Roots: Out with the Old in with the New

My life was so different decades ago. I have to laugh. Although not laughable then, in my teens and even in my 20s I worried about how many calories I ate and how many calories I expended. In my 30s, I worried about if my kids were doomed because of my awful parenting (#tryingtobeperfect). Now, in my 40s I worry less, pray more, and feel grateful to have an abundant life with a loving and kind hubby and 3 beautiful kids (1 newly adopted). Don’t get me wrong, I still worry, but through the decades I am also grateful that my roots have grown deeper in faith.

If you were looking for a blog on food or fitness, this won’t be it. However, my prayer is that you see the relevance in understanding the power of our roots. Our 9-year-old adopted daughter came home from China about a month ago. She is sweet, spicy, and a complete miracle. She also loves to garden mostly pulling out deeply rooted weeds. 

As we Google Translated the definition of a root and how to pull them out, so the plant would not grow back, it was as if she went into overdrive trying to get to the bottom of the root. By the end of the experience, she had beautifully pulled out 30 thistle plants. (You know those weeds that cause you to say “ouch” when you step on them?)  I do believe it was therapeutic for her. It was as if she was pulling out some of her own hurtful roots.

On top of that, it was the first time in years that our front yard did not look like a big sticker bush.  We had never taken the time to pull the thistle roots out. We had just pruned them back only to watch them grow back year after year. 

Our son has now joined the gardening fun and pulled many weeds out of the rose bushes. And wouldn’t you believe it – for the first time in years, we have the biggest rose blooms.  It takes some hard work and some protective gloves to get those weeds out, but once they are gone or at least tended to, beauty abounds. 

It is the same when we are rooted in Christ. Colossians 2: 6-7 states,

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 

What about you? What are your roots connected to? A hard childhood, abuse, absent parents, a failed marriage, deep secrets, emotional eating, an eating disorder? Have you taken time to really dig up these roots and regrow new ones? 

Take a few moments right now to think about the “stickers” in your life.  And pray this prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, you know every single good and bad root in our lives. Help us to connect to your living water through roots that are only grounded and built up through you. Remove the strongholds that are rooted in shame and guilt so that we may live an abundant life for your glory.

Amen