be taking a closer look at mothers in the Bible.

Eve

The first mother we take a look at is Eve; her story can be found in Genesis 2-4. Eve was formed from Adam’s rib that God took from Adam, while Adam was put in a deep sleep. When Adam saw her he called her woman because she had been taken from man (Genesis 2:18-24 NASB). God brought together the first man and woman to create a covenant marriage, and no one should be separate the man and wife.

The Fall and The Curse

Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden and charged with the duty of taking care of and overseeing the garden and the animals. Enter in the snake, which was actually Satan. The snake asked Eve if God told her that she could not eat from any tree in the garden; Eve answered incorrectly and said that she and Adam could eat the fruit from any tree but not eat or even touch the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden or they would die (Genesis 3:2-3 NASB). Side note: In the Bible, it is not mentioned what kind of fruit it was, but many assume that it was an apple. It might not have been – what if it was a peach, a pear, or another fruit? We do not know for sure.

The truth is that God had said, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” – Genesis 2:16-17 NASB. When the snake told her that they would only become like God if they ate from the tree rather than die, Eve listened to the snake rather than believing God. She was not alone at fault; Adam was right there with her in the garden and made no effort to correct her. Adam had the opportunity and the obligation to kill the snake right then; however, he ate the fruit too.

When their eyes were opened to what they had done, Adam and Eve hid themselves. God called them out and pronounced the curse on the serpent, the curse on childbirth, the curse on the ground, and the promise of death.

Receiving a Name and a Promise of Hope

In the midst of the curse, God gave grace by sharing the protoevangelium. God was the first to proclaim the Gospel:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” – Genesis 3:15 NASB

The One to crush the snake was coming, and He would be born of a woman. The One to come is Jesus, and Adam and Eve could look for Him to come and rescue them. There is hope.

And she was called Eve because she “was the mother of all the living” (Genesis 4:20 NASB). I found it interesting that it was not mentioned in Scripture that her name was Eve until after she and Adam sinned AND after God pronounced the curse and the protoevangelium. In Scripture before that she was just known as the woman. This seems similar to how believers when coming to Christ receive a new identity (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Going Through Pain and Holding onto the Promise

Eve had Cain and Abel and experienced the pain of childbirth, and she also experienced the pain of the loss of a child when Cain murdered Abel. Eve would have been looking to Cain and / or Abel to be the one to crush the snake, but she found out that neither were the One to come. God gave Adam and Eve a new baby boy, Seth. Was He the Promised One? Well, we see in Genesis 5 that Seth died and was not the Promised One. However, Eve’s story begins the waiting for the Promised One, and she would be telling the next generation about the One to come – the One promised by God to save them. Even when Eve sinned, God is still so good and so overflowing with grace.

My Takeaways from Eve’s Story

• We need to be careful in what words we choose to say that God has said; we may be wrong.
• We need to help others when we see them going astray.
• We need to be careful and discerning about whom we choose to listen to.
• God is such a grace-giving God and so faithful. He is worthy of praise!
• We can be and should be looking for the return of Christ, the One foretold in the garden.

Resources on Biblical Motherhood and Eve

• Eve in Exile
• Praise Her in the Gates
• Loving the Little Years
• You Who: Why You Matter and How to Deal With It
• The Fruit of Her Hands
• God’s High Calling For Women
• Risen Motherhood
• Missional Motherhood
• Devoted: Great Men and their Godly Moms
• Gospel Mom
• Standing on the Promises
• Twelve Extraordinary Women
• Feminine Appeal
• Lies Women Believe
• Biblical Portrait of Womanhood
• Biblical Womanhood in the Home

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post or take the conversation to x.com/sarahderinger88.

• Do you enjoy studying the Bible?
• In what ways do you see God’s grace in your life?
• What books or resources would you add to the list for studying the women of the Bible?
• What is wisdom and advice that you would give to a mom or a woman who hopes to be a mom someday?
• What other lessons could we learn from Eve’s life?

Spring Gardening Resources

If you have ever dreamed of growing a garden, it can be a daunting task. However, there are many resources that can help you plan and grow and a garden, whether it is a container garden or a whole field of fruit, vegetables, flowers, and more. Today, I plan to share a plethora of good Spring gardening resources that can help you in growing your gardening skills.

