I Love This Place | Guest Speaker Destiny Bartolomeo

Devotional

Day 1: Flourishing Comes from Being Planted in God’s House

True flourishing is found by being rooted and committed to God’s house, not by chasing abundance or comfort. When you choose to plant yourself in the local church, you open yourself up to God’s daily provision, growth, and transformation—even when the process feels slow or hidden. The world may offer many distractions and reasons to disconnect, but God’s design is for you to belong, serve, and grow in community. Disconnection and inconsistency block spiritual growth, but continuity and commitment produce lasting fruit. If you feel like you’re in a waiting season, remember that God is deepening your roots for a greater purpose. [07:07]

Psalm 92:12-13 (ESV)
"The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God."

Reflection: Where in your life have you been tempted to disconnect or uproot yourself from God’s house? What would it look like to recommit and plant yourself more deeply this week?

Day 2: God Purposefully Plants You Where You Can Flourish

God’s commitment to your flourishing is so great that He prepares the place before He places you there. Just as He planted a garden in Eden before placing Adam and Eve in it, God intentionally positions you in a local church where you can grow, heal, and bear fruit. Flourishing only comes after being planted, and the process often requires patience and trust. Even when you don’t see immediate results, God is working beneath the surface, developing your roots and preparing you for fruitfulness. Don’t rush the process or pluck yourself out too soon—trust that God knows exactly where you need to be. [19:49]

Genesis 2:8 (ESV)
"And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed."

Reflection: Are you willing to trust God’s placement in your life, even if it feels uncomfortable or slow? What is one step you can take to embrace where God has planted you today?

Day 3: The Hidden Breaking Precedes Visible Growth

Before an oak tree grows upward, its acorn must crack open and send roots deep into the soil—a painful and hidden process that is essential for lasting strength and fruitfulness. In the same way, God often allows seasons of breaking, discomfort, or waiting in your life to establish a strong foundation. The breaking is not the end, but the beginning of new growth and freedom. If you try to skip the rooting season or uproot yourself too soon, you may miss the transformation God wants to bring. Stay planted, even when it’s hard, and trust that God is making you unshakable for the storms ahead. [33:35]

John 12:24 (ESV)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

Reflection: Can you identify an area in your life where God may be allowing a “cracking” or breaking to take place? How might you surrender to this process and trust Him for deeper growth?

Day 4: Healing and Freedom Are Found by Staying Planted

Even when the church is imperfect or people have hurt you, God often uses the very place of your pain as the place of your healing. The enemy wants to isolate you, but God calls you to remain planted, to keep showing up, serving, and seeking Him in community. Sometimes, the breakthrough and freedom you long for come only after you refuse to give up and stay through the hard seasons. Don’t let bitterness or offense uproot you before God finishes His work—healing, joy, and freedom are on the other side of your perseverance. [37:40]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: Is there a hurt or disappointment that has made you want to withdraw from church or community? What would it look like to bring that pain to God and remain planted for your healing?

Day 5: The Planted Life Bears Fruit and Leaves a Legacy

When you stay planted in God’s house, you find community, discipleship, purpose, healing, fruitfulness, and legacy. Your life begins to bear fruit that blesses others, and your faith provides shade for generations to come. The church is not a product to consume, but a place to be transformed and to transform others. Even through seasons of pain, stretching, and growth, God uses your planted life to impact your family, your spiritual children, and your community. This is a holy place—not because it’s perfect, but because it’s where God’s presence, purpose, and power are at work. [42:49]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Reflection: Who in your life might be impacted by your decision to stay planted and faithful? What is one way you can intentionally invest in someone else’s growth or faith this week?

Sermon Summary

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of this house and the people gathered here. Today, I shared from my heart about the power and necessity of being planted in God’s house, the local church. We live in a time when the enemy is working overtime to distract, offend, and isolate believers, tempting us to uproot ourselves from the very place God has designed for our flourishing. Just as we all have places we love—whether it’s the ocean, our home, or even a mall—God has created a spiritual home for us, a place where we are meant to say, “I love this place.”

Drawing from Psalm 92, I reflected on how flourishing is not a random occurrence but the result of being purposefully planted by God. Like trees that take years to bear fruit, our spiritual growth often happens beneath the surface, in hidden seasons of waiting, breaking, and rooting. The story of my family’s chaotic river adventure became a picture of this process: sometimes, we want to get out when things get uncomfortable, but it’s in staying the course—remaining planted—that God brings healing and breakthrough. The acorn must crack before the oak can grow; the breaking is not the end, but the beginning of new life and strength.

