Hello Friends!
Each autumn, when the air turns crisp and the garden grows quiet, I’m reminded how deeply homesteading shapes my heart. The rhythm of planting, tending, and harvesting has a way of revealing God’s faithfulness in the ordinary. Gratitude isn’t something we practice just at the Thanksgiving table—it’s cultivated in the soil of everyday life.
You don’t need acres of land to learn these lessons. Even a small garden or a single pot of herbs can become a sacred space where you notice blessings you might have missed before—the slow work of growth, the beauty of provision, and the joy of sharing it with others.
Here are a few of the lessons homesteading and gardening have taught me about gratitude.
When we plant seeds in the spring, we do so in faith. We water, we weed, we wait. And while a bountiful harvest is a gift, the real treasure is in the process.
Takeaway: There is beauty in the slow, unseen growth. Gratitude isn’t just for the final product—it’s for every step that brought us there.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9
Not every season is abundant. Sometimes the squash gets powdery mildew. Sometimes the chickens stop laying. Sometimes the storm comes too soon.
But even in the lean seasons, there is always something to give thanks for—a handful of herbs, a single egg, the lesson learned in failure.
Faith reminder: God’s provision doesn’t always look like overflow. Sometimes it looks like just enough—and that’s still a gift.
“Give us this day our daily bread…” – Matthew 6:11
Our garden has become a place of connection. Neighbors stop to chat. Friends come to help weed or share seeds. The extra produce goes to someone who could use it.
Homesteading is rarely a solo endeavor. It reminds us that gratitude grows deeper when shared.
Ideas:
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…” – 2 Corinthians 9:11
The garden reminds me that I can plant and water, but only God can make things grow. The changing seasons, the sunrise over the dew-covered rows, the way tiny seeds push through the soil—all of it points back to Him.
Thanksgiving, at its core, is not about what we have. It’s about Who provided it.
Reflection idea: As you prepare for Thanksgiving this year, take a walk through your garden, backyard, or favorite nature spot and spend time thanking God for His faithfulness—in both the abundant and the quiet seasons.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” – Psalm 100:4
Homesteading continues to remind me that gratitude isn’t reserved for the easy seasons or the overflowing harvests. It grows in the waiting, in the weeds, and in the moments when we choose to praise anyway. Every seed planted, every meal shared, every sunrise over the garden is an invitation to give thanks to the Giver of all good things.
As Thanksgiving draws near, may your heart be steady in gratitude—whether your garden flourished or faltered this year. May you find joy in the simple gifts of the season: spiced pumpkin bars, good company, and the peace that comes from knowing God’s hand is at work in every detail.
If this post encouraged you, I’d love for you to:
Share this reflection with a friend who could use a reminder of God’s faithfulness.
Or simply pause today and write down three things—big or small—you’re thankful for right now.
Gratitude, like a garden, grows best when we tend it daily. 🌱
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