March 12, 2025
A Note from Amy Rae Bashforth
Dear Friends & Fellow Members of God’s Creation,
I feel closest to God when I am in my garden. My garden is peaceful, but far from quiet.
There may be a chirruping robin nearby on a fence post waiting to see if I unearth a tasty grub as I plant some seeds. I may hear the hum of a hummingbird as she quickly zips past my ear toward a Mexican sunflower.
I love to see the delicate butterflies land on the zinnias. I may see a tiny caterpillar busily munching on the milkweed or dill in my butterfly garden.
And there are always bees of different shapes and sizes buzzing in and out of the mason bee house and covering the bee balm. Sometimes I even see a tiny green frog hiding on a green stem or a toad who found a home amongst some fallen leaves.
The wonder of God’s creation is such a joy for me
Those who know me best know that I feel a strong calling to care for and advocate for God’s creation of animals. Most of my volunteer time is split between two organizations devoted to the advocacy for and care of animals.
If ever I need evidence of our wondrous God, I can see, feel, and hear God in the beautiful delicate butterflies, adorable purring cats, a big shaggy rescue dog, and the large powerful yet gentle horses that bless my life.
Diversity of God’s creation
No one but a truly wondrous God could be responsible for the incredible diversity of life in our world.
When God created the earth and plants and animals of all kinds, He saw that it was good and called us to care for His creation (Genesis chapter 1).
I doubt that anyone would disagree that we have not done our best to be compassionate caretakers of God’s creation.
The destruction of God’s creation impacts us all deeply. Sometimes in the face of news about wildfires, droughts, floods, animals on the brink of extinction, and other effects of climate change and human actions, we can feel small, afraid, and powerless.
In the second chapter of Lamentations, we hear of images of ruin. We hear in verse 11, “My eyes are spent with weeping; my stomach churns; my bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people, because infants and babes faint in the streets of the city.”
In Romans 8:23, Paul tells us that “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together.”
I’ve long been saddened that the care of God’s creation has become primarily a secular activity, left to non-faith-based animal welfare and environmental organizations.
This is why I was thrilled to join the Sacred Earth group at HUMC and engage with other Christians in discussing how we could work together to care for God’s earth.
How can I help?
Have you ever wondered how you, as just one person, could possibly fix this big and complicated problem of the destruction of creation? It’s sometimes difficult to imagine how one person’s actions could make much of a difference in preserving God’s creation, but sometimes our small collective actions can have a truly meaningful impact and create a big ripple of positive progress.
What if we all choose one small positive change that we can implement today that will help, if even just a little?
A monthly challenge
The HUMC Sacred Earth group invites you to join us in a challenge that will involve committing to one simple specific change that individuals and families could easily implement each month.
These small actions will enable us to reduce our carbon footprint and care for God’s creation through concrete steps such as reducing our use of single use plastics and eating less meat.
Each month, we will provide information that will empower you to make a small sustainable change. Collectively, these changes will benefit God’s creation — the earth, God’s animals, and even our own health.
Please watch for more information about the monthly challenges and how you can join us in caring for God’s creation.
Will you join me in caring for the wonder of God’s amazing world? I’m excited about taking this small but bold step together with all of you.
With love and wonder in the marvels of creation,
Amy Rae Bashforth