Websites

• Proven Winners
• Better Homes and Gardens
• Martha Stewart
• Southern Living Plants
• The Homestead Challenge
• The Spruce
• Almanac
• Purdue
• Martha Stewart
• Trend Spot
• The Spruce
• USDA
• Kids Gardening
• Purdue
• Hoosier Gardener
• Purdue – Advice for First Time Gardeners
• Hoosier Gardener – Resources
• The Indy Public Library Seed Library
• Garden Club of Indiana
• IU Spring Gardening Tips
• Marion County Indiana Master Gardeners Association
• Indiana Native Plants
• IU The Green Staffer
• Indiana Grown
• My Indiana Home
• The Indy Public Library Blog
• Save the Dunes

News

• Good Morning America
• Indiana Public Media
• Bob Vila
• Country Living
• National Park Service

Books and Magazines

• Spring Gardening Magazine Issue 32
• Midwest Fruit and Vegetable Gardening
• The Joy of Raised Bed Gardening for Beginners
• All New Square Foot Gardening
• Gardening Know How – The Complete Guide to Vegetable Gardening
• Four Season Food Gardening
• The First Time Gardener – Container Food Gardening
• Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio Month By Month Gardening
• The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook
• Beginner’s Guide to Growing Fruit Trees Fast and Easy
• Container Gardening The Permaculture Way
• Kitchen Garden Revival
• The First Time Gardener Spring Edition
• The Family Garden Plan
• Bird Friendly Gardening
• Complete Container Herb Gardening
• Indoor Kitchen Gardening
• The Layered Edible Garden
• The Cottage Garden
• Midwest Gardener’s Handbook
• The Elegant and Edible Garden

Starting Seeds Indoors

• My Experience Starting Seeds with the Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse: Part 1
• My Experience: Starting Seeds in Cardboard Egg Cartons

Where to Find Free Seeds

• Save seeds from foods you use in the kitchen (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash).
• Save onion bottoms with the roots from foods you use in the kitchen.
• Host or attend a seed exchange at your local library.
• Free Heirloom Seeds – I have gotten some seeds from this website before.
• Robin Greenfield Seeds for the People
• Everbloom Seeds
• Just Bee
• Step by Step Inc.
• Charlotte Noar

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post. Or start a conversation on X.com/sarahderinger88.

• Are you struggling with knowing where and how to start gardening?
• Do you find yourself wishing you could grow things all year round rather than being stunted by the growing season?
• What are some other resources that you would recommend for learning about gardening year-round?
• What are some other resources that you would recommend for beginning gardening or spring gardening?
• Where else do you know of that you can get free seeds?

Fruit of the Spirit series: Love

According to Paul in Galatians 5:22-23, there are no laws against the Fruit of the Spirit. If that is the case (and I am sure it is true), then we as Christians should be doing everything we can to produce the Fruit of the Spirit. Right? (Hint: We on our own power cannot actually produce any of the fruits of the Spirit.) Therefore, over the next few Saturdays, we are going to discuss the Fruit of the Spirit in order to learn more about them and how the Holy Spirit produces these in our lives.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)

Since these are called the Fruit of the Spirit, we know that they are produced by the Spirit, not ourselves or by our own power. Therefore, in order to have any of these fruits in our lives, we must be fully reliant on the Holy Spirit and on Christ to make the changes necessary to glorify God in our lives. Let’s take a closer look at the context of Galatians 5 in order to dive deeper into the text.

Background / Context

The apostle Paul wrote this as an epistle or letter to the people of Galatia, which was an ancient place in the Anatolian highlands. If you would like to see where that was on a map, check out bibleatlas.org/galatia.htm or biblehub.com/topical/g/galatia.htm. Scholars believe this letter was written sometime between AD 48 – 57; there are two main theories on the timing of the letter, which you can read more about at biblestudytools.com/galatians/. In this letter, Paul writes to the Galatians about the lies that they had been hearing from the Judaizers, or those who wanted the new Christians to go back to their Jewish beliefs and traditions.

In chapter 5 specifically, Paul writes about their freedom in Christ and warns them not to return to the bondage or “yoke” that comes with sin. The Judaizers wanted the Christians to become circumcised for religious purposes to align themselves with their Jewish forefathers, like Abraham in Genesis and Moses in Exodus. The Judaizers were basically hoping that the new followers of Christ would go back to a works-based, dead religion that had no hope instead of believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Paul had to remind the Galatians that the dead religious tradition of circumcision would not bring them salvation nor freedom from sin, rather death and slavery to sin that they had just been delivered from by Christ.

