Rooted in Grace: Intuitive Gardening for Christian Women

Sanda Valcu
  • 5.0 (5)
  • CHRISTIANITY

A podcast for weary women tending gardens and hearts in small suburban spaces. Hosted by a teacher, pastor’s wife, and backyard gardener, this show blends practical garden wisdom with spiritual nourishment, helping you grow food, faith, and peace — one seed at a time.

  1. 2D AGO

    70 | Rooted Moment - Resting in the Unfinished

    You are not behind. But you feel like you are. The half-built project. The unanswered email. The spiritual growth that feels slower than it “should” be. The version of you that isn’t finished yet. And if you’re honest? Unfinished makes you anxious. This Rooted Moment is your interruption. Not to help you finish faster. Not to help you optimize. Not to give you a better system. But to teach you how to rest inside what isn’t done. Philippians 1:6 reminds us: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” You are not the finisher of your life. God is. And Sabbath isn’t just a day on the calendar. It’s a rebellion against the lie that everything depends on you. 💛 In This Episode, We Talk About: Why unfinished triggers anxiety in high-capacity women The spiritual danger of confusing momentum with maturity How to carry Sabbath posture into the middle of your week A simple embodied practice to calm your striving heart This is not about productivity. This is about trust. 🌿 If You’re Tired of Rearranging Your Life… If you keep redesigning, recalibrating, reorganizing — but still feel spiritually scattered — You don’t need another planner. You need a reset. ✨ Rooted Reset Rooted Reset is a guided pause for the woman who feels spiritually misaligned but doesn’t know where to start. It will help you: Identify where you’re overextending Realign your heart with God’s pace Rebuild your rhythms around presence instead of performance This is not hustle help. It’s holy recalibration. 👉 Get Rooted Reset here: https://rootedingrace.me/rooted-reset 📖 Ready to Go Deeper? Start With the Book. If this episode hit something tender in you, the full journey is inside my e-book: Rooted in Grace This isn’t a gardening manual. It’s a spiritual formation path for women who are: Spiritually weary Tired of striving Longing to hear God again Ready to grow slow and deep Inside, you’ll learn how to: Build sacred rhythms into ordinary life Compost disappointment Grow what actually matters Stop planting things out of obligation 👉 Get the e-book here: https://rootedingrace.me/rooted-in-grace-ebook 🌿 Final Reminder Unfinished does not mean unfaithful. Slow does not mean stagnant. Delayed does not mean denied. You are not incomplete. You are in progress. And God is not anxious about your becoming. Until next time — Stay rooted. Grow with grace.

    7 min

  2. 5D AGO

    69 | Rearranging the Garden: Sabbath in a Season of Becoming

    Are you craving rest… but living in a season that feels full of momentum, planning, and pressure? In this February episode of the Rooted in Grace podcast, Sanda reflects on building new garden beds, waiting on delayed mushroom compost, and the sacred lesson of Sabbath in a season of becoming. If you’re a busy Christian woman navigating: Pre-spring planning Overwhelm and productivity pressure The tension between creativity and rest Spiritual exhaustion in a full suburban life This episode will gently guide you back to the biblical foundation of Sabbath. Because rest is not a reward for finishing everything. It’s part of God’s design from the beginning. Rooted in Genesis 2, Exodus 20, and Mark 2, this episode explores: Why Sabbath is structural, not optional How to practice biblical rest in real life (without legalism) What gardening teaches us about waiting and foundation How delayed answers (like delayed compost) can become spiritual formation Why rest is essential for sustainable faith and joyful homemaking If you feel behind, overextended, or quietly depleted, this conversation will help you realign with God’s rhythm of grace. You are not behind. You are becoming. And rest is part of your growth. 🌸 What You’ll Learn in This Episode The biblical foundation of Sabbath rest Why God rested before sin entered the world How to build rhythms of rest into a busy Christian life The spiritual lesson inside gardening delays How to stop confusing momentum with maturity Practical Sabbath practices for overwhelmed women 🌿 Scripture in This Episode Genesis 2:2–3 Exodus 20:8 Mark 2:27 🪴 Practical Sabbath Rhythms for Busy Women In this episode, Sanda shares simple ways to begin practicing Sabbath even in a full season: Stop redesigning for one day Bless what is unfinished Add intentional worship to your weekly rhythm Create protected space for presence over productivity 🌼 Ready to Go Deeper? If this episode stirred something in you, here are two next steps: 📖 Download the FREE Rooted in Grace Ebook If you’re longing for spiritual clarity, slower rhythms, and deeper connection with God in everyday life, download the free Rooted in Grace devotional ebook. Inside you’ll find gentle reflections, Scripture, and practical rhythms to help you: Slow down spiritually Hear God more clearly Grow in grace without burnout Build a faith life rooted in peace, not pressure 👉 Download your free copy at: rootedingrace.me 🌿 Join Rooted Reset — A $25 Guided Journey If you’re realizing your life has been built without structural rest, Rooted Reset is your next step. Rooted Reset is a gentle, guided experience designed to help Christian women: Rebuild the architecture of rest Release urgency and performance Realign with God’s rhythms Create sustainable spiritual practices This is not about a perfect Sabbath. It’s about restoring the foundation. For just $25, you’ll walk through a guided process that helps you move from exhaustion to rooted peace. 👉 Learn more and join.

