If you've been following the Tangled Roots & Barefoot Faith story of Gracie Rae—a fictional story based off my own life—Chapters 1 and 2 have already launched. If you haven’t read them yet, click the links above to catch up!
But what I thought would be a beautiful and fun twist to this four-part book series is to add some reflective devotional prompts and studies in between chapters—not just so you can read about Gracie’s life, but so you can pause and ask: What is God stirring in my heart through her journey?
Sometimes, the stories that grip us the most aren’t just meant to entertain us. They’re meant to meet us. To nudge something awake. To remind us that the threads of someone else’s journey might just run alongside our very real one.
That’s what today is.
A quiet pause. A one-day reflection. And a chance to sit with what’s already unfolding—both in Gracie Rae’s world… and maybe your own.
The Line Between Longing and Obedience
I’ve been thinking a lot about those early days of Gracie Rae —the wide eyes, the tight hugs at train stations, the awkward hellos that turned into soul-deep connections.
Chapters 1 and 2 of Tangled Roots and Barefoot Faith opened up more than just a storyline. They cracked open something deeper: what it means to be known… but not claimed. To love deeply… but hold back. To wait with faith, not fear.
Because here’s the truth: Sometimes we meet someone who stirs something inside us. The kind of friendship that feels like it was tailor-made. Shared laughs. Shared music. Shared prayers. But also… the shared ache of not taking that next step.
That’s what we see with Gracie Rae and Micah. It would’ve been easy to call it what it felt like. Love. It would’ve been easy to take the next step. To turn friendship into something official. But they didn’t.
They held the line.
Not because they didn’t care.
But because they did.
And they both believed—even in their young faith—that rushing ahead of God wasn’t the story they wanted to write.
How many of us live in that in-between? The space where we want something more, but we sense God saying, Not yet.
Holding Back Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Care
Gracie wasn’t guarded. She was the one with the laugh that filled a room. The one who made people feel seen. The one who played piano like the melody was written on her heart. She didn’t know how to love halfway.
But in this journey, she was learning how to trust God’s timing, even when her heart was leaning in and sometimes felt inpatient in the waiting.
And Micah? He wasn’t just some guy with a guitar. He was the one who saw her. Who sat quietly in doorways while she played. Who shared his love for God’s Word. Who talked about purpose and calling and surrender.
They were choosing faith over feelings. Friendship over labels.
It wasn’t easy.
But it was holy.
Let’s Talk Scripture
Here are three verses to sit with if you’re in a season of waiting or discernment:
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) — "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."
Song of Songs 8:4 (MSG) — "Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you're ready."
2 Timothy 2:22 (NLT) — "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace."
God’s Word doesn’t just call us to wait—He calls us to wait well. To stay rooted. To walk in peace instead of panic. And never get ahead of His yes.
Tangled Truths to Sit With:
Have you ever sensed God asking you to pause—even when your heart said go?
Have you ever found yourself caring deeply for someone but unsure what God was asking you to do with that connection?
What does obedience look like in this season for you? What’s one area you’ve been tempted to rush?
Who do you turn to when you need help holding that line?
One Last Thought...
Gracie didn’t have the full picture. But she had a God who did.
She did her best to keep her heart open without letting it lead—but that didn’t mean it was easy. There were days she wrestled, questioned, and nearly folded under the weight of wanting more than God had given permission for.
So she did what she knew to do: she leaned into writing songs. Into deep friendships. Into discovering what it looked like to chase purpose even when the story didn’t play out the way she hoped.
She didn’t get it perfect. Not even close. But she kept choosing trust.
So maybe the story isn’t just about a line not crossed.
Maybe it’s about learning that love is never meant to lead us away from obedience.
The next time you find yourself in a place of longing, or feeling the weight of the wait—whether it’s a friendship you’re unsure how to define, a marriage in a dry season, a child you’re praying through, or a dream that still feels out of reach….hold the line.
Hold the line with prayerful courage. Hold the line when the silence stretches longer than you expected. Hold the line even when your heart aches for more clarity, more certainty, more 'now.'
Even if it hurts a little.
Even if it’s lonely.
Because obedience always writes the better story.
And what God has planned?
That part’s still unfolding. And yes, it will unfold.
Join me next Saturday as Chapter 3 drops:
Almost Love, Almost Spoken
The Hand He Reached For… and the Words He Didn’t
Some moments don’t need a label to leave a mark. This next chapter takes us to mountaintops, midnight trains, and the sweet ache of what could’ve been—but wasn’t spoken out loud.
Gracie Rae thought love would sound like a song. But sometimes, it walks beside you in silence… and lets go too soon.
Don’t miss it.