A Note from Michaela
To the ones whose hearts want more,
I was so young that I don’t remember when I gave my heart to Jesus—the moment He saved me. I do know that it was before I was five—before my dad died. I know because I ran to Him when I missed my earthly father. Salvation is only the beginning of walking with Him. We must also reach a point of surrender…when He isn’t just our Savior, He is our Lord. That exact moment I do know: January 13, 1990. I was at a retreat with my youth group when He asked me to let go of everything that mattered to me and choose Him. So I did. I remember the moment He told me that I would marry a pastor. And I did. I remember a lot of things along my faith journey, and not all of them are good. I remember when, as a pastor’s wife, I struggled even to want to spend time with God in prayer or reading the Bible. I remember when worship felt like songs to sing and not the outpouring of my heart. I remember telling people that I would pray for them, then promptly forgetting to do so. And I remember the struggle of not wanting just to look the part and say the right things, but to walk in the disciplines I knew everyone else had, but I didn’t. I remember feeling lost and having no clue how to change things. I wish that realization had been my turning point, but it wasn’t. It was another five years before I understood that something had to change. Getting by wasn’t enough anymore, and I was tired of being stuck. I needed to go deeper in my relationship with God, but how?
If you feel stuck, like I was, I pray that sharing what the Holy Spirit has taught me will help you find the strength to try something new—again. If you are totally on fire for Jesus but lack the discipline to serve Him in joyful obedience, I pray the strategies in these pages teach you a fresh way to love Him. If you have walked with Him and followed Him for years but have never kept a faith journal, I hope you will learn how easy and important it is to chronicle your story of faith.
No matter where you are in your relationship with God, there is one thing that we all need—to go deeper.
Michaela L. Carson
Heart Soil
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
—Ephesians 3:17
The only way that we can grow in any relationship is to spend time with that person. It’s easy to know what that looks like in our human relationships, but what about intimacy with our Creator? That doesn’t seem as straightforward. We start by examining the condition of our own hearts.
The soil in the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13 is reflective of our hearts. When God’s Word is spoken to a hardened heart, it is like a seed that falls on the path. Since it’s not received, there is no root. Because there is no root, the birds come and snatch the seed. Since you are reading this book, that is not you, even if you think it is. If you truly hardened your heart against God, you wouldn’t be seeking a way to deepen your relationship with Him.
The next example Jesus gives us is of the seeds that do take root. Interestingly, the first root that grows from a seed is the taproot. The sole initial purpose of the taproot is to penetrate deep into the earth and find water. Throughout Scripture, water is often a symbol of God’s Spirit—of His Presence. So, it makes sense that seeking His presence through prayer is the first thing we do when we enter our relationships with Christ. It is the very first root of our growth in Him. Many of us prayed even before we surrendered control of our lives to Christ, but there was no depth or genuine source of water until we realized we needed a Savior. That prayer is the one that changed everything. It’s no longer about “personal growth” or “being a better person”; it’s about our growth as Christ followers. God has created something new in us, and for the purpose of this book we will look at that new thing as a tree.
So our very first root sprouts from a prayer of desperation. We cry out to God, desperate for a Savior, desperate for forgiveness, desperate for freedom. This root is powerful! It plunges into the darkness of the earth, searching for the water that can bring forth life. And when it finds that Living Water—whoa! Relief and refreshment flood our hearts! Our seeds of faith have sprouted their first root, and it is good.
Sadly, many stop there, never realizing that faith is a journey, not a moment. According to Jesus, these are the seeds the farmer scatters that land on rocks; they initially grow quickly but never develop deep roots because their heart soils are shallow. With only one root, they can’t take in enough water and nutrients to support the sprout; when the sun’s heat beats down, they die.
Then there was the seed that fell on fertile soil—a heart ready for more of God. That seed? Watch out, world! That seed is destined to be a mighty oak tree. Strong. Solid. Unshakeable. So how do we go from a seed in shallow soil to a tree with deep roots? Well, it is the condition of our hearts. First, we must desire to grow. We must cultivate our hearts so that this can happen. It starts with longing. Our journey deeper begins with a fertile heart that is ready for growth.
Map Your Journey:
As you build your first “altar,” remember, the goal isn’t to finish the list; it’s to allow the Holy Spirit space to speak. Take a moment and pray. Ask the Lord to show you where He is providing you an opportunity to grow. When you finish, read through the three sections below. Select one or two bullet points to focus on and record your reflections in your faith journal.
Journal Prompts
• With which of these soils (hardened, shallow, or fertile) does your heart connect today? What do you feel is your normal soil type? Are you happy with where you are?
• If you believe your roots are shallow right now, what might the Holy Spirit be leading you to do? How might you go deeper today?
• If you connect with the fertile soil and your heart is in a good place, how can you fertilize your desire for more of God? What can you do to make sure your soil stays healthy