The Craig And Greg Show: Cultivate Your Garden

May 8, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

Here in West Michigan, the city of Holland has a yearly festival that has just begun called Tulip Time where attendees will see millions of the most beautiful flowers growing everywhere. It is a stunning display, but perhaps even more impressive is the hard work and care that goes into the cultivation of these flowers. In today’s episode, Greg and I want to encourage you to bring the mindset of a gardener to your leadership. With hard work, patience, and just the right amount of careful pruning, your team will grow from small seeds in the ground to a dazzling beauty that rivals any horticultural display. 

  • [0:40] I’m not sure I’m qualified to talk about today’s topic… 
  • [1:32] A seed has almost everything it needs to grow, and so do our teammates.
  • [3:13] What do people need most from a gardener-leader?
  • [5:25] Leaders will need to exhibit confidence in a teammate’s competency.
  • [8:04] We need to be careful of not rushing the process.
  • [10:16] I share how the apostle Paul demonstrated belief in his people.
  • [12:04] How do we make sure our teammates know we have genuine belief in them?
  • [14:33] I reference a great passage from Greg’s forthcoming book about how leaders stand up for their team.
  • [19:13] A healthy habit for gardener-leaders.
  • [21:36] Gardening isn’t an assembly line—the growth plan for every person must be individualized.
  • [23:44] Greg shares an insightful quote about obstacles.
  • [25:11] Coaching can help you help your teammates grow.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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The Craig And Greg Show: Patience And Impatience

August 29, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the audio-only version of this podcast by clicking on the player below, or scroll down to watch the video.

In today’s episode we’re going to—IMPATIENCE! Yes, we’re talking about impatience. As a leader it can be hard to resist the temptation of impatience, but Greg and I believe that developing patience is a vital skill for leaders. In this episode we’ll explore some of the pitfalls of impatience, and share strategies for you to develop into a more thoughtful and patient leader.

  • [0:14] We’re looking at the leadership builder vs. killer of patience vs. impatience. 
  • [1:41] Patience is sometimes misperceived as not being in control—like we’re simply waiting around for something to happen.
  • [2:27] Can patience be developed?
  • [3:50] Patience allows a process to mature, and helps people grow.
  • [7:35] Warning: patience can cross a line into procrastination.
  • [8:30] Leaders need to avoid the temptation of impatiently answering too quickly.
  • [10:50] What leadership pressures make us give in to impatience?
  • [12:59] Leaders can help their teammates with their own impatience by asking some thoughtful questions.
  • [15:28] Ego + Bad advice = Dangerous impatience
  • [16:40] Patience helps leaders trust both the process and the people around them.
  • [18:33] Leaders need to be aware of what’s happening in themselves when their patience is stretched. Patient leaders grow their leadership influence.
  • [22:24] Greg quizzes me about the origins of patience.
  • [24:45] I make a confession about my impatience in my early years.
  • [25:55] Greg shares an insightful quote about the value of patience.

Check out this episode and subscribe on YouTube so you can watch all of the upcoming episodes. You can also listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple.

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(Im)Patiently Waiting?

April 21, 2021 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple or Spotify.

I waited patiently for the Lord … You are my God, do not delay (Psalm 40:1, 17). 

These bookend verses—the first and last verses of the 40th Psalm—are humorous to me. I wonder: Is David saying something like, “I’ve waited long enough, c’mon, God, let’s get moving”? 

Not exactly.

The first part of this psalm is a backward look that recounts all that God has already done for David: He heard me, He lifted me out of a pit, He set me on a firm place, He put a new song in my mouth (vv. 1-3). While the end of this psalm is David’s anticipation of what is still to come: the enemies of God turned back, and the saints of God rejoicing in His deliverance (vv. 11-17). 

The backward look in gratitude fuels the forward look in expectant hope.

