Cultivate: Intentional Growth from the Inside Out

In BFR and at The Retreat House, we have seen the importance of cultivating intentional habits and consistency that lead to a time of harvest. Last year, at The Retreat House, we were committed to monthly word themes. This simple practice kept us on track and narrowed in, and in a lot of ways it served much like guardrails on the highway. Yet, with the hustle and bustle of the start of this year, we got away from this-which often happens in our lives right? We know something works and yet we veer from it. So as we paused to reflect on the first half of 2025 we talked about how much we missed this practice and the consistency and ease it brought. So as we try to live out reflection and taking action- we are back to it and have given each remaining month a theme word.

June is a month for cultivating.

As I was pondering and researching the word cultivate, I came across this definition that resonated with me.

cultivate: to nurture the unseen in order to bear lasting fruit

I was immediately drawn to it. It reminded me that cultivating isn't a one-and-done practice, it’s a continual work, a true labor of love. Nurturing is ongoing. It’s movement. It’s active, even in seasons that feel slow or appear still. God is present and at work even, and perhaps especially, when we lean into silence, solitude, and stillness.

Be Free Revolution began in 2011 with two girls, no money, and a deep passion to make a lasting impact. This journey has certainly been an ongoing lesson of cultivating. Being open and flexible to see what is working in the soil, what is not, and how to nurture it well. Some plants are more finicky than others. Some require constant attention, while others can be watered occasionally and still flourish. In this kind of work, it’s vital to lean into the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit to discern how best to nurture the soil, and the unique plants the Lord places before you. If you open yourself to Him, He will impress upon you wisdom.

As we work and till the metaphorical soil we are humbly reminded that growth rarely announces itself. There’s no confetti when the roots go deeper. No applause when we choose discipline in quiet places. No spotlight when we show up, again and again, for what matters most. And yet, this is the slow, sacred work of cultivating a life of depth and purpose. It is cultivating change in the world. It is cultivating deep, loving, and caring relationships.

When I think about what cultivating means in relationships I think about deep friendships, I think marriage, I think parenting. All of those relationships need openness and honesty, kindness, forgiveness, fun, and trust. But they each need their unique soil food. The Retreat House has resources for each of those relationships and we would love to walk alongside you as you journey each one. We have various workshops this summer that will help you cultivate good soil in your relationships. Secure- a workshop on attachment styles, Parenting from Delight- a retreat focused on parenting kids of all ages, Cabin stays, intensives, and ongoing session work are available by reaching out to hello@theretreathousememphis.com. Because relationships are important work, sometimes we need resources, support, and better ways of connecting and understanding ourselves and those we are in relationship with.

Our world glorifies speed, visibility, and outcomes, yet cultivating reminds us to slow down and honor the unseen work. Tilling the soil of our hearts, our work, and our relationships. Watering small, quiet habits. Pulling out weeds of distraction or comparison. It’s not glamorous, but it’s where transformation takes root. You want to cultivate good soil and that comes from abiding in Christ, maintaining healthy practices and disciplines, and engaging in Christian, transforming communities that bring you into the presence of God often and that spur you on.

Going back to that definition which says it well: “Nurture the unseen in order to bear lasting fruit.” Because the fruit that lasts is the kind grown in surrender, in repetition, and in the hands of God. Scripture encourages us in verses like Romans 12:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Colossians 3:2 & 23-24, and Galatians 6:9.

 Galatians 6:9 is a verse that has been such a beautiful anchor, a gentle and empowering reminder to remain, to cultivate. It offers both comfort and challenge. This isn’t a command to hustle more- it’s a gentle reminder to keep showing up. Keep doing the good, right, necessary thing- even when no one sees it, even when results feel slow. Because something is happening: habits are forming, muscles are strengthening, and spiritual muscle memory is being built.

Spiritual practices like prayer, rest, generosity, confession, community, and silence may feel small, but they create internal structures that can carry the weight of real joy, real peace, and real resilience. The practice of cultivating holds action and contemplation together, moments of work and moments of stillness, of watching and of waiting. We need practices that engage both our minds, hearts, and bodies. Practices like Mind & Body: a morning of movement on the lawn help lead you into awareness and connection with God.

If you have been out to The Retreat House, you know how much we love stones of remembrance-a reminder to keep you on track or remind you where God is at work.

A saying Lacey and I took on in the early days of Be Free was stay the course. During a time of transition within BFR, I found each of us a Turkish compass and engraved on the back those words, stay the course. It serves as a stone of remembrance hanging on the walls of each of our homes as a reminder for us to keep going. A reminder to trust that God is at work. Cultivating requires trust; trust in the process, trust in God’s timing, and trust that your labor isn't wasted.

When you don't see immediate change, trust that the roots are growing deeper.

When your efforts feel ordinary, trust that your consistency is building capacity.

When you're tempted to give up, remember: God is growing something in you that may take time, but it will be worth it.

So This Month, Ask Yourself:

• What good thing do I need to keep doing, even if I don’t see results yet?

• Where might I be called to slow down and tend to something unseen?

• What habits am I cultivating that shape who I’m becoming?

• Where is God pruning something in me during the cultivation process? How does it feel? Be honest with God.

  
  

Whatever soil you’re standing in right now- know this: you are not planting in vain.

Stay faithful. Stay rooted. Keep cultivating.

The harvest will come.