Summer

Growth, Work & Endurance

Principle to Tap Into ⇨ STAY FAITHFUL & ENJOY

When we think about planting in spring and harvesting in fall…

it’s easy to forget something important:

Life is lived in between.

If all we did was plant and wait for harvest… we would miss so much of what actually makes life rich.

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And for me?

Summer has always been my favorite.

There’s something about summer that seems to bring out the kid in us. Even growing up on the farm—yes, the days were long…

yes, there was work to be done…

yes, summer meant sweat, effort, and responsibility…

But when I think about summer?

It’s where so many of the good things happened.

And I wonder…

What comes to mind for you?

Because while the details may look different for each of us, most of us carry summer memories somewhere inside us. For me, it was:

hanging out with friends at Lake Mirage
meeting up at the West Side Cafe
early morning runs with my dog down gravel roads
waiting for the mail and hoping there might be a letter from a friend

And maybe for you it was:

riding bikes until dark
ballgames
swimming pools
fireworks
catching lightning bugs
family vacations
staying outside until the streetlights came on

But whatever it was…

there’s a feeling to summer.

A fullness.

A lightness.
A sense that life is moving—
and you’re right in the middle of it.

Full of life.
Full of energy.
Full of moments you don’t want to miss.

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What Summer Represents

Summer is the season of:

growth
effort
consistency
momentum
endurance

This is where what was planted in spring…

gets worked out in real life.

Not just in intention. Not just in desire. Not just in the excitement of a new beginning.

But in daily faithfulness.

Summer is where you keep showing up.

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What’s Good About Summer

Summer can be beautiful because:

life feels full
momentum starts building
signs of progress begin to appear
there is energy, movement, and activity

There’s a rhythm to it:

show up
tend what matters
enjoy the life in between

Because summer reminds us:

Life is not only about the harvest. There is goodness in the growing too.

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What’s Challenging About Summer

But summer has another side too.

It’s hot.
It’s tiring.
It can feel repetitive.
It requires endurance.

And here’s the hard part:

You’re working… but you’re not harvesting yet.

You’re showing up. Doing the right things. Putting in the effort. Staying faithful.

And still…

the full results aren’t here yet.

Meanwhile?

weeds grow too.

Because while good seed must be tended and nurtured…weeds grow on their own.

And this is where many of us struggle:

There is waiting built into growth.

“See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting…” —James 5:7 (NIV)

There is a season where you do the work…

and then you wait.

And that can make you wonder:

“Is this even working?”
“Am I making progress?”
“Is anything actually changing?”

And the answer may be:

Yes.

Just not always in ways you can see yet.

Because often:

roots are deepening
strength is being built
endurance is forming
faithfulness is taking root beneath the surface

through simple, daily faithfulness with God.

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The Tension of Summer

Summer is both full and demanding at the same time.

There is joy…and there is effort.
There is life to enjoy…and work that still has to be done.
There is momentum…and there is maintenance.
There is beauty…and there are weeds.

And somewhere in that tension…

God is forming faithfulness in you.

Not usually through dramatic moments.
Not usually through instant results.
Not usually through everything feeling exciting all the time.

But through showing up again and again.

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Partnership in Summer

Just like in spring…you have a role.

You show up.
You stay faithful.
You keep tending what matters. You keep walking with God.

But even here…

you are not the one producing the growth.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest…” —Galatians 6:9 (NIV)

You are responsible for faithfulness. God is responsible for the fruit.

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Appropriate Action in Summer

So what is the appropriate action in summer?

Stay faithful—with God.

Not sporadic.
Not impulsive.
Not frantic.

Just faithful.

Keep showing up.
Keep tending what matters.
Keep pulling the weeds.
Keep trusting what God is doing.
Keep enjoying the life happening right in front of you.

Because summer is where:

consistency becomes something real
endurance starts to form
faithfulness begins taking root
and growth happens one ordinary day at a time

And maybe just as important?

Don’t miss the life happening while you’re building it.

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Final Thought

Summer doesn’t always feel rewarding in the moment…but it matters more than you think.

Because what you do here—in the ordinary, repetitive, faithful days—will often determine what gets revealed later.

So in summer:

Stay faithful.
Tend what matters.
Enjoy the life in between.
Trust God with the growth.