In the meantime, in the middle of this psalm—between the backward look and the forward look—David is living as a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness:

  • many will see how God has delivered me and put their trust in Him 
  • I speak of Your deeds 
  • I listen to You and proclaim what You speak to me 
  • I do not hide Your righteousness 
  • I speak of Your faithfulness (vv. 3-16) 

This is a good lesson for us: Our continual praise and proclamation of God’s goodness is what connects our gratitude to our hope!

So in looking at these bookends verses again, I think that what David is saying is something like, “Father, I have so many good things already to say about how You have provided for me, so do not delay in moving again so that I have even more to share with others! Let many see Your hand on my life so that they too may learn to fear and trust You. Amen.” 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? ◀︎◀︎

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The Lesson Of The Lost Brooch

August 11, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

Corrie ten BoomCorrie ten Boom shares this memorable story about patience in her book I Stand At The Door And Knock—

The old story of the lost brooch really helped me.

A lady lost a valuable brooch at the theater. She noticed it was missing when she arrived home. Early the next day she rang the caretaker of the theater and asked if he had found the brooch. “No,” he said, “but where was your seat? I will go and have a look if it is under your seat.”

“My seat was on the fifth row, number two.” The man went to have a look and found the brooch.

He went to the telephone and said, “Yes, I am pleased to tell you I found your brooch. Hello? Hello?”

There was no reply; she had impatiently hung up the phone. She will never know that her brooch was found.

The Holy Spirit teaches us to have great expectations for the Lord. Listen to the Lord. If you don’t hear His voice immediately, wait patiently. Waiting for the Lord is a blessing too. He is a good Shepherd. And a good Shepherd speaks to His sheep. Don’t put the receiver down too quickly. He loves you and has so much to say to you.

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F.B. Meyer On The Purpose Of Obstacles

August 9, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

F.B. Meyer“God will make our obstacles serve His purposes. …

“The obstacles may be untruths told about us; a difficult occupation; ‘a thorn in the flesh’ (2 Corinthians 12:7); or our daily cross. And often we pray for their removal, for we tend to think that if only these were removed, we would live a more tender, pure, and holy life. … These are the very conditions we need for achievement, and they have been put in our lives as the means of producing the gifts and qualities for which we have been praying so long.

“We pray for patience for many years, and when something begins to test us beyond our endurance, we run from it. We try to avoid it, we see it as some insurmountable obstacle to our desired goal, and we believe that if it was removed, we would experience immediate deliverance and victory. This is not true! We would simply see the temptations to be impatient end. This would not be patience.

“The only way genuine patience can be acquired is by enduring the very trials that seem so unbearable today. Turn from your running and submit. … There is nothing in your life that distresses or concerns you that cannot become submissive to the highest purpose. Remember, they are God’s mountains. He puts them there for a reason, and we know He will never fail to keep His promise.” —F.B. Meyer

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Poetry Saturday—Forgive

March 19, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

 F.B. Meyer

If my soul has turned perversely to the dark;
If I have left some brother wounded by the way;
If I have preferred my aims to Yours;
If I have been impatient and would not wait;
If I have marred the pattern drawn out for my life;
If I have cost tears to those I loved;
If my heart has murmured against Your will,
O Lord, forgive. —F. B. Meyer
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Thursdays With Oswald—The Long Trail

January 7, 2016 — Craig T. Owens

Oswald ChambersThis is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.

The Long Trail

     When we are busy with our own outlook on life, it seems as if God were indifferent. Our human patience, as well as our impatience, gets to the point of saying—‘Why does not God do things?’ Redemption is complete; we believe that Our Lord has all power in heaven and on earth, then why is it such a long while before things happen? Why is God so long in making actual His answers to our prayers? When in such a state of mind we are capable of becoming bitter against God unless we are led into the inner secret of Our Lord’s own attitude. …

     Each of the temptations presented to Our Lord by satan had this as its center: ‘You will get the Kingship of men and the Saviorhood of the world if you will take a “shortcut”—put man’s needs first, and he will crown You King; do something extraordinarily wonderful, indicative of Your power, and man will crown You King; compromise with evil, and You will get the Kingship of men.’ Jesus could have brought the whole thing about suddenly (cf. John 6:15); but He did not. He withstood satan and took the stupendously long way. … 

     It takes a long time to realize what Jesus is after, and the person you need most patience with is yourself. God takes deliberate time with us, He does not hurry, because we can only appreciate His point of view by a long discipline.