Being planted in the local church is not about consuming a product or hopping from place to place in search of the perfect experience. It’s about committing to a community, serving, growing, and allowing God to use imperfect people and situations to shape us. In the church, we find community, discipleship, purpose, healing, fruitfulness, and legacy. Yes, the church is full of imperfect people, and yes, there will be pain and disappointment. But if we uproot ourselves every time things get hard, we miss out on the deep work God wants to do in us and through us.

God’s design is that we would be planted, not potted. When we stay, even through the breaking and the waiting, we become like mighty oaks—unshakable, fruitful, and able to provide shade and blessing for generations. This place, though imperfect, is holy because it is His. In this place, we are transformed, healed, and equipped to carry His presence into the world. So, let’s stay planted, trusting that God is working in the unseen, and that joy and freedom are on the other side of our perseverance.

Key Takeaways

1. Flourishing Follows Planting, Not Preference True spiritual flourishing is not found by chasing comfort or the perfect environment, but by allowing God to plant us where He knows we will grow. Like Adam and Eve, God prepares the place before He places us, and our role is to trust His wisdom, even when the soil feels unfamiliar or the growth is slow. The fruit we long for comes only after we have allowed our roots to go deep in the place He’s chosen. [19:49]
2. Hidden Seasons Are Not Wasted Seasons Much of God’s work in our lives happens beneath the surface, in seasons that feel like waiting, breaking, or even burial. Just as an acorn must crack open and send roots deep before it becomes an oak, we must embrace the hidden, painful processes that precede visible fruit. These seasons are not punishment, but preparation for the strength and legacy God wants to build through us. [32:17]
3. Community and Healing Are Found in Commitment, Not Consumption The local church is not a product to be sampled, but a family to be joined. Healing from wounds—often inflicted by imperfect people—comes not by running away, but by staying, serving, and allowing God to use the very community that hurt us to also heal us. Isolation is the enemy’s strategy; belonging and transformation are God’s. [27:01]
4. Purpose and Fruitfulness Require Perseverance Our gifts and callings find their fullest expression when we commit to a local body, contributing rather than just consuming. Fruitfulness—love, joy, peace, and impact—emerges as we persevere through the hard seasons, refusing to uproot ourselves when things get uncomfortable. The legacy we leave is built not in moments of excitement, but in years of faithful presence. [28:51]
5. The Breaking Is the Beginning, Not the End When we feel crushed, misunderstood, or tempted to quit, it may be the very moment God is preparing us for breakthrough. The breaking of the acorn is what allows the oak to emerge; the river ordeal was what released years of bitterness and brought freedom. Don’t get out of the river before the healing happens—God’s greatest work often comes on the other side of our willingness to stay planted through the pain. [36:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:44] - Opening Prayer and Introduction
[01:59] - Teaching Kids and Identity VBS Story
[03:21] - Recap of Last Week: Flourishing and Being Planted
[04:21] - The Call to Be Planted in the Local Church
[05:10] - Places We Love and Personal Stories
[06:12] - The Galleria Mall: Finding Peace in Unlikely Places
[07:07] - Psalm 92 and the Power of Being Planted
[07:27] - The River Story: Family Adventure Begins
[09:21] - The River Turns Difficult
[12:01] - Obstacles, Mud, and Chaos
[15:50] - The Final Stretch and Aftermath
[19:00] - What It Means to Flourish: Hebrew Roots
[20:54] - Planting Trees: Lessons from Nature
[23:11] - Waiting for Fruit and the Pain of Process
[27:01] - Six Blessings of Being Planted
[32:17] - The Oak Tree: Breaking and Rooting
[33:35] - Personal Testimony: Healing Through Staying
[36:54] - The Breaking That Brings Freedom
[38:19] - Don’t Uproot Yourself Too Soon
[40:45] - The Call to Go Deeper and Stay Planted
[42:00] - This Place: The Testimony of God’s House
[42:49] - Invitation to Salvation and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 92:12-13 (ESV) — > The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, they flourish in the courts of our God.

Genesis 2:8 (ESV) — > And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Observation Questions

According to Psalm 92:12-13, what is the result of being “planted in the house of the Lord”?
In Genesis 2:8, what did God do before placing Adam in the garden? Why is the order important?
The sermon described a family river adventure that became difficult and uncomfortable. What were some of the challenges faced, and how did the family respond? [[09:21]]
The speaker mentioned that “flourishing is not a random occurrence but the result of being purposefully planted by God.” What examples from nature or personal stories were used to illustrate this? [[20:54]]