    16 min

  3. FEB 20

    68 | Rooted Moment - Staying When Nothing Is Happening: Trusting God in a Quiet Season of Spiritual Growth

    Staying When Nothing Is Happening: Trusting God in a Quiet Season of Spiritual Growth Have you ever felt like your spiritual life is stuck? Like you're praying… but nothing feels different. Staying faithful… but nothing is visibly changing. Abiding… but wondering if it’s actually doing anything. If you're in a quiet season — this episode is for you. Following Episode 67 on abiding and staying put, this Rooted Moment gently meets you in the in-between. The middle. The slow stretch where growth is happening underground — but you can’t see it yet. Because sometimes the most sacred work God is doing in you… is invisible. In this episode, we explore: Why spiritual growth often feels slow and hidden The difference between stillness and stagnation How to trust God in a waiting season What Galatians 6:9 really means about “due season” A calming, embodied practice to help you stay rooted instead of rushing ahead If you’ve been tempted to uproot yourself emotionally, spiritually, or relationally because things feel slow — this conversation will steady your heart. 📖 Scripture in This Episode Galatians 6:9 — “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” 🌱 A Gentle Invitation — Free Rooted in Grace eBook If this episode resonated with you, I created something to walk alongside you. My free Rooted in Grace eBook is filled with devotional reflections, garden metaphors, and gentle spiritual practices to help you reconnect with God — right in the middle of real life. You can download it at: 👉 rootedingrace.me It’s completely free — and designed for women who feel spiritually weary but still long to grow. 🌿 Coming Soon: Rooted Reset (Begins March 14) If you’re craving a fresh start — but not a pressure-filled one — I want to invite you into something special. Rooted Reset begins March 14. This is a gentle, grace-centered reset for your heart, rhythms, and spiritual life — rooted in Scripture, reflection, and simple daily practices. Not a hustle. Not a productivity challenge. A reset for women who want to slow down and grow deep. Details will be shared soon — but you can join the email list now so you don’t miss it. 💛 A Question to Carry Where are you tempted to leave simply because things feel slow? Notice that place. Stay there gently. And trust that something sacred may be unfolding beneath the surface.

    8 min

  4. FEB 17

    67 | What My Garden Taught Me About Abiding in Christ: Staying Rooted in Faith

    "Growth doesn’t always look like movement. Sometimes, the most profound growth looks like staying."   In a world that glorifies hustle and constant motion, how do we embrace the quiet, often unseen work of spiritual formation? What if the most faithful thing we can do is not to strive for the next big thing, but simply to stay where God has planted us?   In this contemplative episode of Rooted in Grace, Sanda explores the profound and often misunderstood spiritual discipline of abiding. Drawing lessons from a pruned crape myrtle in her own garden, she gently pushes back against our culture's obsession with productivity and invites us into the radical simplicity of staying connected to the Vine.   Join Sanda as she unpacks the true meaning of Jesus' words in John 15, revealing how "abiding" is not passive waiting, but an active, courageous dependence on God. This episode is a breath of fresh air for anyone feeling exhausted by the pressure to perform, offering a grace-filled path to fruitfulness that begins with simply staying put. In This Episode, You’ll Discover: The Garden's Lesson on Stillness: How a pruned tree can teach us more about growth than a bustling garden. Redefining Spiritual Success: Moving beyond a checklist faith to a deeply rooted, relational connection with Christ. The True Meaning of "Abide": Unpacking the Greek word menō to understand the depth of Jesus' invitation to "make your home" in Him. Active Dependence vs. Passivity: Why abiding is a courageous act of trust, patience, and humility, not a sign of weakness. The Covenantal Promise: Exploring the breathtaking reality that as we abide in Christ, He also chooses to abide in us. Why Abiding is Hard for Women: A compassionate look at the cultural pressures that make "staying" feel irresponsible. A Guided Moment of Pause: A simple, grounding practice to help you connect with God in the present moment. Key Takeaways: Growth Isn't Always Visible: The most significant spiritual work often happens below the surface, in the quiet seasons of waiting. Abiding is Active, Not Passive: It requires the strength to trust, the patience to wait, and the humility to depend on God as your source. Movement Can Be a Distraction: Our constant busyness can prevent us from confronting our deep need for God. God's Invitation is Relational, Not Transactional: Jesus wants us to live in Him, not just visit Him when we need something. Staying is an Act of Courage: Choosing to remain present with God, even in uncertainty, is a powerful spiritual discipline. Mentioned in this Episode: Scripture: John 15:4-5 Join the Challenge: Rooted Reset - A 5-day guided pause to help you reconnect with God. Doors close March 16th! Connect with Sanda: Free eBook: Rooted in Grace: A Christian Guide to Intuitive Gardening Instagram: @southernsoils Website: rootedingrace.me Garden Blog: Southern Soil Sunshine If this episode blessed you, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! It helps other women discover the show and find their way back to a faith rooted in grace.

