A familiar panic rose in me as my heart began to beat faster. As a "six-year-old" mom, this had become routine—reading about some new threat to children and families and then spinning in overwhelm as I contemplated how to navigate it. With flips that could rival an Olympic gymnast, my mind moved quickly from the absolute worst-case scenario to solutions requiring Herculean efforts. This time was different, however, because I didn’t stay in the overwhelm. I paused. I took a deep breath, literally, figuratively, all the “lys.” I was not without resources. I was not alone.
While I felt like I was the only one in all of human history to face some of the things we are facing today—the pace of life, technological advances, shifting culture—this wasn’t true. At our disposal is an entire history of faithful followers of Jesus, both in the Bible and in Church history, that we can look to for guidance as we traverse today’s terrain.
That’s when I realized how powerful it can be to be rooted in our faith. Not to just believe in a good God but to follow a good God in every area of our life. When we take time to look back at the “great cloud of witness” (Hebrews 12:1), we can move forward equipped with theology that answers the big questions of life. We do not have to respond in fear; we can respond thoughtfully with grace, humility, and in peace.
And that’s why I started Rooted & Refreshed. I want a place to slow down. A place where we can connect with God in our everyday moments. A place to be refreshed. A place to remind us of our deep roots in Jesus. So, welcome, my friend. My hope is that we are encouraged daily and that we can pause together to cultivate a rooted faith.