By Tammy Graham

Every seed has a gestation—or incubation—period. What does that mean? It means that a certain amount of time has to pass before a seed, or an idea, takes physical form. Ideas are spiritual seeds. Given time, care, and the right conditions, they become results. They move into form. Goals will manifest at the perfect time.

You already believe in certain things without question. You know the sun will rise tomorrow. You know when you push the gas pedal, your car moves. When you press the brake, it stops.

Now think of your goal. Picture yourself pushing that gas pedal. You don’t second-guess whether the car will go—you just know. That’s how you can trust your goal will unfold too. Just like your car needs gas, oil, and other fluids to run, your goal needs to be filled with faith, expectancy, excitement, and gratitude to God.

For the law of gestation to work, you have to allow time. Let’s be honest—most of us have the thought “I’m hungry” at least once a day. One of my favorite things with a short gestation period? Homemade chocolate cake. I think about it (the thought), I mix the right ingredients (the plan), I place it in the oven (the environment), and I give it time to rise. It takes about 35 minutes. Sure, I could leave it in longer, but then I’d end up with a burnt cake. And who wants to eat that? If I pull it out too soon, I get a gooey mess that could make me sick. Either way, the timing matters.

Everything on earth has a starting point. You and I? We began as a thought in God's mind. Through holding that thought in divine, fertile ground, and allowing time to pass, we came into being—first spiritually, then physically. The law of gestation is foundational to creation.

I see it in how I raise my children too. I play a key role in shaping who they will become. I carry a vision of who I hope they’ll be when they eventually leave home—whether that's at 18 or 25, it all takes time. I’ve prayerfully and intentionally created a vision for each of them. That vision is the seed. The plan I follow—like the DNA blueprint—is how I nurture it.

Of course, they have their own agency. Their paths may shift and the vision may evolve. But even so, I take small steps every day. I implement ideas and systems slowly, one at a time. If something sticks, I keep it. If it doesn’t, I adjust. That’s the 1% principle—just a little progress each day. And because I’ve planted that seed with faith, I believe the right people, experiences, and lessons will show up in their lives, just when they need them.

And this applies to us too. We may be born with certain traits, but our character is formed over time. It develops through our choices, our experiences, and our willingness to grow. We're all in a constant state of becoming.

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