    26 min

  5. FEB 13

    66 | Rooted Moment — Letting Go Without Fear

    A Reflective Pause Following Episode 65 Rooted Moments are short, spacious reflections designed to help the heart and body integrate truth—without adding more information or pressure. In this episode, we return to the garden after pruning. What remains may look quieter, barer, or unfamiliar—but it is not abandoned. The garden understands something we often struggle to trust: letting go does not mean love has been withdrawn. This Rooted Moment gently addresses the fear that often accompanies seasons of loss, reduction, or change, offering reassurance that God’s tending is careful, compassionate, and intentional. In this Rooted Moment, you’re invited to: Sit gently with fear around loss or limitation Release tension without forcing understanding Remember that pruning is an act of care, not rejection Practice trusting God’s presence in seasons of change Experience letting go as being held, not abandoned This episode is intentionally short and best listened to slowly, with space to pause or repeat as needed. This episode is for you if: You are in a season of letting go You feel anxious about what may be taken away You struggle to trust God during times of reduction You associate loss with failure or punishment You want reassurance without spiritual pressure How to listen You may want to listen to this episode: while sitting quietly with a hand over your heart during a slow walk without multitasking Let this be a moment of safety and grounding rather than problem-solving. Have you gotten my FREE eBook yet? Rooted in Grace: A Christian Guide to Intuitive Gardening is where we set the foundations for all the teaching in this podcast. Let it transform your walk with God and your garden as well!  A gentle invitation forward If these Rooted Moments are helping you navigate seasons of change with more trust and tenderness, you’re invited to explore Rooted Reset—a live, guided pause for women who want to step out of urgency and return to God’s rhythms. Rooted Reset is not about fixing your life. It’s about letting yourself be cared for. 👉 Learn more through the link in the show notes.

    5 min

  6. FEB 10

    65 | Spiritual Pruning: When God Cuts Back for a Greater Harvest

    Summary Have you ever felt like God was taking things away, even good things? Do seasons of loss, shrinking capacity, or unanswered prayer leave you feeling confused, anxious, or even punished? You are not alone. In this episode, Sanda takes us into the garden to uncover the profound, biblical truth of spiritual pruning. Discover why Jesus says God prunes the branches that are already bearing fruit and how this often-misunderstood practice is an act of His attentive love, not His judgment. Learn to distinguish divine pruning from other kinds of loss, release the fear that you’ve done something wrong, and find the courage to trust the Gardener’s hands, even when they’re holding shears. This episode will help you reframe your seasons of reduction as preparation for a greater harvest. In This Episode, You Will Learn: The crucial difference between God’s pruning and punishment. Why understanding John 15 is essential for every Christian woman in a hard season. How the garden teaches us that restraint is not rejection, and limits are a form of love. Practical ways to stay present and trust God during seasons of spiritual subtraction. How to discern if you are being pruned, and how to respond with faith instead of fear. The surprising connection between pruning, abiding, and bearing more fruit in your life.   Resources Mentioned •Scripture: John 15:1-2 •Southern Soil Sunshine Blog: How to Prune Tomatoes for Maximum Growth Take the Next Step This podcast is the garden gate—a place to pause and listen. If you’re ready to step through and practice what you’ve learned, we have a space for you. Ready for a gentle pause? Join the Rooted Reset, our 5-day live experience designed to help you slow down and notice what God is doing in your life. It’s the perfect first step to trade urgency for peace. Learn more and sign up for just $25. Ready for deep transformation? Rooted Return (coming soon!) is our 6-week intensive formation journey where the garden becomes your teacher and obedience becomes embodied. This is for the woman ready to build a life of sustainable, fruitful faith. Learn more and apply.    Connect with Sanda Websites: rootedingrace.me southernsoilsunshine.com   Instagram: @southernsoils Pinterest: southernsoilsunshine

