The Incubation Deck

I’ve written a number of articles about the Seed Principle, about how it is a foundational and universal law that affects each of us, whether we know it or not. In essence, the concept is that the seeds we plant in our own heart set our internal belief system. From that belief system we then reap a life experience (the fruit of the seeds planted). Jesus (in the parable of the sower) said “words” are seeds. I’ve also written that thoughts are seeds.

It is with this last statement in mind that I’m writing this article.

I’ve related elsewhere in this blog that some changes in my life were brought about quickly and with relatively little effort. Then there are areas I’ve overcome with great effort… much of it trial and error, sometimes over a period of years.

When I drove a lot I would listen to certain Bible teachings over an over again on cassette tape. (Now I use CD’s, or an iPod.) The basic concept was that as I heard the teaching over an over, those truths would sink in and begin to come back out of my heart on their own accord, producing change in my life.

I don’t drive much any more, though, so I had to find something else. I discovered this one when I was working through certain changes in my belief systems during a time when I commuted to work on buses and subways. I use it now to enhance my meditation time and to make good use of time when I’m waiting in an airport, or in line at the grocery store.

I call it the Incubation Deck

It’s simply a number of 3×5 Index cards on which I’ve written quotes, thoughts, scriptures and ideas. The content found on those cards relate specifically to areas in which I’m looking for change in my life, or areas where I’m seeking God for answers, or topics of prayer. By using Index cards (instead of a notebook) I’m able to rearrange their order, add new cards, or subtract ones I don’t find useful any more.

I call it an incubation deck because I expect the Holy Spirit to help me brood over the thoughts and concepts. In Genesis 1:2 we see that the world was in chaos, but “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”… waiting for the Word of God to come. The Hebrew word translated as ‘moved” provides a sense of “brooding”, or ‘hovering” like a hen on her eggs. It was an incubation process. Out of that incubation period came a great change.

You could call it a Seed Pack, though, and you’d be right on target, because thoughts and words are seeds. As you meditate on the thoughts and words contained on the Index cards you are actually planting and cultivating seeds in the garden of your heart. The fruit of your efforts in intentional planting will be an intended harvest in your life experience.

The Cards

Much of my current deck is intended to help open my eyes to see new possibilities.

Here’s a Quote:

Accomplishing the impossible is all about seeing the invisible. – Stephen Furtick

A short paragraph:

Through God, INFINITE resources are within my reach. I am NOT restricted as to material cost!

Here’s a statement (based on a Bible Verse):

There is nothing you can conceive that is not possible. – Ephesians 3:20

Another statement:

It’s much more about who you are than about what you can do.

That card makes me consider who I am “in Christ”… as a child of God… and the possibilities residing on the inside of me because of that connection to Him.

Sometimes I’ve used only one word on a card… like:

Wealth

That one, simple word causes me to examine the emotions, fears and doubts that rise up at the thought of that word. Those thoughts might be of hopelessness, or jealousy, or judgment. Once I locate my REAL thoughts about wealth, I can better home in on the belief systems that might keep me from experiencing what I really would like to experience.

The Deck

I used to use a thick rubber band to hold the cards together. I would take the band off to go through the cards, then band them back together when it was time to move on. I found that the rubber bands wore out easily, though… breaking and often leaving me with a loose deck of cards.

I now use a binder clip to hold them together. With the binder clip in place I can stick the deck of cards in my hip pocket for easy access.

The Process

It’s simple, really. I just go through the cards one by one. I purpose to spend at least a little time on each one, considering what that particular truth means to me. I might also imagine the end result of a changed belief system, enabling me to experience a far greater capacity because of my meditations.

Many times I will receive an idea. That’s when having a pen comes in handy, because I’ll either create a new card, or write a note on the card that inspired the idea.

(I usually write on only one side of the card. That makes it easier to go through the deck without wasted motion.)

I’ve had times when I spent an entire commute on just one card. I don’t hurry through them… taking time to really allow the thoughts and accompanying emotions to come is part of the journey toward effective change. Often I will spend time in prayer over a card, asking God to open my heart to fully understand and grasp its meaning and possibilities.

When it’s time to move on, I just clip the cards together (where I left off) and move on with my day.

Keeping Old Cards

When I find a card has lost its effectiveness, or I’ve moved to a new plateu, I’ll remove the card from the deck. I do NOT throw the card away, unless I’ve changed my mind about the card’s validity. Instead, I store the old cards. Periodically I’ll go through those stored cards, and sometimes I’ll take one of them and insert it back into my Incubation Deck.

Do It

This is an inexpensive and simple tool. 500 index cards, a binder clip and a pen are all it takes to get started. It’ll cost you less than $5.00 toward a changed future.