In different seasons of life, we plant things—dreams, routines, projects, even relationships—hoping they’ll grow strong and bear fruit. But sometimes, even with our best intentions and careful tending, storms come, and what we planted doesn’t survive.

I learned this lesson quite literally one spring. We had only been in our Central Texas home a short time when we took on a big backyard landscaping project. We transformed it with four new flower beds along the fence to minimize grass upkeep. I had big plans for those beds: flowers and shrubs in two, and zucchini, squash, and tomatoes in the other two.

But my favorite addition was an apple tree. I had grand expectations for it! I carefully took care of the tree how I thought it should be treated: I staked it, mulched it, watered it, weeded around it—and yes, I even talked to it. I imagined baskets of apples in a few years: pies, cobblers, cinnamon bread, applesauce! I didn’t mind the wait. I was all in.

A few short weeks later there was a violent Texas hailstorm that blanketed our neighborhood like snow. Cars were dented, roofs damaged. I rushed to check the tree the next morning and saw gashes and pits along its trunk and limbs. Still, it stood, and I thought, whew, it survived.

But as the weeks went by and the heat of summer arrived, the tree never regained its healthy look. Despite regular watering, by September, its leaves were brown and brittle. It hadn’t made it.

Later, I learned all the things I should have done:

• The hole should have been deeper to allow for a better root system.
• I should have fertilized right after planting to help it establish strength.
• Apple trees need another nearby tree to cross-pollinate and produce fruit.
• And young trees? They need covering during hailstorms—they’re too fragile to face it alone.

The “apple tree casualty” was disappointing—but also humbling. It taught me that preparation matters. And not just in gardening.

In my own life, I had planted plenty of plans using my own wisdom — doing things the way I thought they should be completed. But when storms hit—unexpected challenges, setbacks, losses—I often discovered I wasn’t rooted deeply enough, and hadn’t done enough preparation in God’s Word to withstand them.

God gently reminded me:

• I need to water my days with prayer.
• I need to dig deep into Scripture to build a root system that can weather life’s storms.
• And I need community—people who walk alongside me when things get hard, just like a nearby tree offers support and fruitfulness.

Thankfully, even when my plans fall apart, He never does. The Master Gardener knows exactly how to tend my heart and replant what was lost. In His hands, even failure can become fertile ground for something new.

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.”
— Jeremiah 17:7-8

Journaling Prompt:
Think of a time when one of your plans “withered” or didn’t bear the fruit you hoped for. What did God show you in that season? How can you strengthen your root system in Him today?

Disclosure: Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV):
Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright©
1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan.
The featured image at the beginning of this post was generated using AI and is not a photograph of a real person or actual event.