From The Place Of Help

Do you trust that God knows what He’s doing? He has something great in mind for your life, something that will bring Him glory. That is the reason He created you (see Ephesians 2:10).

Hang in there … something good will come of this long trail (see Romans 5:3-5).

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Links & Quotes

December 27, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

link quote

“Although circumstances may bring us into the place of death, that need not spell disaster—for if we trust in the Lord and wait patiently, that simply provides the occasion for the display of His almighty power.” —L.B. Cowman

“Notice the singular ‘commandment’—‘This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us’ [1 John 3:23]. These two things are so closely connected for John he calls them one commandment: believe Jesus and love others. That is your purpose. That is the sum of the Christian life. Trusting Jesus, loving people.” —John Piper

“We make progress in overcoming our sin when we have hope that our failures will be forgiven. If you don’t have hope that God will forgive your failures, when you start fighting sin, you give up.” —John Piper

“Impatient believers are offended when they see God working miracles all around them but not in their lives. They’re offended at what they believe is God’s slowness to answer them, and over time they feel neglected and imprisoned. Hebrews tells us such impatience is a form of spiritual laziness: ‘Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises’ (Hebrews 6:12). We are instructed to follow Abraham’s example: ‘After he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise’ (6:15).” —David Wilkerson

Tim Dilena has some amazing insights for every married couple in this video.

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Links & Quotes

May 27, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

link quote

“Patience is the evidence of an inner strength. Impatient people are weak, and therefore dependent on external supports—like schedules that go just right and circumstances that support their fragile hearts. Their outbursts of oaths and threats and harsh criticisms of the culprits who crossed their plans do not sound weak. But that noise is all a camouflage of weakness. Patience demands tremendous inner strength. For the Christian, this strength comes from God.” —John Piper

“Prayerless people soon become faithless people. The more they forsake the gift of access, refusing to draw on God’s provisions, the more they drift away.” —David Wilkerson

“Christians are not fighting for victory. They are fighting from victory. The outcome has been determined.” —Tony Evans

Whether you are a Detroit Tigers fan or not, this is a very cool story: The Day Willie Horton Saved Al Kaline’s Life.

Researchers are working on some amazing advances to treat infections without using antibiotics.

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Poetry Saturday―Don’t You?

February 21, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
Edmund Vance CookeWhen the plan which I have, to grow suddenly rich
Grows weary of leg and drops into the ditch,
And scheme follows scheme
Like the web of a dream
To glamour and glimmer and shimmer and seem,…
Only seem;
And then, when the world looks unfadably blue,
If my rival sails by
With his head in the sky,
And sings “How is business?” Why, what do I do?
Well, I claim that I aim to be honest and true,
But I sometimes lie. Don’t you?


When something at home is decidedly wrong,


When somebody sings a false note in the song,


Too low or too high,


And, you hardly know why,


But it wrangles and jangles and runs all awry,…


Aye, awry!


And then, at the moment when things are askew,


Some cousin sails in


With a face all a-grin,


And a “Do I intrude? Oh, I see that I do!”


Well, then, though I aim to be honest and true,


Still I sometimes lie. Don’t you?




When a man whom I need has some foible or fad,


Not very commendable, not very bad;


Perhaps it’s his daughter,


And some one has taught her


To daub up an “oil” or to streak up a “water”!


And her grass is green green and her sky is blue blue,


But her father, with pride,


In a stagey aside


Asks my “candid opinion.” Then what do I do?


Well, I claim that I aim to be honest and true,


But I sometimes lie. Don’t you? —Edmund Vance Cooke








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