Author: Rooted & Raised

I’m a follower of Christ, learning daily to walk the narrow path laid out in His Word. Through Rooted & Raised: Anchoring Women & Children in Christ, I simply seek to point others back to Scripture, tested by the Holy Spirit, lived out in faith, and anchored in truth. ● This space isn’t about lofty theology or grand platforms. It’s about humble obedience, Kingdom living, and helping others, especially women and families, rediscover the kind of faith that bears fruit, costs something, and reflects the love of Christ. My heart is to encourage others as I learn, grow, and surrender alongside them. ● This space isn’t built on lofty theology or big platforms, it’s grounded in humble obedience, Kingdom living, and encouraging women and families to rediscover a faith that bears fruit, costs something, and reflects the love of Christ. ● I don’t have a budget for an editor, publisher, or team behind the scenes. Everything you see here is created prayerfully and paid for out of pocket, using the tools I can afford to help present a clear, polished message of truth and hope. ● If you're blessed by what you read and would like to contribute toward this work, you’re welcome to support via: 📲 Cash App: $RootedRaised
Kingdom Discipleship, Prayer

Endurance and the Blessed Hope

Rooted & Raised

Endurance Is Sustained by Hope

From the series: Will He Find Faith? — Prayer in the Last Days

Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version®.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Endurance, as Scripture defines it, is not mere survival. It is not stoicism, emotional toughness, or resignation. Biblical endurance is faithfulness sustained by hope—hope that is anchored not in circumstances, but in the promises of God.

Paul writes:

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
— Romans 8:25 (NKJV)

Without hope, endurance collapses into weariness.
With hope, endurance becomes purposeful.

Scripture Calls This Hope “Blessed”

The New Testament does not leave the believer’s hope undefined. Paul names it clearly:

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
— Titus 2:13 (NKJV)

This hope is not vague optimism.
It is the certain return of Christ.

The early Church endured suffering not because life was tolerable, but because Christ was coming again.

Hope Anchors the Soul When Justice Is Delayed

One of the greatest tests of endurance is not persecution alone, but the delay of visible justice. Scripture acknowledges this tension without dismissing it.

“How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge…?”
— Revelation 6:10 (NKJV)

God does not rebuke this cry.
He answers it—with timing, purpose, and promise.

Paul reminds believers:

“Do not avenge yourselves… ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
— Romans 12:19 (NKJV)

Hope rests in God’s righteous judgment, even when it is not immediate.

Endurance Is Fueled by Resurrection

Christian hope is inseparable from resurrection.

“If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NKJV)

But Christ is risen, and therefore:

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22 (NKJV)

This promise reframes suffering.
What is endured now is temporary; what is promised is eternal.

Hope Produces Purity and Perseverance

Scripture teaches that hope does not make believers passive. It refines them.

“And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
— 1 John 3:3 (NKJV)

Hope strengthens resolve:

  • to remain faithful
  • to guard the heart
  • to continue praying
  • to love without compromise

It keeps the believer oriented toward eternity rather than consumed by the present.

Endurance Has a Promised Outcome

Jesus Himself attached promises to endurance.

“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
— Matthew 24:13 (NKJV)

And again:

“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
— Revelation 2:10 (NKJV)

These promises are not rewards for strength, but for faithfulness.

Hope Keeps Love Alive

Hope is one of the safeguards against love growing cold. When believers lose sight of what is coming, discouragement takes hold. When hope remains, love endures.

Paul affirms:

“Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)

Hope sustains faith.
Faith protects love.

A Forward-Looking Faith

The believer’s posture is not despair, fear, or withdrawal—but expectation.

“Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
— Matthew 24:44 (NKJV)

Readiness is not speculation.
It is faithful living and persevering prayer.

Closing Prayer

Faithful God, fix our eyes on the hope set before us. When the road is difficult and justice seems delayed, remind us of Your promises. Strengthen us to endure with faith, to love with perseverance, and to wait with expectation for the return of Christ. Keep our hearts anchored in the hope that does not disappoint.
Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Women’s Devotional — Day 94

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Guides Me to Choose What Is Right”

📖 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”
 —Psalm 32:8 (NKJV)

Life presents choices every day—some quiet, some weighty, some that seem small, and others that shape the direction of an entire season. As a woman, you may feel the pressure of competing responsibilities, emotions, expectations, and opinions. And often the challenge is not knowing what you want, but discerning what is right. This is where the Holy Spirit becomes your faithful guide.

