What is your garden?

I recently watched a video on a guy who pastored at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids Michigan. His name is Ed Dobson. Weekly he would preach before 5,000 people. You could really tell by his story and conversation that he was operating in his calling and was passionate about what he did. Back in 2001, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease. They told him he wouldn't last 3 to 5 years. However, he is still alive today. With the reccomendation of his doctors, he resigned his post in 2006. He went through the explanation of how the day before he resigned, he wanted to throw his cell phone in the river because it never quit ringing. However, the day after his resignation, he actually had his wife call him to make sure it wasn't broken because noone even called. He explained that when you aren't needed anymore, it is as if your purpose in life is over.
This is where his story began to really speak to me. He related his story to Adam in the garden. Adam's purpose was to worship God, and one form of worship was to tend to the garden around him. Lou Gehrig's disease had changed Pastor Dobson's circle of influence overnight. He could have let it end his ministry altogether. However, he changed his focus to the garden.
Now let me stop here for a moment and explain what I mean in reference to our own lives. Too many times I hear people tell me that they aren't in ministry, or they don't have a "circle of influence" in their life. They feel that since they aren't preaching or ministering to a room full of people every Sunday, they aren't able to make an impact. I have one response to that which I will use the King James venacular..."hogwash"! Too many times, we are more concerned with numbers than the individual. However, how many instances do we read in the Bible about Christ doing one-on-one ministry to one person at a time. How valuable was that time in His walk!? Did He question his circle of influence because only one person was there at that moment?
Now back to Pastor Dobson, he says that now his ministry is about tending to his garden. He works mostly one-on-one with individuals. Building relationships of discipleship. Let me say that again to make sure that hits home....Building relationships of discipleship. After all isn't that what Christ did?