This January, I’ve been slow to transition into the new year—slow to evaluate 2019 and set goals for 2020. That’s okay. I’m allowing myself time to wrap up some loose ends from last year, and let ideas about the future percolate a little longer than normal before announcing them to the world.
The whole concept of announcing goals has been running around my head too. On one hand, yay for some sense of accountability! On the other… sometimes we do more announcing and less doing. So for my part, I’m still thinking, praying, dreaming, and I might share what floats to the surface in a week or two.
Another thing is that I usually don’t pick a word for the year. But for the last year or two, the word with has been strongly impressed upon my heart and became an expression of a lifeline I found in Christ during a time of overwhelming pressure.
With is still very dear to me. But lately, another word has also whispered itself in my ear.
ROOTED.
I’m on a constant quest for improvement. Maybe it’s the Enneagram Type One in me. But a healthy desire for goodness and rightness can become an unhealthy inner critic spouting self-condemnation and constant correction. As I mulled over where to set my intentions this year, I shuffled through several words to use as guideposts. Too many of them reminded me of all the small and stunted areas of my life that I’ve been wanting to improve. These words, while good in and of themselves, reminded me of where I’m falling short.
Then I read a familiar passage in the book of Ephesians, and something jumped out at me.
16that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:16-19, NKJV
Rooted and grounded in love.
I love trees. I love their bigness and beauty, their variety, their longevity. I love watching tiny puckers of green appear in spring, unfurl into canopies of leaves in summer, change color in autumn, and drift away in winter to leave bare, frosted branches behind. I love the symbolism in trees.
Grounding myself in God’s love for me—focusing on deepening my roots, on identity over doing—that is exactly what I need right now. That’s what I need always.
The thing about roots is that their growth is underground. You can’t see it happening, at least not directly. But given time, a tree that establishes its roots in good soil will become healthier and stronger above ground too.
I want to do the underground work this year. I want to prioritize that which feeds and grows me from within. I want to continue relinquishing control of what isn’t mine. I want to count my fruit less and deepen my roots more. I want to enter a new season of understanding and experiencing how much God loves me.
This passage reminded me of another in Jeremiah, one with a stunning contrast between two kinds of trees.
5This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
who rely on human strength
and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
in an uninhabited salty land.7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
Jeremiah 17:5-8, NLT
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
I’ve been both trees before. I’ve been the stunted desert shrub, clinging for dear life to ground that does nothing to nourish me. But I know what happens when I am planted along the river of Christ’s love. It doesn’t matter how much pressure hits or if rain is scarce. I’m connected to the source of life, and so I will produce in every season. There is no winter in the heart that is rooted in Jesus. There is no need to withdraw for fear of lack or frost or drought. Instead, there is an endless supply of peace—joy—growing goodness.
I don’t know how you feel about New Year’s with its resolutions and announcements. I don’t know if you like to pick a new word or if you’re feeling discouraged about the goals you didn’t hit last year.
“There is no winter in the heart that is rooted in Jesus.” AMEN. YES. *APPLAUSE*
Goodness gracious, I loved this soooooo much! “Rooted” is an absolutely beautiful word to live by this year. It sounds like we’re both having much of the same thoughts and goals right now! I, too, struggle to enjoy the season I’m in. I’m constantly trying to improve and think of the future, and then I let my present pass right by. We should absolutely be growing where we ARE. Enjoying the moments. Being content right where God puts us.
This was such a lovely post and a wonderful reminder! Thank you for sharing your heart with us!
Thank you so much, Christine! I so hear you on the struggle to be present. Planning for the future is great, but not when it costs us the joy of right NOW. You said it so well! Here’s to a year of being planted in the present. <3
Thanks for sharing! You’re a fantastic writer. I’ve definitely felt the struggle between the public proclamation of my goals vs. actual productivity. What’s your full Enneagram? I’m a 5w4 and an INTP on the Meyers Briggs, so I have a tendency to overthink and get lost in my own exploration of ideas.
Thanks for stopping by, Dirk! That’s kind of you. I’m a 1w2 and an INFJ, so overthinking is an old nemesis of mine too, haha!
Just last Sunday we were reading that Ephesians passage! I love Ephesians.
Rooted is a good word. I associate it with trust, which is something I’d like to grow in this year.
What felicitous timing! Ephesians is such a power-packed book. I could camp out on just a couple verses at a time.
Trust, yes! It seems I’m always relearning and needing to grow in that one myself. I hope this year is a kind teacher in that regard. 🙂
I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions and such because I want to live every day fully, making daily goals that work toward my big picture dreams. Sometimes I have weekly and monthly goals, but that’s it. I still like to reflect over the previous year and dream of the new one. I love all you have to say here about being rooted. It’s something I’ve been thinking about, too, except more along the lines that we talk about being a baby and needing milk, then an adult and needing meat (or substance) but that doesn’t mean we still don’t need the basics (roots and water).
Happy new year, Tracey!
MB: keturahskorner.blogspot.com
PB: thegirlwhodoesntexist.com
That sounds smart. I don’t like “resolutions” so much either, but I do like to shoot for some big goals and then break them down monthly and weekly like you do.
Oh, great angle! Just because one has matured, doesn’t mean the basics are no longer necessary.
Happy new year to you as well! <3
This is so beautiful and actually so similar to what I’ve been thinking lately! I’ve been paying so much attention to aspects in my life that I want to change and grow, and neglecting the most important part of my life– my relationship with God. And this year I want my primary focus to be the improvement of that relationship, because I know that will fulfill and further my life than any amount of focus on all the other things will. Wonderful post, Tracey. 🙂
theonesthatreallymatter.blogspot.com
Brain-twins! 🙂 It’s so easy to get that most important thing out of focus. “Seeking first the kingdom” is something I come back to again and again. It’s incredibly simple, but I need to remind myself daily, because I have a way of unnecessarily complicating and cluttering things! I hope you find so much fulfillment as you pursue that goal this year, Emily! <3
I think this is a wonderful choice for a word. I’d like to choose one for this year but I haven’t totally assessed what I want out of 2020 if that makes sense. I’ve made a lot of goals but they’ve been external and not internal.
Thanks, Tori! That totally makes sense. It’s where I’ve been mentally since January started… and I’m just now slowly piecing together what I want out of 2020. There’s no rush! 🙂
This is such a beautiful word for the year. Such truth in it. I hope that as 2020 goes by, you do find yourself deeply rooted in God’s love for you because that is where our true hope and strength lies.
Thank you SO much, Sarah. That means a lot. <3 I hope the same for you!
I love your word, and I love that passage in Ephesians! My word of the year is earnest: I really want to live in the moment more and pursue everything earnestly, rather than half-heartedly and poorly.
Have a wonderful 2020, rooted in the one on whom everything else comes from!
Earnest is such a good one! I love that it has a slightly different shade of meaning than “intentional.” (Which is still a great word, but maybe overused.) I hope it deepens everything you set your hand to this year.
YES–same to you! <3
Beautiful! I needed this!
<3
*hugs* Thank you, Skye!!
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