From the attic office of Monique and Bastiaan Hoven’s house in the Netherlands, the view reflects a quiet season of dormancy. A skeletal house frame, piles of discarded materials, and overgrown weeds dominate the landscape. It’s far from the picturesque view most would hope for, but it holds a deeper truth: waiting and preparation are as vital as growth.
“The house you see started long before ours,” Communitas worker Monique shared. “Every time I look out the window, I see this unfinished, ugly skeleton of a house that seems like it will never be completed. It was only sporadically worked on, and I judged.”
Winter’s stillness offers time to reflect on what lies beneath the surface. Convicted by the Holy Spirit, Monique began to see the house not as a symbol of failure but as a call to prayer for her unseen neighbors and their halted progress. She prayed for the house, its owners, and the unseen work God was doing in their lives.
In the weeks that followed, subtle yet significant changes occurred. Workers began arriving regularly, windows were installed, and the house started to take shape. While incomplete, it symbolized progress—like buds preparing to bloom in spring. For Monique, this was a reminder that God often works in hidden ways, shaping what we cannot see in His perfect timing.
Her prayers extended beyond the house to Burendag—Neighbor Day—a national initiative in the Netherlands encouraging communities to connect through shared activities like picnics, gardening, and street parties. On the Burendag website, Monique and Bastiaan noticed the unfinished house had registered to host an activity, sparking hope for future connection. But when the celebrations came and went, the house remained unfinished, and the neighbors had yet to arrive.
Rather than feel discouraged, the Hovens saw this waiting period differently. Like winter, ministry often involves times of quiet preparation. The dormancy of waiting isn’t wasted; it lays the foundation for what’s to come.
Monique and Bastiaan remain prayerful, trusting God’s perfect timing as He cultivates something beautiful. Their experience reflects a larger truth: groundwork laid in waiting prepares the way for future flourishing.
What are you waiting for in this season that feels unfinished? Perhaps it’s an unanswered prayer, a project that feels stuck, or a relationship that hasn’t bloomed. Be encouraged: just as winter prepares the earth for spring, God is working behind the scenes, orchestrating every detail for His purpose.
Let’s embrace the dormancy of winter as a sacred space—a time to pray, prepare, and trust. Like the Hovens, who eagerly anticipate meeting their new neighbors, we too can find hope in unseen growth.
Living on mission often means enduring seasons without visible progress, but it’s in these moments that God deepens our roots and builds our character. The waiting is not idle; it is purposeful.
If you’re curious about Communitas and how to join others in living on mission, we invite you to reach out. Together, we can sow seeds of faith and build strong foundations—one prayer, one act of faith, and one relationship at a time.
