Growing Deep Roots

We are now considered to be in an extreme drought. There are others in varying stages, but some have already reached the exceptional drought stage. Our area of Mississippi is now in the fifth driest August since 1895 with September stats about to be released. We did a little riding around this weekend to take a look at the pastures and noticed the extreme drought conditions and how they are taking a toll on the pastures.

We spoke with a lady in our community who is 91 on Sunday. She states she had never seen drought conditions like this. When the cattle walk across the pasture, they kick up a dust cloud. Most tractor work that needs to be done to prepare for winter pastures, can’t be done. The ground is too hard. The dust is debilitating. We need rain desperately.

We knew that it was really dry, and we knew that we were seeing trees dying not only on our property, but all around the area. These pictures from one of the pastures, really show the damage from the lack of rain.

You can see that the large oaks along the fence row have extremely long reaching roots. The dry circles reach out into the pastures from the trees, 20 to 30 yards out. The green grass is getting less green, but there is still a green hue. It is even more pronounced now that the trees have begun to drain the surrounding grass. These spots sweep out from the large oaks on the fence row with ever-growing brown circles, reaching further and further for needed moisture.

I saw this riding in the truck with husband and immediately I heard The Lord speak. I had to take pictures.

That’s you.

You are those oak trees. You are strong and you have deep, far reaching roots. Your beliefs aren’t shallow and neither is your faith. But you are in the dry place right now, the change of season, the desert place.

But that’s ok.

See, I’ve provided needed moisture for you. This time in life is growing you. Your roots are growing further and deeper reaching for that moisture, thirsty for more of Me. You are surrounded by Me. You are surrounded by men and women of God who are not in the dry place and they have life giving water to share.

It drains them to give to you, but I am the well that never runs dry. As long as you, and they, are tapped into me, you won’t run out of water. It only seems like that for a short time. But don’t worry. I am your God and I will supply all of your needs.

I am sending rain. Rain is coming.

So friend, maybe you are like me and you have felt like your strength is gone. Maybe you feel so dry you could just crumble and just don’t think you can sustain another day. Take hope. He is growing you. He is growing us. In dry seasons, there is purpose. He is causing your roots to grow and spread. He is sustaining you through your circle of friends, His Word and Himself.

Let your roots grow. Stretch out for the living water. Do more to get what you need. Don’t give up or become stagnant in this season.

I hear the Word of the Lord, through the prophet Elijah, “I hear the sound of the abundance of rain!” I have seen the cloud in the distance. It may be small and it may seem far away, but it is there and RAIN IS ON THE WAY!