March is here, and with it comes the unmistakable signs of spring. Trees that looked lifeless just weeks ago are budding with new growth. Flowers are pushing through the soil. Gardens are being planted. Everything around us is coming back to life.

It's the perfect time to talk about growth—not just in nature, but in our faith.

Paul's words in Colossians 2:7 paint a beautiful picture: roots growing down, lives being built up, faith growing strong. But here's what I find fascinating—growth always starts where we can't see it.

Before a tree reaches toward the sky, it sends roots deep into the ground. Before a flower blooms, it anchors itself in the soil. The visible growth we celebrate is only possible because of the invisible foundation being established below the surface.

The same is true in our spiritual lives and in the lives of our children.

We live in a culture obsessed with visible results. We want to see immediate change, instant transformation, measurable outcomes. But spiritual growth doesn't work that way. Before our kids (or we ourselves) can stand strong in their faith, they need roots.

What does it look like to help our children grow roots down into Christ?

* It's the bedtime prayers that teach them God listens

* It's the Bible stories at dinner that become part of their foundation

* It's the honest conversations about doubt that show faith is real

* It's watching you lean on God during the hard times

* It's the rhythm of church, community, and worship that creates a pattern of dependence on Christ

These things might feel small. They might not look impressive on social media. But they're everything. They're roots.

Notice Paul doesn't say, "Build your life on good morals" or "Build your life on religious activities." He says, "Let your lives be built on him"—on Jesus.

There's a big difference between raising kids who know about Jesus and raising kids who know Jesus personally. One is information; the other is transformation. One is rules; the other is relationship.

This month in our Next Gen ministries, we're focusing on helping kids move from knowing about God to knowing God. We want them to encounter Jesus personally—not just learn facts about Him, but experience His presence, His love, His voice.

That's what makes faith stick when life gets hard. That's what sustains them when they leave our homes and enter a world that will challenge everything they believe.

When roots go deep and lives are built on Christ, something powerful happens: "your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught."

Not perfect faith. Not faith without questions. But strong faith—faith that can weather storms, faith that bends but doesn't break, faith that sustains through doubt and difficulty.

And this kind of faith takes time. Just like a tree doesn't become mighty overnight, spiritual maturity is a process. There will be growth spurts and dormant seasons. There will be times of flourishing and times of pruning.

Our job as parents, as ministry leaders, as a church family, is to be patient with the process. To water the seeds. To protect the tender shoots. To celebrate the small signs of growth even when the full bloom hasn't arrived yet.

Here's the beautiful promise at the end of this verse: when we're rooted in Christ and growing strong in faith, we "overflow with thankfulness."

Gratitude becomes the natural response of a life anchored in Jesus. Not forced. Not fake. But genuine overflow.

Isn't that what we want for our kids? Hearts so full of God's goodness that thankfulness spills out naturally? Lives so secure in Christ's love that they can't help but worship?

As we move through March and watch creation spring to life around us, let's be intentional about cultivating growth in our homes:

* Plant seeds of truth through Scripture and conversation

* Water consistently with prayer and presence

* Be patient with the process knowing growth takes time

* Celebrate the small wins even when the harvest isn't visible yet

* Trust God to bring the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6)

Spring reminds us that God is always at work, even when we can't see it. New life is coming. Growth is happening. Roots are going deep.

Let's partner with what God is already doing in the hearts of our children and in our own lives.

Reflection Questions for Your Family:

1. What's one way we can "grow our roots down" into Jesus this month as a family?

2. Where have you seen spiritual growth in your life lately—even if it's small?

3. What are we thankful for right now?

Kaitlyn Berrier