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“Habit 7: Seed the Clouds”

On November 13, 1946, a plane took off from the Schenectady County Airport with a rather unique payload—six pounds of dry ice. Its mission? To seed the clouds with solidified carbon dioxide in hopes of creating enough condensation to cause precipitation.

Upon takeoff, Vincent Schaefer flew his single-propeller plane into a cumulus cloud and dumped the dry ice. Eyewitnesses on the ground said that the cloud seemed to explode. The subsequent snowfall was visible for forty miles. The GE Monogram had a little fun with Schaefer’s breakthrough: “Schaefer made it snow this afternoon over Pittsfield! Next week he walks on water.”

The science of seeding clouds may be a modern-day marvel, but the idea is as old as the prophet Elijah. After a famine that lasted three and a half years, Elijah seeded the clouds with a brave prayer. 

Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, bowed low to the ground, and prayed with his face between his knees.

There are lots of ways to seed the clouds. Humility catalyzes God’s favor. Generosity activates reciprocity. And old-fashioned obedience sets the table for unborn tomorrows. You can seed the clouds in many different ways, but none are more powerful than prayer! 

When was the last time you found yourself doubled over in prayer? The posture that Elijah assumes indicates profound humility and extreme intensity. He’s not just praying; he’s believing  God for a miracle. I have no issue with short blessings before meals. Why? I believe in eating food while it’s hot. That said, there are moments when you need to press in and pray through. You need to seed the clouds with contending prayer. 

In our quest to win the day, we have buried dead yesterdays and imagined unborn tomorrows. We’ve explored six habits—flip the script, kiss the wave, eat the frog, fly the kite, cut the rope, and wind the clock. There is one more habit we must put into practice if we want to stress less and accomplish more. You have to seed the clouds. How? By taking proactive measures today that will produce desired outcomes tomorrow. Simply put, sow today what you want to see tomorrow! Identify the daily rituals that have the highest return on investment and the daily habits that are high leverage points, then prioritize them. Right at the top of the list? Don’t underestimate the power of a single brave prayer! 

It’s time to seed the clouds! 

Think on this: Sow today what you want to see tomorrow.

We hope this Plan encouraged you. Learn More about WIN THE DAY by Mark Batterson here.