Book Review: THE GROWING SEASON (Philpott)

In this book review, you’ll discover why Sarah Philpott, author of THE GROWING SEASON: A Year of Down-on-the-Farm Devotions, speaks my “language.” She’s probably speaking your language, too.

Harvest House Publishers released this hardcover, 220-page, women’s devotional book this month. Perfect timing for those who are searching to harvest something fresh.

The Author: Sarah Philpott

An award-winning author, She is a proud farm wife and farm mom of four. Visit with Sarah at allamericanmom.net, where she writes about her family, life on a cattle farm in the South, and learning to cherish God’s provisions in joy and sorrow. 

Sarah Philpott’s name may sound familiar to some of you. I reviewed her book, LOVED BABY: 31 Devotions Helping Your Grieve and Cherish Your Baby After Pregnancy Loss, several years ago.

The Contents of THE GROWING SEASON

As you can see from the catchy titles, everything ties in to life on the farm. “Rambo on the Farm” caught my eye. I’ve not read that one yet, as I skipped over to the Fall section.

I may have to have a sneak peek at it before spring, though!

Farm gals from the south will relate immediately to Philpott’s realistic, and often hilarious, stories of daily events on the farm.

One Example of Life on the Farm

An excerpt from the devotion titled “Winter Wonderland on the Farm,” on pages 34 – 35, gives an example:

We pull out clothes from boxes and seldom-used drawers. We dress our kids in a hodgepodge o hand-me-downs so they don’t get too frigid. Garbage bags taped over normal footwear can be used for makeshift boots if proper waterproof footwear is not found. It is common for our gloves not to match.

There is always that one adult who says, “Hey! I’m gonna hook up the four-wheeler/UTV/lawn mower to the sled/inner tube/car hood. Let’s show these kids a good time.

-Sarah Philpott, The Growing Season.

After sharing several of these true-to-life examples, Philpott ties them to “a dance of praise to our God.” She reminds us “it is not magic or enchantments that cause the snow—we know that this is a gift from our Creator.”

The scriptures given for this devotion are Psalm 147:16-18 and this one from Psalm 19:1:

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

Each Devotion

Each devotion opens with a verse or two from scripture. Most of the scriptures used are taken from the English Standard Version of the Bible.

Then, Philpott shares an example from farm life followed by her insights. There is a short, printed prayer and the end of each devotion.

Many of the devotions include a little something extra at the end. Usually, it is a family recipe or a helpful gardening tip. A recipe for Snow Cream wrapped up the “Winter Wonderland on the Farm” devotion.

The Bumper of THE GROWING SEASON

Additionally, at the back of the book, readers will find a delightful chart of “Southern Expressions” compiled by Philpott’s friend, Leah Davis.  Here is where you’ll pick up some of my southern “language” such as:

“Quit acting ugly.”

“I’m ‘bout to jerk a knot in your tail.”

“That like to have tickled me to death.”

My Thoughts & Recommendation

My only complaint, and it’s a tiny one, is that the title of this book says it is “A Year of Devotions.” There are only fifty-two devotions. I’d love it if there were more! Or, perhaps subtitle it, “Seasons of Devotions ” since it includes devotions centered around the four seasons. Nonetheless, if my only grievance is that I want to see more of Philpott’s writing, then that’s not a bad thing!

Even if you’re not a farm gal, Philpott’s life stories are captivating as she ties them to the spiritual truths she’s gleaning from God’s Word.

THE GROWING SEASON is a light, enjoyable book that not only speaks true to southern farm life, but more importantly, speaks to our common heart language—our love for and desire to follow Jesus Christ.

This book would make a lovely gift for all Christian women, but most definitely if have southern roots!

Hey, friends! I’m curious. What’s a southern-saying you’ve often heard or said?

A freelance writer, Sally Matheny’s writing is published in worldwide, national, regional, online and print publications including Appleseeds, Clubhouse Jr., Homeschooling Today, and The Old Schoolhouse.

As a writer, blogger, and speaker, Sally encourages parents to live victorious and to courageously tell the next generation wondrous things. Connect with her on several social media sites, but her favorite hangouts are at SallyMatheny.com and Pinterest.