He does not merely offer advice—He forms discernment. The Holy Spirit helps you choose what is right by aligning your heart with God’s Word, sharpening your sensitivity to truth, alerting you when something is subtly off, calming emotional noise so wisdom can rise, reminding you of God’s character when fear tries to lead, strengthening you to choose obedience over ease, giving peace when a decision honors God, and restraining you when haste would lead to regret.

Right choices are not always the easiest choices. They often require patience, restraint, courage, or sacrifice. Sometimes choosing what is right means speaking when silence is easier. Sometimes it means staying silent when emotions want to react. Sometimes it means walking away. Sometimes it means waiting. Sometimes it means trusting God without immediate clarity.

The Holy Spirit does not rush your discernment. He teaches you to walk wisely. And as you continue to listen and obey, your ability to discern God’s will grows stronger, your confidence deepens, and your heart learns to rest in the goodness of God’s ways.

Reflect:

  • What decision or situation are you currently seeking God’s guidance about?
  • How is the Holy Spirit inviting you to slow down and choose what is right rather than what is easy?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, guide my heart in choosing what is right. Quiet every voice that competes with Your truth.
Give me wisdom to discern, courage to obey, and peace to trust God’s ways. Help me walk with integrity and faithfulness, knowing that You are guiding each step.
Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒 Children’s Devotional — Day 94

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Helps Me Choose What Is Right”

📖 “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.”
 —Psalm 25:4 (NKJV)

Every day you have choices to make. Some choices are easy. Some choices are hard. Sometimes you might wonder, What should I do? What is the right thing?

The Holy Spirit helps you choose what is right.

He reminds you of God’s Word.
He helps you stop and think before acting.
He gives you a feeling in your heart when something is wrong.
He helps you choose kindness instead of anger.
He helps you tell the truth instead of lying.
He helps you obey God even when others don’t.

Choosing what is right doesn’t mean you will never make mistakes. But it does mean you are learning to follow God. And every time you choose what is right, the Holy Spirit is helping you grow stronger inside.

Talk About It:

  • What is a choice you have to make today?
  • How can the Holy Spirit help you choose what is right?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me choose what is right. Teach me God’s ways and help me follow Him every day.
Thank You for guiding me and loving me.
Amen.

Devotions, Teen Devotions

👧👦 Teen Devotional — Day 94

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Helps Me Choose What Is Right”

📖 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”
 —Psalm 32:8 (NKJV)

Every day places choices in front of you. Some choices are obvious. Others are complicated.
Some feel small. Others carry long-term consequences. And often, the hardest choices are not between good and bad—but between what feels right and what is right. This is where the Holy Spirit becomes essential. He does not force your decisions. He guides your heart.

The Holy Spirit helps you choose what is right by reminding you of God’s Word when emotions cloud judgment, giving conviction when something pulls you away from Christ, bringing peace when a choice aligns with God’s will, creating discomfort when compromise looks tempting, helping you pause instead of reacting impulsively, strengthening you to resist pressure from others, and shaping your conscience to love truth and righteousness.

Choosing what is right often costs something—comfort, approval, convenience, or popularity. But the Holy Spirit helps you see beyond the moment. He teaches you that obedience protects you. That integrity shapes your character. That small decisions form lifelong habits. That righteousness leads to peace.

You will not always choose perfectly. But when you listen to the Spirit, your direction will grow clearer,
your discernment sharper, and your confidence stronger.

God is not silent about your choices. He is actively guiding those who are willing to listen.

Talk About It:

  • What kind of situations make it hardest for you to choose what is right?
  • How can you pause and listen for the Holy Spirit before making decisions?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me choose what is right. Give me wisdom when decisions feel confusing
and courage when doing right feels costly. Teach me to listen, obey, and trust that Your way leads to life.
Amen.

Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Family Devotional — Day 94

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Helps Our Family Choose What Is Right”

📖 “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.”
 —Psalm 25:4 (NKJV)

Every family makes choices each day—how to respond to one another, how to handle conflict, how to use time and resources, and how to honor God together. Some decisions are simple. Others are more complicated.

The Holy Spirit helps families choose what is right, not just what is easy. He helps your family pause before reacting, seek God before deciding, speak with kindness instead of anger, choose honesty over convenience, practice forgiveness when hurt occurs, align family values with God’s Word, discern outside influences wisely, walk in unity instead of division, and trust God when obedience requires sacrifice.

Choosing what is right as a family is not about perfection. It is about direction. A home that listens to the Holy Spirit learns to walk in wisdom—even when decisions are difficult or uncomfortable. As your family seeks God together, the Holy Spirit shapes your choices and strengthens your faith.

Talk About It Together:

  • What kind of decisions does our family need God’s help with right now?
  • How can we pause and pray together before making choices?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help our family choose what is right. Guide our decisions, shape our conversations, and align our home with God’s truth. Give us wisdom to seek You first, courage to obey, and unity as we walk together in faith.
Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Women’s Devotional — Day 93

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Faithfully Grows Me Into Christlikeness”

📖 “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
 —Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)

Spiritual growth is often quieter than we expect. It doesn’t always come with dramatic moments or instant change. More often, it comes through steady obedience, repeated surrender, and unseen faithfulness. You may feel impatient with yourself. You may notice areas where growth seems slow. You may be keenly aware of weaknesses that remain. And you may wonder why certain lessons keep returning. But the Holy Spirit is not discouraged by your process. He is committed to it.

Growth is not something you manage—it is something God accomplishes.

The Holy Spirit grows you by revealing truth at the right time, convicting without condemning, pruning what no longer bears fruit, strengthening areas that feel weak, forming Christlike character through daily obedience, using trials to deepen faith, using waiting to teach trust, using repetition to build endurance, and using surrender to shape humility.

Growth often happens in ordinary faithfulness—choosing obedience again, forgiving again, praying again, trusting again, showing up again.

The Spirit is not rushing you. He is refining you. He knows exactly what needs to grow, what needs to be released, and what needs more time. Your responsibility is not to perfect yourself. It is to remain yielded.

As you stay rooted in Christ, the Holy Spirit will continue His work— patiently, purposefully, and faithfully— until Christ is formed in you.

Reflect:

  • Where do you feel discouraged about your spiritual growth?
  • How might the Holy Spirit be working more deeply than you realize?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me trust the work You are doing in me. When growth feels slow, give me patience. When I feel discouraged, remind me that You are faithful. Keep shaping my heart, refining my character, and growing me into the likeness of Christ. Help me remain yielded, trusting You to complete what You have begun.
Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒 Children’s Devotional — Day 93

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Helps Me Grow More Like Jesus”

📖 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
 —2 Peter 3:18a (NKJV)

When you follow Jesus, you don’t stay the same forever. God wants you to grow— to become more loving, more kind, more patient, and more like Jesus every day. Growing doesn’t happen all at once. It happens little by little.

The Holy Spirit helps you grow.

He teaches you new things from the Bible.
He helps you learn from mistakes.
He helps you love others better.
He helps you make better choices than before.
He helps you change when something isn’t right.
He helps you become more like Jesus over time.

Just like plants need water and sunshine to grow, your heart grows when you pray, read God’s Word, and listen to the Holy Spirit. And God is happy to help you grow.

Talk About It:

  • What is one way you want to grow to be more like Jesus?
  • How can the Holy Spirit help you grow this week?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me grow to be more like Jesus. Teach me, guide me, and help me change in ways that make God happy. Thank You for helping me grow every day.
Amen.

Devotions, Teen Devotions

👧👦 Teen Devotional — Day 93

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Helps Me Grow Spiritually”

📖 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
 —2 Peter 3:18a (NKJV)

Spiritual growth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through daily choices, daily surrender, and daily dependence on God. Some days you may feel like you’re growing. Other days you may feel stuck or discouraged. But growth is not measured by feelings, it’s measured by direction.

The Holy Spirit is the One who grows you.

