Scattering Seeds of Hope

I have been a Christian for many years, but if I’m honest, my growth has often felt slow. I have always longed to be closer to God and to share my faith more openly, yet it has never come naturally. During the Covid-19 pandemic, however, my walk with Jesus was revitalised. The unexpected gift of extra time and space allowed me to dwell more deeply on Scripture, reflect on my personal walk, and consider whether I truly was living as a Christian. Out of this came many new beginnings (too many to list here!), but one of the most significant discoveries was an online group called Passion for Evangelism (PfE) - an encouraging group I’ve benefitted from immensely, and where I’ve hopefully been able to give back and share what I’ve learned. Discovering a new way of reading Through PfE I joined an online book club, where we read Scattering Seeds of Hope by Jeremy Marshall. Scattering Seeds of Hope by Jeremy Marshall & Mary Davis I’ve never really been much of a reader - except on holiday, when I can relax away from distractions - but I wanted to be more intentional about reading at home. My aim was to finish books and reflect on what I had learned. The book club format was perfect. We read two chapters at a time and then discussed them through the Band app (a communication application for groups). This broke the book into manageable chunks and helped me slow down, reflect, and absorb what I had read. Learning to share my faith What struck me most about Jeremy’s book was his natural way of weaving his Christian faith into his personal journey with Jesus. It challenged me to think about my own story: How has God walked with me throughout my life, and how might I share that more openly and honestly? One part that really stood out was Jeremy’s simple conversation starter: “Do you have a faith in something you can rely on?” I loved this question; it gently invites people to reflect on their own journey and what (or who) they are trusting in. For me, this feels especially relevant when conversations touch on difficult times - those moments when I often offer to pray for others. Jeremy reminds us that it’s not our job to save people. We are called to scatter seeds and let God do the rest. Social media as a platform for hope Another challenge from the book was about using social media for the gospel. Jeremy encouraged believers to see personal posts as an opportunity to share faith, and that struck a chord with me. I already help manage our church Facebook page, but I realised it was easy to hide behind that. If a song, book, podcast, or sermon has blessed me, why not share it on my own page too? Social media can reach a wide audience and spark thought among friends who might never step inside a church. Encouraging my church family I found the whole experience of reading Scattering Seeds of Hope so encouraging that I wanted my church family to benefit as well. With a little persuasion, our leaders agreed to take part in the 10ofthose summer reading challenge. The church generously purchased 100 copies of the book so that everyone could join in. This month, our home groups will come together to discuss what we found challenging and how we can put it into practice. I’m excited to see how God will use this in our fellowship. Called to encourage God works through the hearts of His people. Our part is to keep walking closely with Him and never give up. Whether we see ourselves as “innovators” or not, we are all called to be encouragers - leaders in encouragement, like Barnabas. As Pastor Bill Bygroves says, some of us are called to be “Barnabuses or Barnabettes.” So let’s never crush the enthusiasm that God has planted in His people. Instead, let’s nurture and encourage one another, helping each other to share Jesus in word and action. May we each be faithful encouragers who scatter seeds of hope, trusting God to bring the growth. PfE women is an everyday evangelism series written by women in Passion for Evangelism - an organisation committed to empowering, equipping, and encouraging women to share the good news of Jesus. Paula is married to Paul and they have two grown-up kids and three grandchildren. They are members of Bethel Church in Liverpool and are involved in a few ministries there. Paula works part-time as a Registered Dental Nurse.