Dear friend,

I am not a farmer and never have been one. But I cherish the years I spent living in small farming communities on the Canadian Prairies and remember with fondness my experiences there and the farmers who impacted my life.

If you ask me, farmers are a unique and special breed. They are hard-working, down-to-earth, practical people. And I don’t think I ever met one who wasn’t like that.

In addition to these qualities, farmers are patient people. They have to be patient because much of farming is waiting—waiting for the right time to plant, then waiting for seed to sprout and mature, and then waiting for the right time to harvest. “Hurry up and wait” could be their mantra.

The New Testament uses the imagery of a farmer to describe Christians. Paul points to the hard-working farmer when urging Timothy to be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus for the work of the ministry (2 Timothy 2:6). He exhorts the Galatian churches to be generous in their support of those who teach with the words, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9).

Most of us are familiar with the parable of the farmer scattering seed. Some call it the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1–23). You and I are the farmers who scatter the seed of the Word of God. As we personally share the Word and people hear it, if they receive it with faith, they are added to the kingdom of God and grow bearing fruit.

The same holds true when you support this ministry. At Insight for Living Canada, we continue sowing the seeds of God’s Word through Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s teaching and resources, and that same Word also brings a harvest of souls when people receive Christ and lives are changed.

When you financially and prayerfully support Insight Living Canada, this is another way you participate in sowing God’s Word in Canadian lives. 

I mentioned earlier that I lived for some years on the Prairies. One of the highlights of those years was the fall and harvest time. Even to this day I am still impacted and invigorated by the golden and freshly-harvested grain fields when I drive through them.

This time of year is harvest time. Having waited for the crop to ripen, most farmers have a sense of urgency as the harvest must be brought in before it’s too late and the snow falls.

It is also harvest time in the kingdom of God, and it too is urgent. As long as we have the opportunity to keep sowing the good seed of the Word it never stops being harvest time. As the Word is shared, people come to faith in Christ, believers are strengthened, fruit is being produced by the Holy Spirit, and we are reaping a harvest of blessing. 

Will you continue alongside us with your prayers and financial support this month to continue planting the seed of God’s Word and harvesting its blessing across our country?

The time to sow is now. The time to harvest is now.

In God’s field with you,

Steve Johnson

Executive Director

PS Send your gift today and continue with us in the work and privilege of farming together in the kingdom of God.