The Gospel & Grass Stains Rock Garden

This morning, as the world was still waking up, I felt the Spirit tug at me — quietly but clearly — to take a walk around the yard. I didn’t plan to stop anywhere, but my heart led me right to our little rock garden.

I stood there for a long while, just taking it in. The stones. The flowers. The sunlight resting gently on each rock. Every single one represents something deeply personal — a burden laid down, a prayer released, a whisper of trust.

What started as a simple idea — a small space for our Gospel & Grass Stains family to lay down what they were carrying — has grown into something sacred. Each stone tells a story of surrender. Each one says, “God, I’m giving this to You.”

As I looked at that circle today, I felt so proud. Not the pride that comes from ego, but the kind that comes from gratitude — deep, tearful, overwhelming gratitude.

I’m proud of what God has done through this group. Proud of the hearts that show up, the hands that serve, the souls that heal together. Proud that He trusted me to plant this seed and then watched it bloom into something that only He could have grown.

Gospel & Grass Stains isn’t just a Bible study.

It’s a movement of hearts.

A place to breathe, to believe, to belong.

It’s laughter mixing with prayer, coffee cups raised to Heaven, and the sound of grace in the open air.

Today, that rock garden reminded me — God’s got this. He’s always had this.

And He’s using this group, these people, and even these stones to prove it.

“Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” — Psalm 55:22

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

“Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan… as a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” — Joshua 4:9

Just like those stones by the river, our rock garden is a reminder — a living memorial of what God has carried us through, and what He’s still carrying us toward.

If you haven’t joined Gospel & Grass Stains yet, come see what it’s all about. You can’t quite explain this kind of peace — you have to feel it.

⸻

 The Gospel & Grass Stains Rock Garden Poem

Lord, we come with open hands and weathered hearts,

The grass beneath us soft — the sky above wide and wild.

We bring our stones — small, heavy, honest —

Each one a piece of something we’ve carried too long.

You told us, “Cast your cares upon Me,”

and here, we do.

Stone by stone, prayer by prayer,

we lay down what was never meant to be ours to hold.

Like Joshua’s twelve at the Jordan’s edge,

we leave these stones as markers —

holy reminders of where You met us,

of what You’ve carried us through,

of what You’re still redeeming.

Every rock is a story.

Every story a seed.

And You, O Lord, are the Gardener —

turning weight into worship,

burdens into beauty,

and pain into purpose.

So let this garden grow, not in numbers,

but in faith.

Let it whisper to every passerby:

“God’s got this.”

Let the sunflowers reach toward Heaven,

let the soil remember our tears,

and let the wind carry our prayers where words fall short.

For here — in the dirt and the light,

among the rocks and the roots —

You are with us.

And that is enough.

 Amen.

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