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Rooted and Repotted: What God Taught Me Through My Plants
A devotional love letter to the plant moms who talk to their pothos
Some people collect mugs.
Some collect throw pillows.
I collect houseplants.
How many do I have?
Enough that I no longer answer honestly. Enough that my husband will walk into a room, pause, and say something like, “Was that plant… here yesterday?” Enough that I’ve said the sentence, “No, I didn’t buy it, someone gave me a cutting,” which is plant-mom code for I absolutely acquired another plant.
And yet—despite the dirt under my nails, the leaves I’ve accidentally killed, and the ever-growing jungle in my house—God has used these plant babies to gently teach me more about Himself than I ever expected.
Gardening (and plant parenting) turns out to be deeply spiritual. Who knew?
Here’s what God has shown me over the years of following Him… one leaf, root, and repotting at a time.
1. Sunlight: Where You’re Planted Matters
Every plant mom knows this truth: placement is everything.
“This one needs bright indirect light.”
“That one will burn if I put it there.”
“This one is dramatic and will absolutely let me know if it’s unhappy.”
Plants don’t thrive just anywhere. They thrive where they’re meant to be.
And wow—doesn’t that preach?
God has been gently reminding me that where He places us matters, too. Some seasons feel bright and sunny. Others feel like partial shade. But every placement is intentional.
“The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.”
—Genesis 2:15
Just like plants need the sun, we need the Son. When we lean toward Him—soaking in His presence, His Word, His truth—we grow healthier, steadier, stronger.
If a plant starts stretching desperately toward the light, it’s called leggy.
When I do that spiritually? Same problem.
2. Watering: Too Much, Too Little, and the Living Water
Watering plants is an art, not a science.
Too much? Root rot.
Too little? Crispy sadness.
Just right? Growth.
I’ve learned this the hard way. Over-loving a plant can kill it just as quickly as neglect.
Spiritually, God has shown me that He is the only water that truly sustains.
“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”
—John 4:14
I can try to hydrate my soul with busyness, productivity, scrolling, or approval—but it never lasts. Only the Living Water brings real life.
And sometimes God gently pulls back the watering can—not to punish, but to strengthen roots.
3. The Right Potting Mix: Roots Need Support
Good plants need good soil.
Not just dirt—but a balanced mix: nutrients, drainage, structure. Something strong enough to hold roots, but loose enough to let them grow.
Faith is the same way.
We need the right environment to take root:
– the Church
– wise pastors and teachers
– Christian community
– sound biblical teaching
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him.”
—Colossians 2:6–7
When roots are healthy, growth is steady. When roots are unsupported, everything suffers.
God never meant us to grow alone in a windowsill with no soil.
4. Pruning: Cutting Back to Grow Forward
Pruning hurts.
Ask any plant mom who has stared at perfectly good leaves and said, “I’m so sorry,” before snipping.
But pruning isn’t punishment—it’s purposeful.
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
—John 15:2
God has pruned habits, relationships, expectations, and even dreams in my life. Things that weren’t healthy anymore. Things that were draining life instead of producing it.
It never feels good in the moment—but pruning always leads to new growth.
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5. Repotting: When You’ve Outgrown Your Space
Root-bound plants look fine… until they don’t.
They stop growing. They dry out faster. They struggle—because they’ve outgrown the container they’re in.
Repotting is messy. Dirt everywhere. Roots exposed. Temporary shock.
But necessary.
Spiritually, God has moved me when I got too comfortable. He’s stretched me into new seasons, new callings, new obedience.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!”
—Isaiah 43:18–19
Sometimes growth requires a bigger pot.
6. Propagating: Growth Was Never Meant to Stop With You
Propagation is one of the most magical things in plant parenting.
You snip a piece.
You place it in water.
Roots appear where none existed before.
One plant becomes many.
This is discipleship.
“Go and make disciples of all nations.”
—Matthew 28:19
What God grows in us isn’t meant to end with us. Faith multiplies when it’s shared—through conversations, hospitality, teaching, encouragement, and quiet example.
Healthy plants produce more plants.
Healthy faith produces more faith.
7. Family: Different Plants, Same Creator
Plants have families. Scientific ones.
You’ll hear words like genus, species, order, family—and suddenly realize not all plants thrive the same way.
Some like humidity.
Some hate it.
Some need constant attention.
Some thrive on neglect (rude, but okay).
God reminded me that His family works the same way.
“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
—Romans 12:5
We’re different by design. Different personalities. Different gifts. Different growth patterns.
And yet—one family. One Gardener.
A Little Dirt, A Lot of Grace
Gardening has taught me that growth is slow. Messy. Seasonal.
Sometimes you’re thriving.
Sometimes you’re just surviving.
Sometimes you’re staring at a plant wondering if it’s dead or just resting.
God is patient in every season.
That’s why I wrote Seasons of Growth: A 92-Day Devotional for Spring—a place where faith meets dirt-under-your-nails living. It’s filled with what God has taught me through gardening, messy moments of life, and the slow, steady spiritual growth I’ve experienced since finding Jesus.
If you’re a plant mom, a faith grower, or just someone trying to keep both your houseplants and your heart alive—you’re not alone.
God is still tending the garden.
And He’s really, really good at growing things.
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