Paul then, in verse 13-15, talks about loving one another, which Paul quotes from Leviticus 19:18, rather than biting, devouring, and consuming one another. In other words, believers are to love one another, putting others before their own needs, rather than being selfish. In verses 16-21, Paul lays out the description of what it looks like to walk through life without the Holy Spirit; you basically do not have the Fruit of the Spirit. Here are the fruits of the flesh described by Paul, which work against the Spirit:

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19-21 (NASB)

These ‘deeds of the flesh’ are the opposite of the fruit of the Spirit. There are laws, in Scripture, against the deeds of the flesh. Believers should not be associated with these deeds because God has asked us to be holy as He is holy (see 1 Peter 1:16). We are also told in Scripture that believers must have holiness for without it, no one will see God (see Hebrews 12:14). Therefore, we must produce the Fruit of the Spirit rather than the deeds of the flesh.

Fruit of the Spirit

How do we produce the Fruit of the Spirit? We need to rely on the Holy Spirit through Christ. We must believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

God so loved the world in this one particular way – He sent His Son Jesus to live a sinless life on earth, to die on the cross taking the punishment for sin (also called substitutionary atonement) and paying the debt we incurred when we sinned. By believing in Christ for salvation and repenting of our sins (agreeing with God that sin is sin), we are then able to have the hope of eternal life with God. This is the ONLY way; there is no other.

Then, when we believe in Christ for salvation, we are granted the Holy Spirit and are sealed with Him. This is when the transformation (or sanctification) begins, where the Holy Spirit begins to make us more and more like Christ everyday. Through that process, He produces His fruit in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The process involves: reading the Bible, prayer, being active in a local church that preaches sound doctrine, living in such a way that glorifies Christ, repenting each day as we sin yet again and fighting against that sin, and doing the good deeds that God has prepared for us (see Romans 8).

Love

What is love, and how do we have more of it in our lives? Philosophers have been trying to describe what love is for centuries, but unless they look to the love that God has for us, they have no clue what love truly is. The apostle John writes about love in his writings (The Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation). His most famous verse about love is John 3:16, which is a summary of how God has loved the world: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (NASB). This Bible verse has been quoted at football games, misquoted at wrestling matches, and memorized by many children around the world. John also writes in John 13 that Jesus loved His disciples to the end; this love was a forgiving love, a love to the fullest, a love that would have lasting effects to the end of each of the disciples’ days.

Love as described in Scripture is not a romantic feeling, or a fling. Love that the Holy Spirit produces is one that is unconditional care for someone else that makes you put their needs above your own in order to glorify God. Jesus is our ultimate example of what love looks like, for He is love (see 1 John 4).

As we go through these next few weeks of delving into what the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives as believers, reflect on how you can grow more in the Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit ultimately is the one who grows the fruit in you, but you have a responsibility to meditate (fill your mind with, not empty your mind) on God’s Words of what love and each fruit of the Spirit is. What is one way that you can show love to someone else this week?

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• What fruit of the Spirit do you hope to grow more in?
• What fruit of the Spirit do you want to learn more about?
• What fruit of the Spirit do you struggle most with?
• How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. I will gladly pray for you.)
• What are your favorite examples of love in the Bible?
• Who is someone who has loved you unconditionally?

My Experience Starting Seeds with the Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse: Part 1

It is finally spring again, and that means it is time to start tomato seeds again. Here at Deringer Farm, I am hoping to plant all kinds of vegetables, flowers, and some fruit trees this year. I find it even more important to grow a garden this year due to the COVID-19 crisis, so that our family will not run out of food. Things I hope to plant and grow this year include:

• Tomatoes
• Lemons
• Sweet Peppers
• Red Peppers
• African
• Forget me nots
• Green Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Summer Squash
• Carrots
• Green Beans
• Peaches

I saved all sorts of seeds from over the past year hoping that they will grow this year. Last year to start the tomato seeds, I tried starting them in egg cartons starting them in egg cartons. While that was a useful way of starting tomato seeds, I found that the roots of the tomato plants grew through the carton making it difficult to remove them for planting. Therefore, this year I am testing out the Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse, which is available at Walmart and other local gardening supply stores.

The Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse comes with 36 “pellets” for planting seeds, so you could have approximately 36 new tomato plants this year. That is really helpful in my opinion, and that could produce a lot of tomatoes. So after opening the container, I read the instructions, which were fairly easy to understand. Unlike using the egg cartons, the Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse doesn’t need extra dirt because the dirt is in the pellets. The Jiffy Greenhouse also does not have holes in the bottom of the pan, so water will not spill out onto whatever table or bar that you have them sitting on.

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First, you get warm water and pour it into each of the pellets. The warm water allows the pellets to expand, and they sound like “Snap, Crackle, and Pop” as they expand to their full capacity. It takes quiet a bit of water for these to expand fully, so do not worry about overwatering the pellets. If you do end up with too much water, you can take it outside and pour the excess off.

