Planted and Present: A Game Plan for Growing Deep Roots

Lately, I’ve been looking at the trees towering over our house, shading our front lawn, and providing a boundary around the back lawn. What an audacious trust to permit something so tall and heavy to coexist so closely with our home! A strong wind coupled with a heavy load of snow could bring the tree (or at least some of its thick branches) down on our roof with catastrophic results!

The trees continue to stand because of their strong, extensive root systems—and we continue to allow them to stand because we are placing our faith in those roots. Psalm 1 uses the image of a rooted tree to describe the following life:

He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.”
Psalm 1:3)

Sturdy roots enable abundant fruit and vibrant leaves. For the believer, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual rootedness will also produce fruit and evidence of a vibrant life. I’m ruminating in 2026 on my need to stay rooted in the present.

Obviously, we must learn from our past mistakes and misjudgments. We must plan for the future and make provision for it. But we can’t make our home in the past or the future. When I fix my mind and heart on what’s right in front of me, my energy is focused on the here and now—the person or the place or the situation or the blessing of the present moment. From this grounded and organic stance, I can make meaningful changes, offer substantive assistance, and build deep connections.

Sadly, there are ten thousand escape hatches that will accommodate my tendency to dodge what’s right in front of me. There’s an online world being graciously curated for my enjoyment, and an endlessly entertaining library of articles and videos on every imaginable topic. There’s work. I can throw myself into the mastery of the daily list or, even better, I can spread myself so thin that I don’t have the bandwidth to plow deep in any area of life.

However, if I want to live well and love well, I will acknowledge that distraction keeps me anxious. Focusing too intently on the future perpetuates fear, and dwelling on the past is a shortcut to regret.

Psalm 1 sketches a game plan for growing deep roots. I need to remember that, in Christ, I am planted. And if I remain planted where my roots can drink deeply from the Living Water of God’s Word, I can expect to grow, to be fruitful, and to produce all the signs of life that will enable me to prosper as I offer comforting shade for my people.

Obviously, we must learn from our past mistakes. We must make provision for the future. But we can’t make our home there. In the #present, we can make meaningful changes, offer substantive assistance, and build deep connections

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Holding You in the Light,

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Now on the Bible App!

Grief comes to everyone sooner or later, and whether it’s the death of a loved one or the loss of some cherished aspect of our life or identity, God’s Word is crucial for grieving well. Past hurts have a habit of snagging our hearts in unexpected moments, but God provides abundant grace to help the believer move through grief without getting stuck and without wasting the opportunity to walk more closely with the Lord who lightens our darkness.

As you know, I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and it’s my goal to help you along that path. At Living Our Days, I provide biblical content and resources to encourage biblical literacy and faithful living, and now I’m sharing devotional content on the YouVersion app. Visit my profile page to get free access to all the reading plans!

Photo by Arnaud Mesureur on Unsplash