Ryan Wilhite

“From Planting to Harvest”

Have you ever felt strongly God was opening a door and then quickly shut it? Sometimes God doesn’t shut the door. He just says “Not yet.”

I’ve been there constantly over the years since I started farming. For a while now several people have said that I need to write a devotional or book of my testimony.

This seemed crazy to me with the past I have. I never applied myself in school growing up. Barely made it through and then failed my way out of college my first year. 

I had a terrible self image after all of that. Struggling with drugs and alcohol made it even worse. I felt stupid and that I’d never be able to do anything in life.

I couldn’t even hold a part time job at nineteen years old because of my battles with alcohol.

That will crush a man, because I think most of us want to do something important in life and have purpose. I eventually realized that God loves me and my identity is in Christ alone. 

We are all sons and daughters of the most high. Nothing you do will make Him love us any more or any less.

Our past or mistakes do not define us. During last harvest, I felt strongly God was telling me it was time to finally write a devotional. 

I’ve written daily messages that God has given me every day for three years now. 

I put them in my notes app on my phone and was going to use those. It would have been rushed with the short time frame.

I figured I’d have time to do that while my wife was in recovery after surgery this winter and release the book on March 1st.

God had different plans. The devil started attacking me like never before during that time. I’d try to start putting all of this together and my mind would be blank. 

I never force things and make sure the Holy Spirit is leading every little detail. I heard God say after a week or two that it wasn’t time. 

Back in January God allowed me to go the darkest place of my life one afternoon. Within in two hours I was surrounded by brothers in Christ. 

They all prayed for me and worshipped together. God took that weight and darkness away immediately.

So all within a few hours I went from my hardest moment of my life being lifted up high by God. 

Nothing is wasted when it comes to Him.

For a week or two straight afterwards I was waking up gasping for air every few minutes and couldn’t breathe. I went to bed in peace and woke up feeling like I was dying.

I had never experienced this before and wasn’t even stressed about anything. We’re all human and will have moments like this.

I’ve learned that I’m not the only one being attacked and God will get you through anything. I feel He allows me to go through things for a greater purpose.

Spiritual warfare is real and the enemy isn’t happy when you’re following God’s will. I’ve been through some of the hardest circumstances of my life these last two years.

God has given me a peace that surpasses all understanding and helped me praise Him through it all. Even if He doesn’t come through with what or when I want, my hope is in Him alone.

The Holy Spirit has been speaking clearer than ever recently after those horrible attacks. I feel led to work on the devotional throughout this year. 

I want God to be behind every single word and share many new stories and things He has done. All to help others walking this road with Him.

I stumbled upon Angus Buchans’s devotional called “A Farmer’s Year” back in 2017. I was new in my relationship with God and struggled with reading the Bible. 

God used Angus to inspire me to start a farm operation and said He would use it as a platform to spread the gospel and help people.

Nothing replaces God’s word, but He can work through anything to speak to us or help us on our walk. I still struggle with reading my Bible some days.

The Holy Spirit has to help you with that and understanding what you need. I’ve been reading “The Farmers Year” every day since I got it nine years ago. 

He’s used his devotional to have a huge impact on my life. 

It’s full of real and relatable stories that all point to Jesus. On some of my darkest times I’ve flipped through those pages and God has spoken through them. 

The Holy Spirit moved in mighty ways through every word. I never dreamed I’d even be able to come up with anything like that. And that is still true today. I can’t. 

It’s all from surrender and the Holy Spirit working.

I’ll share updates with the progress of this devotional as the year goes along. 

Right now I feel as God wants me to finish and release it by December 1st in time for Christmas of this year.

He laid on my heart to call it “From Planting To Harvest” “Daily Seeds To Change Your Life.” He may change this, but I began working on the cover this weekend.

It will be a 365 day devotional of what He has done in my life, how much He truly loves us, how to live and the promises He has given to us all.

Matthew 10:20 says “For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

My mind had drawn a blank for so long and the other night out of nowhere, God gave me the title and worked on a cover for the devotional.

I’ll continue to pray that God will guide every single detail with this book and He will use it have an eternal impact for Him, changing lives like He has done for me over the years.

All the glory goes to Him!