* The Jiffy Greenhouse does include some nutrients for the soil but on the main instructions, it did not talk about using it. So I will wait to add the nutrients until the pellets need water again. The nutrients call for being mixed with a gallon of water.

Then, once they are fully expanded, open up the netting on each one of the pellets and then start making little holes for your seeds. You can use 2-3 seeds per pellet; I went with 3 seeds per pellet because I am hoping that at least one seed will work. After the seeds are in cover them back up with the dirt in the pellets. These should have enough water in them to start the seeds. You can then place the lid on the Jiffy Greenhouse and move it to a place that is not in direct sunlight. The Jiffy Greenhouse should now work as its own little greenhouse, growing the seeds and keeping them watered. Of course, the instructions say that when the seeds start to sprout, crack the greenhouse lid (slide it partly to the side) to let more air in. Then, when you are ready for planting, take the lid off and begin preparing them for the transition to outside. If you see that the pellets are turning brown instead of the black wet dirt, add some more water.

I am excited to see how effective the Jiffy Tomato & Vegetable Greenhouse is in starting the seeds, and I will update as the process continues. Thus far, the process that the Jiffy Greenhouse uses is really simple.

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post! Are you doing a garden this year? What do you like to plant and grow? Is this your first time planning a garden? What are your tips for growing a garden? Have you used the Jiffy Tomato and Vegetable Greenhouse before? What are your experiences with growing a garden?

My Go-To Bible Study Resources: John

This year as I study the Bible, I want to share the main resources that I use so that you can benefit from these resources too. I study the Bible in a process of Book-by-Book, Chapter-by-Chapter, and Verse-by-Verse. You can read up on the process in this post: How I Study the Bible.

When I study the Bible, I like to do my own study work first. Then, I compare my findings with other commentaries from pastors, authors, and theologians. Because God’s Word never changes, we should not expect to find anything new that someone else has not already found in the Bible.

Be very wary if in your study you find something that no one else has ever seen before. God probably would not blind godly men to the truth for almost 2,000 years and suddenly reveal it to you. – How to Study Your Bible (pg. 65) by Kay Arthur

It is extremely important to study and read the Bible because it is God’s Word and is inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is God’s way of revealing Himself to us. Jesus even said in John 15 that it is important to abide in His words and that His words abide in us (believers in Christ):

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” – John 15:1-17 (emphasis mine)

Therefore, since it is very important to read and study God’s Word, I am going to share the resources that I use when studying the Gospel of John. I have not placed these in any order except in which they come to mind. I hope this list will bless you and your Bible study.

• Exalting Jesus in John
• Reformed Expository Commentary John
• Knowing the Bible – John
• Blue Letter Bible
• Bible Gateway
• Journaling Bible
• Coloring Pencils
• Notebooks or a 3-ring Binder with paper

Comment Below

What are resources that you use when studying the Bible? What tips and tricks do you have for studying the Bible? Who are your favorite pastors, theologians, and authors do you like to follow when studying the Bible? Have you read through the whole Bible before? Do you study the Bible on your own or in a group? Have you read through the Gospel of John before?

Garden Update

The weather has become dry; for awhile there, we wondered if we should start building an ark. However, now it does not rain much, and there was a heat advisory over the weekend. Therefore, I have been packing water to my plants to keep them growing.

The cherry tomatoes have been ripening fairly quickly. I have had about five bigger tomatoes ripen so far. Because of the cherry tomatoes, I have been able to have tomatoes about once a day for the past week or so. I am thankful for the progress that the tomatoes have done so far.

The Kentucky Wonder green beans are also growing enough to pick some. I have had green beans for dinner for the past couple of nights. I also planted a second crop of the green beans so in a month or so I may start seeing a second crop of green beans.

The corn has not grown enough this year. While it made the “knee high by the 4th of July” goal, it does not look like we will get sweet corn this year from the garden. Dad says that it is most likely due to not having enough nitrogen in the ground; therefore, our plan is to buy some nitrogen next year to plant sweet corn again.

The squash is starting to produce. I just had four sauteed squash on Saturday night, and I look forward to having more squash later this summer.

I have two spaghetti squash growing right now, and as soon as they ripen to a golden color, I will be able to harvest them too.

Gardening is hard work, but it is nice to know where your food comes from and that it is clean.

Comment Below

Do you have a garden? What are your gardening tips? What are your favorite plants, vegetables, and fruits to grow? Would you consider yourself to be a beginner at gardening, like me?