Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in My Garden

God chose a garden setting for the dawning moment in human history. The first marriage took place in a garden, as did the first temptation. Jesus used gardening metaphors to communicate deep spiritual truths. He spoke of good soil, bad fruit, people as branches, and himself as the true, life-giving vine.

Growing up as a missionary kid in Bolivia, Jed Snyder tended the chickens and pigs and worked in the extensive gardens that supplied his boarding school with food. Those early experiences instilled in Jed a deep love for growing things. Now a seasoned home gardener and pastor, Jed knows well the delights and frustrations of cultivating flowers, fruits, and vegetables. As a happy by-product of his labor, he has also cultivated wisdom.

In Everything I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in My Garden, Jed observes that our lives unfold in many ways like a garden, with seasons of sunshine and seasons of rain. His collection of stories—some humorous, some poignant—offer insights and help us apply meaningful life lessons. We can’t always control our environment, but as Jed illustrates, we can tend our gardens with care, grow deeper in faith, honor Christ more completely, and enjoy a sweet, eternal harvest.

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Author Bio

Jed Snyder is the founder and president of Jesus Everyday Ministries, as well as pastor of Augusta Street Church in West Colombia, South Carolina. Jed grew up in a large missionary family in Bolivia. He holds a BA in biblical studies from Cairn University, an ME from Temple University, and a DMin and PhD from Trinity Theological Seminary. Jed has served for many years as a pastor throughout the Northeast and in South Carolina, and has shared the Good News farther afield as a short-term missionary in Central Europe and South America. For relaxation, Jed enjoys gardening, refinishing furniture, and penning an inspirational column for his hometown newspaper. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children and six grandchildren.

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