Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Roots! Anchor! Rock!

Hello Everyone!

Roots! Anchor! Rock! These words have been popping up everywhere since my post last week entitled, "A Journey Through the Desert." I mentioned that I was "walking" through a desert of sorts, and was thirsting for a spiritual refreshing because I was finding it difficult to focus and even though I know that God is right here beside me, I am finding it difficult to "feel" Him. Many of you have told me that I am not alone in that "desert" because you, too, are walking in it.

I told one of my bloggin' buddies that I needed to find a good Bible study book, ladies retreat, or some project to focus on that would be a source of spiritual refreshment. Friday afternoon, I stopped at a local Christian bookstore to find a good book. This particular bookstore is really small and doesn't have a large selection to choose from. I looked over the books on the shelves but none really "jumped" out at me. I settled on one entitled, A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. I am not familiar with her, but the description of the book on the back seemed very interesting. The description contained these words: "Genuine peace and joy comes when women follow God in every area of their lives - and become women after His heart." This statement peaked my interest, so I bought the book.


The book lay on my nightstand Friday night, Saturday and Sunday without being opened. For some reason, I just could not bring myself to open it. Sunday after church, Mr. Plant Lady, my dad, and I went to a seafood restaurant along with my sister and her family to celebrate our birthdays (She and I both have birthdays in July). My niece and her son brought pictures from a recent trip they took to see relatives in Pennsylvania. The usual kinds of photos - my nephew in the pool, the Crayola Crayon Museum (I didn't know there was such a place), and the usual scenery one takes pictures of on a trip. Then came the unusual - the photo of a tree growing on a ROCK! They say a picture is worth a thousand words so here is 3000!



Have you every seen such? How does it do that? It looks like it's been there quite some time. A fellow I know who works with the US Forest Service could look at this picture and tell the approximate age of the tree. It has survived many storms! Its roots are anchored pretty well, don't you think?


We had a great lunch and after the "Happy Birthday" songs had been sung, we came home hoping to take a "Sunday afternoon" nap. I just love those, don't you? As I lay down, I glanced at the book on the nightstand. "Maybe tonight after church, I can start on the book," I thought.


The Sunday evening service was a praise and thanksgiving service. God has done great things in our church! He had been faithful in providing the funds for us to pay off a $75,000 note on our Family Life Center in a matter of 10 months -rather than the 10 years the note called for!
To God Be The Glory! It was done by the "widow's mite" because we had very few who were able to give large sums of money. I can remember the whole church uniting in prayer around the altar when we decided to borrow the money to finish the inside. We had "paid as we go" for the main construction but were unable to occupy the building unless it was finished and we were needing the space for many of the church activities that we had started. The Lord Provides!


Returning home from the wonderful service, I was tired and I crawled into bed and picked up the book on the nightstand. I began reading. When I reached Chapter 2 entitled "A Heart Abiding in God's Word," I read these words: "We must nurture a root system!" Later in the chapter, these words: "Roots are unseen - your spiritual roots are underground, invisible to others." A few paragraphs later, "Roots are for taking in," then "Roots are for storage," and finally "Roots are for support." WOW! I understand!


The purchase of the book - only because it was there at the bookstore, not because I thought it would be that good (I guess I'm saying I just bought it to be buying it, if you understand my meaning), the photographs that spoke for themselves and then the content of the book that I (or God) had postponed me reading until I saw those pictures and then received the message about the roots "anchored" in the ROCK. He was preparing me for a message! I can now "hear" Him again! He is leading me out of the desert and I can feel His presence again! Tears of Joy are falling right now.


He wants me to spread my ROOTS and ANCHOR in the ROCK! The SOLID ROCK! My roots are for taking in, storing, and support. My prayer is that I withstand the storms as well as this tree that is anchored in the rock, and that I find nourishment in HIM.


Be Encouraged!

Plant Lady


"He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." - Jeremiah 17:8 (NIV)

13 comments:

Lynn - JnL4God said...

