Every day I either drive or walk by an enormous oak tree outside my neighborhood. Its limbs don’t reach straight up to the sky. Years of growth have twisted them, and countless hurricanes have forced them to struggle just to stay connected. I imagine the journey for this tree was not what it expected when it first shot up out of the ground.

And yet, here it is.

Strong. Sturdy. Still standing.

Its twisted and stretched-out limbs now provide even greater shade—covering more ground than it ever would have if it grew straight and narrow.

That tree reminds me of the personal growth journey we all take. It’s rarely linear, and almost never easy. The winds of change, the storms of life, the moments that shake us to the core—those are the things that shape us.

Many years ago, I started writing down my thoughts on a blog originally called theSaltLick.tv. Instead of deleting those old posts, I’ve decided to leave them right where they are—as markers of my journey from where I started to where I am today.

Here’s what that means:

There may be posts I wrote that aren’t fully formed yet.

Thoughts that reflect the life experience and knowledge I had at the time.

There are probably even a few posts that I’d be embarrassed to write today. And yes, maybe some that overshare just a little… (and now you’ll go back and read them, won’t you?).

But those posts are part of my faith journey.

Just like the twisted limbs of that old oak tree.

They reflect my spiritual growth—not always pretty, but rooted deeply and reaching out further than I thought possible.

That’s how it is with growth through adversity. The lessons you learn along the way become the very things that expand your reach and deepen your roots.

So let me ask you a question:

What part of your life looks different today because of your yesterdays?

Pause for a second and think about it.

You may not be where you wanted to be, thought you’d be, or dreamed you’d be. But if you look honestly—you’re probably not where you used to be either.

That’s resilience.

That’s personal growth.

That’s grace.

So keep leaning in.

Keep growing.

Keep writing, showing up, trusting, and walking it out.

One day, you’ll look back—and just like the old oak—you’ll see that every twist, every bend, and every storm helped shape something stronger than you ever imagined.