    25 min

  7. FEB 6

    64 | Rooted Moment — Choosing Without Grasping

    A Reflective Pause Following Episode 63: Eden and Gethsemane Rooted Moments are short, spacious reflections designed to help what you’ve heard settle into the body and soul—without pressure to act, decide, or resolve anything immediately. In this episode, we return to the two gardens explored in Episode 63: Eden and Gethsemane. Both are places of real desire, real risk, and real choice. The difference between them is not what is wanted, but how desire is held. This Rooted Moment offers a gentle discernment practice to help you notice where grasping may be present—not with shame, but with compassion—and to explore what it might feel like to loosen your grip without disengaging. In this Rooted Moment, you’re invited to: Notice where choices feel tight, pressured, or urgent Recognize grasping without self-judgment Discern the difference between panic and trust Practice softening control without avoiding responsibility Experience surrender as a form of safety rather than loss This episode is intentionally short and best listened to slowly, with space to pause or revisit if needed. This episode is for you if: You feel anxious or tense around a decision You struggle to trust outcomes you can’t control You recognize patterns of urgency or over-gripping You want to choose faithfully without forcing clarity You long for discernment that feels embodied and gentle How to listen You may want to listen to this episode: while seated quietly with a hand resting over your heart or abdomen during a slow walk without multitasking Let this be a moment of grounding rather than problem-solving. A gentle invitation forward If these Rooted Moments are helping you notice how urgency and control show up in your life, you’re invited to explore Rooted Reset—a live, guided pause for women who want to slow down, listen more deeply, and learn how to choose from trust rather than fear. Rooted Reset isn’t about making big decisions. It’s about becoming present enough to make faithful ones.

    5 min

  8. FEB 3

    63 | Eden and Gethsemane: Two Garden Choices

    Obedience, Trust, and the Formation of the Soul What if the most important spiritual choices we make aren’t dramatic—but formative? In this episode of Rooted in Grace, we step into two biblical gardens that shape the entire story of faith: Eden and Gethsemane. These are not just places in Scripture—they represent two radically different postures toward desire, fear, urgency, and trust. Anchored in a real winter garden season, this episode reflects on loss, restraint, survival, and abundance happening all at once—and how those realities mirror the choices Scripture places before us. Some plants did not make it through weeks of freezing nights. Others quietly endured. New compost is arriving. Seed trays are overflowing with possibility. In the middle of all of it, the garden asks a deeper question: Will you trust—or will you grasp? 🌿 In this episode, we explore: Why Scripture tells its story through gardens—and what that reveals about formation Eden as the place where urgency entered before scarcity How grasping often disguises itself as wisdom, responsibility, or discernment Why waiting can feel unsafe—even when abundance is present Gethsemane as the garden where Jesus redeems Eden through surrender The difference between passivity and obedience under pressure What winter teaches us about letting go, staying present, and trusting what’s unseen Why many faithful women live in constant urgency—and the cost of that posture How surrender forms the soul in ways control never can 📖 Key Scriptures Referenced Genesis 2:16–17 — Abundance with boundary: “Of every tree… you may freely eat” Genesis 3:1–6 — The birth of urgency through mistrust and grasping Proverbs 3:5–6 — Trusting God beyond understanding Matthew 26:36–39 — Gethsemane and the choice of surrender Luke 22:44 — Obedience in anguish 🌱 A question to carry with you You don’t need to answer this quickly. Just notice: Where might you be living from Eden— when God is inviting you toward Gethsemane? Awareness is not weakness. It’s the beginning of formation. 🤍 A gentle invitation If this episode stirred something—if you recognize how urgency, control, or grasping have shaped your spiritual life—Rooted Reset is a guided pause designed to help you slow down, listen, and practice a different posture. It’s not about fixing your life. It’s about learning how to stay present long enough to choose faithfulness.   Next in the Garden Gate Arc: Pruning Is Not Punishment — learning how God uses cutting, limits, and loss to make room for life.

    20 min
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About

A podcast for weary women tending gardens and hearts in small suburban spaces. Hosted by a teacher, pastor’s wife, and backyard gardener, this show blends practical garden wisdom with spiritual nourishment, helping you grow food, faith, and peace — one seed at a time.

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