Presence Over Pressure: An Old Way to Build

By Josh Singleton | Founder, The Neighborhood Garden Project

People ask us a lot about staffing. With more gardens coming, folks want to know how we’re hiring, what roles are next, and when we’re planning to build the team.

But here’s the truth: we’re not in a hurry to grow just to say we’ve grown. We’re not here to build something big—we’re here to take care of something sacred. We don’t fund jobs. We fund assignments. There’s a big difference.

Jobs are usually about filling a spot or hitting a goal. Assignments are about listening to God, following His timing, and walking with people. When someone’s in their assignment, it shows. They’re not just clocking in—they’re bringing something real. You can feel it. Their presence matters. They’re not working for us. They’re walking with us.

Everyone on our team came through relationship, not recruitment. No job posts. No interviews. No rushing. We just watched. We listened. We waited to see what God was already doing in them. Because if it’s from Him, the fruit shows up before the funding does.

Most people build a team around their vision. But if it’s really God’s vision, we believe He’ll bring the right people at the right time. We don’t move just because we have money. We move when there’s clarity and alignment.

And, yes, some people think our pace is too slow. But we’re not aiming for speed. We’re aiming for faithfulness. We’ve learned that the Kingdom doesn’t move at the speed of pressure. It moves at the speed of peace. People don’t grow when they’re rushed. They grow when they feel safe. That’s what we’re trying to build—safe soil for people to become who God made them to be.

Some of our team members are still working other jobs. That’s on purpose. Their current jobs are paying for a season of listening. That’s a form of provision most people overlook. But we don’t. We honor it. We see it as part of the process. One of our team members is still working her full-time job while she discerns if she’s supposed to step in with us more fully. Her job is paying her bills while God makes things clear. We didn’t make that happen. God did. We didn’t have to raise funds or host a fundraiser. He already had it in place. Our role is to make space, not force it.

Too many nonprofits rush people into roles out of need. We’ve done that before and learned from it. If someone’s current work is providing for them, that gives us time to test the soil. No pressure. No panic. Just space to walk and see what God’s doing.

That kind of funding doesn’t show up on a spreadsheet. But honestly, it might be the most real kind there is.

Take Kayla, our first Garden Manager. She started volunteering last May. She had a heart for gardening and people. That was clear. Then in October, she left her job and started volunteering full-time with us. No promise of pay. No title. Just obedience. She said yes because she felt called. That decision gave the garden space to breathe again. Things slowed down. Depth showed up. And the work started to grow from the inside out.

In January, we received support from a foundation and were able to start paying her a salary. Then, in May, we got more support and were able to increase it. But the funding followed the faith. It didn’t lead it. That’s how we’ve seen God move every time.

Kayla’s story reminds us: this was never about a position. It was about posture. Her life is living proof that when someone leans into presence, the fruit comes naturally. Her yes opened space not just for her, but for others to root down too. And it’s still growing.

Both of us, she and I, are now being paid not because we waited for everything to be in place, but because we started walking before we saw anything. This is Matthew 6:33 in action: Seek first the Kingdom, and the rest will come. The world says, “Get the funding first, then move.” But the Kingdom says, “Walk with Me, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

That’s not just some nice saying. It’s how we’ve lived. Our obedience has made space for God to provide. Not the other way around.

We’ve learned that God’s not waiting on our perfect plan. He’s waiting on a faithful yes. The provision is already there. It just shows up once we’re aligned. When we stop striving and just stay close to what He’s given us, things start to move. Slowly. But surely.

We don’t chase provision—we walk in assignment. And because of that, God keeps showing up. He’s provided everything we’ve needed, right when we’ve needed it. Never too early. Never too late. Just enough, right on time.

We’ve learned how to multiply what we’ve been given. Not through resumes or credentials, but through people who are willing. People who don’t need a title to be faithful. People who show up because they believe in what’s happening.

When we care more about obedience than results, we don’t just see our needs met. We see lives changed. We see deeper fruit. We show up not to make something happen, but to watch what God is already doing. And every time, He meets us there.

This whole thing—we’re not building a company. We’re building a body. A living, breathing body of people who are carrying what God gave them. Not to prove anything. Not to get noticed. Just to be faithful.

So when people ask us how we’re hiring or what roles we’re adding, we tell them the truth: we’re not building a team. We’re walking with people. And when the assignment becomes clear, we’ll know. And so will they.

And this way of walking—it touches how we see funding, too.

There are a lot of articles, toolkits, and conferences that try to teach you how to raise more money, grow faster, or lock in your annual goals. We’ve seen all the slides:

“Trends in fundraising.”

“Best practices for financial growth.”

“Top tips to build your donor base.”

But here’s the thing: most of that stuff comes from fear. Fear of not having enough. Fear of falling behind. Fear of missing out. And we’re not walking in fear. We’re walking in faith.

The garden has taught us that real growth doesn’t come through pushing. It comes through patience. Through rhythms. Through rest. Fruit doesn’t show up because we demand it. It shows up when the roots are deep and the soil is healthy.

So we don’t chase trends. We care for what we’ve been given. We show up. We till the ground. We water what’s there. We wait for God to bring the increase. And when He does, it doesn’t just grow. It multiplies.

When we’re aligned—when our heart and hands are moving with God—He provides. It doesn’t always look the way we expect. But it’s always enough for the next step.

We’re not passive. We just refuse to strive. We stay near the ground. We listen. We let things unfold at the right time. And we trust that if He gave us the seed, He’s already made the soil ready.

That’s how we’ve built this.

Not through job boards or five-year plans.

But like a seed in the dirt.

The people are already here. Not out there waiting to be found. They’ve been walking past the garden. Some have already put their hands in the soil. Some don’t even know yet that they’re part of what’s coming. But God does. And when the time is right, their assignment will rise.

We’re not trying to convince people to join us. We’re watching for who God already sent.

We know this might sound strange in the nonprofit world. Most folks are moving fast. Building polished brands. Making everything look sharp. But underneath it all, a lot of people are tired. Wondering if there’s another way. Wanting something real.

We’ve felt that too.

And we’re done performing.

We’re not building something flashy. We’re trying to stay faithful. And if that means moving slower than the world wants us to, we’re okay with that.

If you feel that too—if you’re tired of the grind and the pressure—we want you to know: you’re not alone.

It’s okay to slow down.

It’s okay to wait on God.

It’s okay to believe that He’s already planted the people you need, and that He’ll bring them forward at the right time.

You don’t have to push. You just have to stay rooted.

The fruit will come.

And when it does, it’ll taste like peace.

If that’s you—if you’re ready to walk in that way—we’d love to walk with you. No pressure. No performance. Just presence, obedience, and the kind of trust that makes room for something eternal to grow.

Let’s walk it out. Together.