He teaches you truth through God’s Word.
He convicts you when something needs to change.
He comforts you when growth feels painful.
He strengthens you to overcome sin patterns.
He helps you form godly habits.
He reshapes your attitudes and reactions.
He reveals areas where God wants to mature you.
He gives patience with the process.
He keeps drawing you closer to Jesus.

Spiritual growth includes learning to forgive more quickly, resisting temptation more consistently, responding with love instead of anger, choosing obedience over impulse, trusting God more deeply, depending less on yourself, and seeking God even when emotions fluctuate.

Growth often feels slow because God cares more about depth than speed. And just like physical growth, spiritual growth requires nourishment— time in Scripture, prayer, obedience, and humility.

The Holy Spirit is faithful to complete the work He began in you.

So don’t give up. Don’t compare your growth to others. Keep walking forward. You are growing—even when you can’t see it yet.

Talk About It:

  • Where do you feel like God is growing you right now?
  • What habit could help you stay consistent in spiritual growth?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help me grow spiritually. Teach me through God’s Word, change my heart where it needs shaping, and give me patience with the process. Help me grow closer to Jesus every day.
Amen.

Devotions, Family Devotionals

🏡 Family Devotional — Day 93

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Helps Our Family Grow Together”

📖 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
 —2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)

Spiritual growth is not just an individual journey—it is something families experience together, and every home is a place of formation. It’s where habits are shaped, attitudes are learned, faith is modeled, and character is formed.

The Holy Spirit works within families to help everyone grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. He helps your family learn from mistakes without shame, practice forgiveness instead of resentment, grow patience during stressful seasons, develop love that matures over time, deepen trust in God together, encourage one another in faith, choose obedience in daily routines, build spiritual habits that last, remain humble and teachable, and celebrate growth instead of demanding perfection.

Growth takes time. Some family members grow faster in certain areas than others. Some lessons return more than once. The Holy Spirit is not frustrated by this— He is forming something deeper. As your family continues to seek God together, growth becomes a shared testimony of God’s faithfulness. Not because everything is perfect, but because God is at work.

Talk About It Together:

  • Where do we see growth in our family?
  • How can we encourage one another as we continue to grow in Christ?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, help our family grow together in Christ. Teach us patience with one another, joy in the process, and faith in Your work among us. Help us encourage growth, celebrate progress, and trust You to shape our home according to Your will.
Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

🌿 Women’s Devotional — Day 92

Rooted & Raised

“The Holy Spirit Strengthens Me to Follow Jesus Faithfully”

📖 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”
 —Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)

Following Jesus is a daily surrender.

It is choosing obedience when it costs you comfort.
It is choosing faith when fear presses in.
It is choosing humility when pride wants control.
It is choosing trust when the road ahead feels uncertain.

Many women feel the weight of following Christ faithfully while carrying responsibilities, expectations, and unseen burdens. And sometimes the call to follow Jesus feels heavy—not because He is harsh, but because the path requires letting go.

This is where the Holy Spirit meets you. He does not merely point the way—He strengthens you to walk it.

The Holy Spirit helps you follow Jesus by:

  • steadying your heart when obedience feels costly
  • giving courage to take the next step when clarity is partial
  • helping you deny self without resentment
  • teaching you to carry your cross with hope, not heaviness
  • reminding you that Jesus walks with you, not ahead without you
  • anchoring your identity in Christ when following Him sets you apart
  • helping you release what no longer belongs in your life
  • forming endurance when the path is long

Following Jesus is not about striving to prove devotion. It is about trusting the One who calls you. Some days following looks like bold obedience. Other days it looks like quiet faithfulness. Sometimes it looks like action. Sometimes it looks like waiting.

In every season, the Holy Spirit supplies what you lack. You are not failing if the journey feels hard. You are following. And the Spirit who called you is faithful to sustain you.

Reflect:

  • Where does following Jesus feel most costly right now?
  • How is the Holy Spirit strengthening you to keep walking forward?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, strengthen me to follow Jesus faithfully. When obedience feels costly, give me courage. When the path feels unclear, give me trust. Help me deny self with joy, carry my cross with hope, and follow Christ with confidence that You are with me.
Amen.