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean to be “planted” in God’s house, as opposed to just attending or consuming church? [[26:23]]
The sermon says, “Hidden seasons are not wasted seasons.” How might seasons of waiting, breaking, or feeling buried actually prepare someone for future fruitfulness? [[32:17]]
The speaker shared about being hurt by people in the church but choosing to stay. Why might God use the very community that hurt us to also heal us? [[29:26]]
The acorn must crack before the oak can grow. How does this image help us understand the role of pain or “breaking” in our spiritual growth? [[32:17]]

Application Questions

The sermon said, “Flourishing follows planting, not preference.” Are there areas in your life where you are chasing comfort or the “perfect” environment instead of letting your roots go deep where God has placed you? What would it look like to stay planted even when it’s uncomfortable? [[19:49]]
Have you ever been tempted to “get out of the river” (leave a church, group, or relationship) when things got hard? What happened, and what might you do differently now? [[36:54]]
The speaker listed six blessings of being planted: community, discipleship, purpose, healing, fruitfulness, and legacy. Which of these do you most long for right now, and what step could you take to pursue it in your church community? [[27:01]]
Is there a “hidden season” in your life right now—waiting, breaking, or feeling unseen? How can you trust that God is working beneath the surface, and who can you invite to pray with you during this time? [[32:17]]
The sermon challenged us not to be “potted plants” who just get “spritzed” on Sundays. What is one way you can put down deeper roots in your church this month—serving, joining a group, or building relationships? [[40:45]]
The speaker shared about being hurt by people in church but finding healing by staying and serving. Is there any past hurt or disappointment with church that you need to bring to God for healing? What would it look like to take a step toward forgiveness or reconciliation? [[29:26]]
The “breaking is the beginning, not the end.” Is there an area in your life where you feel “cracked” or broken? How might God want to use this for new growth or freedom? [[36:54]]

Sermon Clips

But I want you to know that to see flourishing takes time. And when you start to see, the fruit of a tree, oftentimes we think, oh, now it's finally flourishing, but it has, because it has fruit. But before trees grow up, it has to grow down first, right? And so, but God will always grow you down before he grows you up. And at the same, it's the same with us, before God brings fruit above the surface, he's developing our roots below. [00:21:58] (29 seconds) #RootsBeforeFruits

God has and will purposefully plant you in a local church where he knows that you're going to flourish if you give it time to do so. You know, God knows more about you than you know about yourself. And so what he knows is that, okay, if I'm going to plant them in this church here, they're going to be able to be free of alcohol, be free of this addiction, receive the community that they really, really need. But man, if we pluck ourselves out too early, we'll never receive and we'll just become bitter and we'll just become angry. [00:24:10] (39 seconds) #PurposefulPlanting

When you're planted, you find healing. The church is full of imperfect people, full of it, but often the church is the very place that God uses to heal what others have broken. You know, we don't want it. Oftentimes we get hurt by the church and we associate the church as a whole has hurt me. No, no, no. A person inside of the church hurts you, and people hurt you all the time. Why are you associating the church as one person, right? [00:29:36] (35 seconds) #HealingWithinTheChurch

When you're planted, you find fruitfulness. You start producing things that bless others. You start producing the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, generosity. Faithfulness. You start producing these things that you're like, man, like, I didn't know that this was inside of me. I didn't know that this was a gift that I had. I didn't know that this was something that God had called me to, but now I'm going to be given, I'm going to be generous with what God has given me. [00:31:01] (25 seconds) #FruitfulnessUncovered

The strength you see above the ground began beneath it. In a place no one could see. When you plant an acorn, it doesn't sprout right away. In fact, for a while, it looks like nothing's happening. You can water it and wait on it and still, no change. But something powerful is happening in the unseen. Before an oak tree ever grows upward, the acorn has to crack open. That shell, the very thing that once protected it, has to break apart for what's inside to come alive. [00:32:18] (34 seconds) #StrengthInTheUnseen

If an oak tree tried to skip that hidden cracking rooting season, if it was rushed so that it could just produce its fruit before it was ready, it wouldn't survive the first storm. Because it stayed in the soil and allowed the breaking and the rooting to happen. And when it does that, it becomes unshakable. And that's exactly how God works with us. [00:33:22] (26 seconds) #UnshakableThroughBreaking

God's called you to be planted. He's called you to be buried, just like the acorn was. You know, sometimes he allows seasons where it feels like everything is breaking, and nothing is working, and nothing is happening. But could it just be that you're planted? That you're buried? Just because you're buried doesn't mean that you're going to be buried. You're going to be done. Just because that seed has been buried, and it's marinating, and it's germinating, and it's doing all that it's supposed to be doing. But if you take it out, you're not going to see the freedom. You're not going to see the joy that comes when you're in the house of the Lord. [00:38:38] (41 seconds) #BuriedForBreakthrough

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