About the Author

Jennifer Dukes Lee is the author of several books, including Growing Slow. She and her husband live on the family farm, raising crops, pigs, and two humans. She’s a fan of dark chocolate, emojis, eighties music, bright lipstick, and Netflix binges. She wants to live life in such a way...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. May we as Christ followers be the safety pen for the marginalized around us; for this is true religion. Thanks for this picture of the Divine Farmer! Blessings!

  2. Today is a wonderful day ! I am not rushing around to remember things that I don’t want to forget. Yes, I try to remember to write a “to do list” for myself on my cellphone. And yet, sometimes I still forget things that are important to me for my family.

    I really enjoy how happy it seems to make my mother when I remember things she has asked for even small things. Smiles are very contagious and I like being infected.

    During the course of my days, I enjoy thinking about texting messages to friends and associates who may need some encouragement or just a smile. I enjoy it when I get an unexpected letter in the mail or an unexpected text message on my cellphone.

    I really wish the internet and meta and instagram and Facebook and emails and Linked In were more user friendly and more kind to everyone. It does not solve a problem to embarrass someone into shame or guilt. Let’s be sweet, kind and gentle to one another, even to strangers.

    Enjoy your day everyone.

    Brenda

    Your Sister in Christ

  3. As someone who frequently doesn’t fit in to any of the social norms, thank you for this Jennifer! (I would’ve been right there with you cuddling those cute little piglets, and LOVE the “hogs-pital”.) Blessings to you and all that don’t feel like they fit in anywhere.

  4. Sounds like our church! A bunch of hugging, loving wacka-doodles….lol

    Thank you for this wonderful message Jennifer. Sometimes it’s a little to easy for me to judge another for the exact
    “wacka doodle” behavior I myself am made of.
    Today I will just giggle and shake my head in commonness INSTEAD of judge

    Have a beautiful weekend on that wonderful farm \0/

    • So timely as schools begin a new year! As Moms and Grandmothers, may we encourage our children/grandchildren to draw the one sitting alone at lunch or walking alone in the halls into their “pen”. Rejection and bullying hurts adults as well. Guide us Lord to see the one who is new or in need. Help us to open the gates to our “pens” with welcome smiles and hearts saying you are part of our “herd”.

  5. I have learned many of those lessons from the pigs also. Jesus loves right where we are—even in the mud puddle!
    Thank you for wonderful devotions! Foe bless you and keep you writing.

  6. As a 65 year old, over the last few years I have learned that people, especially women, my age become invisible. Even in church. About the only people who see old people are other old people. It’s a culture of youth. So then I have to remember how long God has been around…

  7. Jennifer I love your post and well as all the other writers on incourage. They are all brilliant. I learned so much from them. My Husband is from a Farming back round but never kept it up. He used to say the smell and dirt of the Farm. How yuke he say. They were Derry Farmers his Family. That reminds me of your post of all types of Farming. To do with Jesus when I know for hygiene reason ever so often the dirt of the milking pollowers had to clean out. My Husband said what a job it was. He didn’t like a young boy having to help do that job with his Dad and Brother. But he knew he just had to do it. Then when the cows were being milked. They sometimes poo if in the wrong place at the wrong time you come out covers in poo. How horrible not nice. Then you have to go and wash as you stink. Even have a shower. It reminds us of our sin and even as followers of Jesus we will never be perfect. But with Jesus with us. We can try and live as he have us live. You know what is amazing if we do sin as followers of Jesus we know we got that sin dirt on us. The only wash to be washed clean is to ask Jesus to wash us in his forgiveness and help us not to do it again. We as followers of his will not get rid of that sin dirt like my Husband used to say when cleaning the milking pollowers or if you got cow poo on you. Until you go to Jesus in true repentance and want to change and not do it again. Then we will have the beautiful smell of Jesus over as he has once again forgiven us of our sin made us clean. If we don’t do that the sin like the cow poo will not go away until we go to Jesus acknowledge our wrong that is our sin. Ask him to wash clean and forgive us. Like it says Psalm 51 verse 2 it says “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my Sin” how true that is. We also have to do as verse 3 of Psalm 51 does. It say Acknowledge we have sin that it is always before us. The Psalm helps see that. But we have to want to change and not do the sin again. Live as the word of Jesus says in the things we say and do that are pleasing to him. Everything we do is about Jesus so as the world can see we are different. As we live our lives for Jesus. We might live in the world but we are not of it. Yes it hard. As the enemy is out to tempt us to do wrong as followers of Jesus. We have to be careful not to let him make us sin. As he will is anything to get us to do that. Even unsaved Family. By doing things they do that God would not want us to do. I done that in the past. I had say along time ago to say no to something that I knew God would not want me to join in with. That was not of God. My Family were not amused. I was honest as none of them saved. All I said was. Thank you for asking me. It not for me not my thing. They understood. But I had from people at the past say to don’t be such a wose it only a bit of fun. I had to say no. Not be going and stick my ground for the Lord. Yes it been hard with the enemy pushing them to make me do and go to something that God does not want me to go that is not of him. So I had to stand my ground. That way show I was different. God has honoured me for doing that. Times like that it has not been easy. But I glad I didn’t give in and then have to go to God ask forgiveness. They at the time the that ask me might not have liked my decision. But through time they got over it. There are lesson in all things for all us to learn. We have to as followers of Jesus. Do as he have us do even if people don’t like us for it. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx

    • Hi Dawn! Thanks so much for sharing your “lessons from the farm.” Scott and I often reflect on how much we can learn by observing farm animals, the growing seasons, weather patterns, and so much more. So many Bible lessons have come to life for me in vivid ways because of farm life.

  8. Oh my goodness I traveling with my children and I have Lupus. We have had to walk a lot and I have like such a burden and a disappointment to them. Last night I just prayed for the strength to help me these next few days and see the beauty of why we are here.

  9. Jennifer,

    I’m weird like you–yes selfies with animals & loved the hogs-pital!! God made me an encourager. I try my best to love on everyone no matter what. When I look at people I see a person made in the image of Almighty God. Don’t see the flaws or imperfections-heck we all have those. My church is a wonderful huggity loving people. We welcome anyone & everyone.

    Blessings 🙂