Hi Plant Lady,
What an absolutly awesome post.I really see God working through that in His timing. Wow. He always knows what we need when we need it. Probably hard to put the book down now, huh? Have a great day soaking God in.
Loves,
Lynn

Mar said...

Good Morning!

Yes, yes, yes. Isn't it wonderful when God speaks and answers in such a powerful way? He uses the ordinary things to get our attention and begin a "message" to us. There have been times when I thought I was selecting a particular book and it turned out to be "straight from the Father to me." Wonder why it is that we ask the Lord to lead us in everything and then we are shocked when He does?

I'm so glad He has brought you out of that desert and given you a gentle push into a waterfall of refreshing. And you HAVE to know how encouraging that is to the rest of us.

In the One who loves us,
Mar

Sharon said...

Awesome, Praise the Lord, sometimes when we don't hear him like we should he shows us in other ways. It sounds like a great book, you will have to tell us more about it.
I have seen trees growing out of rocks, but that one is really cool.
It sure has some age in it.

Thank you for sharing that
God Bless
Sharon

Kim said...

God truly used you to speak to me this am!! That is a tremendous book---I agree whole-hearted about the roots!!
Love and prayers,
Kim

From the Heart said...

What an awesome revelation. The verse in Jeremiah really speaks to me as well as the tree growing in the rock. That tells me that when we are rooted and grounded in the "Rock" (Jesus) no matter what storms of life may come we will still be standing when it's over. That has happened to me so many times and I never really looked at those times like your post shows me. Praise God for using you to not only bring you out of the desert but showing others that we can face any thing life throws at us.
Be Blessed,
AliceE.

Dorothy Bowen Klass said...

What a great illustraton! Thanks for the encouragement.

Paula V said...

What a great analogy, photo, and reading. That is just so good that you had those photos and then the book talking about being rooted on the rock. Amen.

debrah said...

Hi Plant Lady:
What an encouraging post! I also have found myself in a dialog with our Lord where I can hear Him say why are you always surprised when I speak to you? God is so good!!! I have heard of Elizabeth George but have not read any of her books...I will see if I can find this book or others written by her at my library. For me this has been a season of reading...something that been a passion of mine but for whatever reason it has been awhile since I had just read for pleasure.
Be Blessed,
In His Love

debrah said...

thank you for your encouraging words and thank you for sending me to dancin wallflower blog...it was a right word at the right time...I so much agree God is awesome!
Be Blessed,
In His Love,
Debrah

Shirley Mary said...

My mind has been on Hope for sometime and then to see your post about Roots!Anchor!Rock! there is a scripture in Timothy 4:10 and Hebrews 6:19 that ties these two thoughts together:

We have put our HOPE in the living God, who is the Savior of all men.
We have this HOPE as an ANCHOR for the soul, firm and secure.

Reading about the book that "jumped" out at you is a reminder of how God shows us things along the way at just the right time. It is always a thrill when these things happen.

I rejoice with you in your church paying of the 75,000 note and I think "praying around the altar"
or praying in one accord is the real key for whatever needs our church may have.

mary

Dorothy Bowen Klass said...

Hi, Plant Lady,
I have finally posted the "Six Random Things". Sorry it took me so long but I couldn't seem to find the time to do it this week!!!!

Hope you and Mr. Plant are well. We miss you!!!

Come see us!!

Lynn - JnL4God said...

Hi my Friend,
Thanks for stopping by the study. Always glad to hear from you.
Talk to you later this week.
Loves,
Lynn

Technonana said...

Our Amazing God... you chose the right book...was that just by happenstance?? No!! God was directing you,even then... He tells us that when we seek Him and seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him...
This post reminds me of the week-end I had with Living Proof Simulcast.. and the teachings of Beth Moore over the week-end... being Rooted and Grounded!!!
May you find the PEACE you so desire in no one but The Father!!!
In Him,
Sharon