Can we go see Him?

Scripture:

"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
— Matthew 18:3 (NIV)

This morning, while I sat quietly reading my Bible with a cup of coffee in hand, one of my two-year-old twins came toddling over and asked, “Mama, what are you doing?”

“I’m reading my Bible,” I told him. “The Bible teaches us about Jesus.”

Without missing a beat, he lit up. A grin spread across his whole face and he began bouncing excitedly — “Jesus! Jesus! Mama, can we go see Him?”

I felt it hit deep in my chest — a moment of pure, sacred conviction. His question wasn’t theological, rehearsed, or complicated. It was rooted in joy, trust, and belief. Jesus was real to him. Jesus was knowable to him. And he wanted to go see Him.

How often do we overcomplicate faith? How often do we let it become dull with duty, tangled in performance, or silenced by pain and doubt? But here was this tiny soul, just beginning to speak in full sentences, hungering for the presence of Jesus. No hesitation. No skepticism. Just wonder.

I thought about how Jesus told us to come to Him like little children — how He wrapped His arms around them and lifted their status above scholars and leaders in the Kingdom of Heaven. Children are open. They’re honest. They believe what they’re told when it comes from someone they trust.

And they ask simple, world-stopping questions like:
“Can we go see Him?”

This is The Quiet Work — the slow, faithful planting of seeds. Reading your Bible in the soft morning light. Saying Jesus’ name out loud in front of your children. Living your love for Him so openly that your toddler wants to jump up and follow.

Some days feel like they disappear in messes and chores and endless noise. But God is in those days. And our quiet work is not wasted.

He sees it. And sometimes, He lets us glimpse the harvest in the voice of a child.

Prayer:

Jesus, give me the faith of a child again. Strip away what complicates and clouds my trust in You. Help me do the quiet work faithfully — even when it feels unseen. And let me see You through the eyes of wonder again. Amen.

🌱 The Waiting Game: What If It's You?

Hey sister,
Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in that awkward space between frustration and exhaustion? You started this season of waiting with a surrendered heart — dedicated, hopeful, and full of perseverance. You gave it to God… only to pick it back up when the waiting felt too long. Suddenly, anger bubbled over, patience wore thin, and maybe you’ve shed a few tired tears.

You pray for the person or situation to change. You read the Bible, search for verses that apply, and ask God to move — because, clearly, they’re the problem, right? Surely this person just needs a heart shift, a mind shift. Surely God needs to work in them.

But sister… what if God is also waiting?
What if He’s waiting on you? Waiting for you to slow down, quiet your heart, and recognize the work He’s doing in you? What if this season of waiting is an invitation — not just for someone else to change, but for you to be reshaped, refined, and reshuffled by the hand of the Father?

🌷 Consider the Stories

Think about Sarah, waiting for the child God promised. The long wait exposed her doubt and impatience, but it also shaped her heart and deepened her trust in a faithful God.
Think about Joseph, thrown into a pit and later a prison. The wait felt unfair, long, and lonely, but God used it to build character, resilience, and obedience.
Think about David, anointed long before he ever became king. The wait taught him to lean fully on God, to serve faithfully, and to lead humbly.

Each of these moments was a space for God to do deep heart work — to build strength, obedience, and intimacy. Sometimes the delays aren’t about the person or the circumstance. Sometimes, you are the one God is reshaping. Sometimes He is doing holy work in that quiet space, making you more like Jesus.

✨ Reflection Questions:

• What part of your waiting feels the heaviest right now?

• Have you been focusing more on someone else’s change than on the work God might be doing in you?

• What character or heart shift might God be calling you to surrender?

• How can you lean into this “quiet space” of waiting and trust that it has a holy purpose?

• What biblical example can you draw strength from (Sarah, Joseph, David)? What do you admire about their wait?

• What one prayer can you pray this week to invite God to work deeply in you?

🙏 Short Prayer:

“Lord, open my heart to the work You’re doing within me. When I’m tired of the wait, help me remember that every moment has a purpose. Refine me, teach me, and shape me to be more like You — so that when the answer arrives, I’ll be rooted and ready. Amen.”

Our Summer Rhythm: Faith, Dirt, and Simplicity

There’s a rhythm that shows up in summer — slower, looser, and (thankfully) a little messier.

It doesn’t come with a perfect morning routine or color-coded calendar. Around here, it sounds more like screen doors creaking, the hum of fans and tractors, and the occasional “y’all come inside, you’re covered in mud.”

It smells like sunscreen and feed and cut grass.

It feels like bare feet on the porch.

And at its best, it tastes like simplicity — slow meals, sweet tea, and still moments that remind us what matters.

We’re leaning into that this year.

After a full LCCL year, we’re shifting gears. Summer for us means:

• Morning chores on the farm before the sun bakes the fields

• Midday breaks for cold fruit and quiet reading

• RV organizing, homeschool prep, and some much-needed margin

• All the water activities we can handle

• Catching up with families, planning for fall, and letting God stir new dreams gently

It’s not glamorous — and that’s kind of the point.

We weren’t made to hustle every hour of every day. There’s glory in the slow, the sweat, and the sacred ordinary.

This summer, we’re choosing:

• Faith over frenzy

• Dirt under fingernails

• Simplicity over spectacle

And we’re praying that this season grows something in us that lasts well beyond it.

If you’re here too — in the in-between, the break, the slow place — welcome. There’s room on the porch, and maybe a tomato sandwich waiting.

Let’s settle into the rhythm together.

Welcome to Rooted and Raised

Hi friend —
If you’ve somehow stumbled here in the middle of dishes, discipline, or a desperate need for coffee, welcome. You’re in good company.

Rooted and Raised has been quietly growing in my heart for a long time. I created this space as a soft landing for women like you and me—women who are trying to live faithfully in the real, often chaotic, often beautiful, middle of motherhood, marriage, homeschooling, and a whole lot of ordinary.

You’ll find a little bit of everything here:
• Stories from the farm
• What’s working (or not working) in our homeschool rhythm
• Quiet thoughts on faith
• Probably a burned dinner or two
• And hopefully—grace for it all

I believe deeply that God meets us in the mundane. He walks with us in laundry piles and early mornings and garden rows and math lessons and toddler meltdowns. He’s not waiting for our quiet time to look perfect. He’s already in the carpool line.

So if you’re a mom, a teacher, a homemaker, or just someone trying to follow Jesus in a loud world—I hope this space feels like a breath of fresh air.

We're building a life here. Rooted in faith. Raised with intention.

Welcome home.

Thanks for being here.
Subscribe to get new posts right in your inbox—and stay tuned for the first devotional + a peek into our homeschool rhythm.

With grace,
Kaitlin