The Question I'm most often asked when working in the garden is:

"Why do I need Jesus?"

Then before I can even answer, the person will say one of the following:

The seeds for "After the Cross, the Spirit" germinated while laying out the garden. It was a moving one for many of the garden's visitors with whom it was shared.

When planting I was thinking of the theme strictly from the point-of-view of how it was Jesus' suffering and then death on the Cross which gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit today. Jesus even calls Him "the Helper" in John 14:26.

After the garden was planted, I learned a friend who's an outstanding woman was very sick. When tending the garden, I began to ask God pointless "why" questions, such as: why her, God? She's much better than most of us. Then: why all the chaos in the world? After alternating between prayers and fussing for too many days, two verses came to mind, Luke 9:23, 24. "Then He said to them all; "'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.'" I was corrected.

Have you ever noticed how we often feel closest to God when we're suffering? That's the presence of the Holy Spirit. That's Jesus' lesson after the Cross too. After His death and then 40 days teaching His Apostles after the grave, He went home. Eventually, after our time here, so shall we. Meanwhile, just like Him and His believers back then, we will suffer. But never alone. John 16:7 "'Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I'll send Him to you.'"

Remember- you are not alone. Gardener Lori

Joe's Corner

"'What do you think?

If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?'"

"'And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.'" Matthew 18:12-13

"I'm a good person- better than most."

"I'm a good person- more good actions than bad"

"All roads lead to heaven."

"I believe in a loving God, not a punishing one."

"I'm too bad to get into heaven!"

The reasons sound... reasonable, don't they?

So why do you need Jesus to get to heaven?

The idea for the Garden began in the Fall of 2005 after a family member died in H. Katrina. The idea grew. The rocks were carved and placed in 2007.

We are not preachers, theologians, scholars or counselors. We love God, read the Bible and garden.

Our website's name, scripturerocksgarden.org is a mnemonic device. One scripture on many rocks in a garden . organized.

The garden is NOT a business NOR 501(c)3.

We do NOT accept donations.

We do NOT have any Church affiliations.

We DO support our mom & pop ministry the same way the Apostles did. We work in our trade and labor in the garden.

Why do we do this? We love Jesus & He loves you. So do we.❤️

www.scripturerocksgarden.org

About the Garden

Did you get lost and are now afraid, but can't remember the way home? Call out to Jesus! He's the Way home.

"THE ROCKS"

Joe's Corner The ground is re-frozen. When it's soft enough this will be the early Spring "Joe's Corner" banner. The lamb in this internet art reminds me of how one feels when thinking "I really messed up!" And so you run away until something causes a pause. A voice. Can you hear it? It's our Savior, Jesus, gently calling your name. "Don't hide! I miss you, come home!" He says. No sin is too great for Jesus to not forgive. Return. He misses you.

From Gardener Lori ✍🏻Being older, changes in technology can be pretty daunting. For some reason, my decades long method of using this program are failing. It's been a discontinued format by provider for some time now, and perhaps it's run its course. I don't think I can learn a new one. But this has always been the Lord's website, so will leave the future up to Him. God bless.

Garden Lesson 2025: Inspired by Hebrews 13:2

Click on "The Rocks" button to learn why you need Jesus.

A Time for Prayer

With a little divine help, hoping to figure out how to insert a few photos into the true story written below. 🕊

The most memorable visitor to the garden occurred on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Our visit together was profound and his kindness to me undeserved. On two previous occasions I had spotted him heading my way from far up the trail. He was a large man with a strange gait. Since husband was inside I cautiously went inside too. On the Saturday of the man's third walk by, the sidewalk was empty. Seeing an opportunity to deadhead the spent flowers in our three blue pots, I grabbed my tools, gardening stool and headphones for a few minutes of quiet work. Focused on the worst blue pot and with head phones on, the man was able to approach me unawares. "Excuse me" he said. Surprised I looked up. "Just wanted to say thank you" then he gave a sincere smile.

After a few words I offered to walk with him along the trail as far as our lot line. Starting off awkwardly, he explained his uneven gait so we walked slowly. He stopped often, pointing out specific flowers even touching a few then sharing why he especially liked each one. It was an education. We reached the last leg of our journey, where the small entry into the Scripture Rocks Garden, abuts the sidewalk/trail. Next to the gate was an old vendor's cart filled with flowers. The cart also had a metal display area above it where a small banner with the Scriptures on the rocks is often displayed.

As we stood in front of the cart and I began reading aloud the first Scripture: "Know that the Lord is God" I said. Then from memory the visitor added "It is He who made us, and we are His." Then the next: "for all have sinned" I said. He instantly piped up "and fall short of the glory of God". In tandem we continued to recite aloud all the Scripture Rocks' texts. I began reading a text and then from memory he would complete it. By the last rock, Ephesians 2:8-9, I just said a few words of the passage and he recited the rest by heart. For a few seconds afterwards, I felt that the "peace which transcends all understanding" was with us.

Soon we walked the few feet to the Garden's gate. I asked him if he'd like me to help him walk down the dirt path to see the rocks and flowers up close. He declined. He then gently explained why he didn't want to go inside. His reason for not wanting to walk through the gate are words I'll treasure the rest of my life.

He turned around and in a few steps was back on to the sidewalk. I watched him begin to walk away then about 10 feet away I shouted "what's your name?" He told me. "I'm Lori!" He smiled back at me like he already knew. We waved. He turned again and kept walking. I went into the Garden and sat down on a bench. A few tears trickled down. It's not ethical for me to share what he said to me in front of the gate without his permission so I won't. But I've been looking for him ever since.

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."Hebrews 13:2

March 2026 A new month and the year marches forward. Job will be completed the first week and then it is the Psalms, often our balms for life's difficulties. Being older and the days in which we live, life seems especially precious right now. We will be reading multiple Psalms most days since our goal is to be blessed to read through the Bible- together. We are glad to have you with us on our journey. May God protect you and your loved ones this month. 🙏🏻

Garden Lesson 2024 "After the Cross, the Spirit"

Scripture Rocks Garden

After sixty years of silence, I'm sharing "Ray of Light" comment based on Paul's text in 2 Corinthians 12:2.

2. "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." KJV

Paul is writing about an experience that had happened to him 14 years previously.

How did it happen? After being stoned "to death" he was considered dead so the crowd left. He then had the above experience, about which he so briefly writes.

Why such brevity? Read the passage to find out. :)

For whom is the passage meant? Perhaps for those of us who've either had such an experience (now called NDEs) or witnessed one. We can gain a valuable lesson from Paul's descriptions - no matter how long ago "it" happened, or our age at such an event.

The lesson? The afterlife is real and it's next. It can happen anytime- even in the twinkling of an eye. Are you ready? Following Paul's example, this is all I'll write on the topic.

A Warning: Faith is a choice, not a feeling or experience. Don't let experiences, or lack thereof, corrupt genuine faith. Saving faith comes only from Jesus Christ. Choose Jesus!.