I have made many mistakes in my life while being away from God, from the small barely noticeable ones, which seemed easy to fix, to the earth-shattering, knee-bending ones that I couldn't crawl out of without help. Today, I know that a strong relationship with God takes time and effort.
Faith isn't stagnant. Faith involves active participation. Like a seed develops its roots beneath the soil, our faith grows deeper as we take our time getting to know God intimately through His Word. The more we understand and see His faithfulness throughout the Bible, the more we will love Him. In being faithful to my relationship with God, I found myself anchored in place by deep roots, and every gardener knows deep, strong roots are hard to uproot.
These devotions were written to share my I-finally-get-it moments when God would teach me through my work, my relationships, and my daily activities. It didn't matter whether I was gardening, traveling, or cooking. God used these moments to open my eyes to certain truths. On a roller coaster, where only death was expected, faith was finally understood. While chasing a storm, I understood a reason for trials. As I wrote, I prayed for the readers, and I longed that they, too, would draw closer to God, and I hope that you will be one of them.