Uprooted - The Crosswalk Devotional - August 25
Uprooted
By Megan J. Conner
Bible Reading:
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Eph. 3:14-19 (NKJV)
Recently, my small rural community in southern Kentucky was hit by a tornado. While there is much to be grateful for, as the collateral damage could have been MUCH worse, we are still devastated. Lives perished, businesses and homes were destroyed, livelihoods and tangible remembrances were swept away. We live in the lower hills of the Appalachian Mountains, an area typically immune to such tragedies, as there is not enough flat land for these vicious cyclones to gain momentum or remain active. The last time a tornado caused any measure of significant damage here was in 1974. However, on May 16, 2025, nature defied the odds and ravaged our town and the neighboring community east of us.
Our family home and business survived the tragedy, but not without damage. In particular, our back deck, fence, and wooded land were greatly impacted. Our home sits at the top of a hill, overlooking our own personal forest. I LOVE my trees! It is the main reason we bought our house. Our property is filled with skyscraping beech, oak, and ash trees. Our second story literally sits level with the trees, making it feel like we live in a real-life treehouse. It is just stunning. A dream come true for this former westerner used to brown dirt and dry land. Our woods are fairly dense and give off a sense of grandeur, of ancestry. It is likely these trees were here well before the Civil War.
Our forest appeared immovable and unshakeable. Until… an unimaginable force came through and literally unearthed several entire trees from their deep, substantial roots. We lost six trees during the tornado. Not a single one broke. All six trees were completely uprooted in their entirety and displaced from the land that once gave them life. Due to their massive size, there was nothing left to do but have them all chopped up for firewood and removed. They could not be restored.
As I stood there looking down upon one of these massive trees with giant clods of dirt still clinging to its deep-seated base, I could not help but notice the symbolism between the natural and the spiritual. How do we stay rooted in Christ, immovable and unshakeable in the storms of life? In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul encourages the believers to draw their strength from Christ. It is through the Holy Spirit within that they can withstand severe tempests. And at the root of it all, anchoring them in the Lord is LOVE. To know the love of Christ and the fullness thereof is to form an unbreakable, immutable bond with God; a root system that is so deeply entrenched, nothing in this world can uproot it.
Wherever you find yourself today, whatever dark clouds hover nearby, I pray you would be “…rooted and grounded in love, (that you) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19, NKJV).
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Do you feel deeply rooted in your faith? If so, what do you consider your anchor? Is it a specific belief or tradition? Or are you able to truly say that you are rooted and grounded in the love of Christ? If that is not your first or most confident answer, may I encourage you to spend some time in the Word of God? Using a concordance, reference Bible, or a simple internet search, look up scripture passages that specifically speak to the love of God. Write down a few key verses that resonate with you and commit to reading or reciting them at least two to three times per week (daily if you can). Over time, you will notice your roots digging in deeper and the fruit of your faith flourishing.
Further Reading:
Rom. 5:8
John 15:9-17
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/HiddenCatch
To read more from Megan, check out her Blog, Just One More Chapter. If you would like to connect further with Megan, you can discover more on her Website, on Facebook, or Instagram.
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Related Resource: Relapse, Trauma, and the Power of Community
Caroline Beidler still vividly remembers cracking open her first beer under a big oak tree. She was 11. In this episode of Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic, host Jon Seidl sits down with Beidler—managing editor of recovery.com, author, and addiction recovery advocate—to explore her powerful story of childhood trauma, early addiction, spiritual awakening, relapse, and ultimate restoration through faith and community. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, share this podcast or follow Confessions of a Christian Alcoholic on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
