Who Are Your People?
A lesson about strength, connection, and growing together.
A daily devotional adapted from The Drive podcast
Ever since I was little, I’ve loved the outdoors.
I had a Davy Crockett hat, a wooden rifle, and an imagination that could keep me exploring for hours. That love only grew as I got older—especially once I had children and saw how naturally they fell in love with nature too.
There is just something about being outside that can’t be duplicated.
I learned that the hard way after taking my girls on a full, three-day Disneyland trip—hundreds of dollars, endless lines, total exhaustion—only to ask them afterward what their favorite part was.
They both shouted, “THE BEACH!”
Ten dollars to park.
Nature has a way of grounding us. Teaching us. Speaking to us—if we’re willing to listen.
George Washington Carver once said,
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”
I believe that’s true.
Lessons Hidden in Plain Sight
I once used to teach my students with a simple puzzle experiment. I’d ask one to come up and put together a small puzzle—easy enough. Then I’d say, “Actually, let’s just shake the box and dump it out. Surely after enough tries it’ll land perfectly assembled, right?”
They’d laugh. Of course it wouldn’t happen.
And yet somehow, we’re expected to believe that everything in this world—our bodies, relationships, ecosystems—just randomly fell into place.
Nature testifies of design. Of intention. Of God.
And sometimes, we miss the lessons right in front of us—like the pigeons in the movie Bolt, completely surrounded by signs pointing to the truth, yet never turning around to see it.
We do that too.
A Lesson from the Redwoods
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve ever learned came while walking through the redwoods in California with my girls.
The size of those trees is overwhelming. Some are as wide as buildings and older than nations. I remember wondering how roots strong enough to support something so massive could possibly exist.
Then I learned something surprising.
Redwood roots don’t go deep.
They grow outward—intertwining with the roots of other trees.
That’s their secret.
They don’t stand because they are independent.
They stand because they are connected.
And the moment I learned that, the lesson was unmistakable.
We were never meant to grow alone.
Strength Comes from Connection
When life gets hard, our instinct is often to isolate.
“I’m fine.”
“I just need space.”
“Leave me alone.”
But healing doesn’t happen in isolation.
I learned that personally during one of the most painful seasons of my life. At first, I pulled away from people. But eventually, I started doing something simple—spending time with good people.
Hiking with one friend.
Fishing with another.
Working out with someone else.
I wasn’t even talking much about my pain—but I could feel myself getting stronger. Their strength was quietly becoming mine.
Nature teaches this everywhere.
Animals survive in herds, flocks, and packs. Predators work to isolate the weakest—especially the young—because separation makes them vulnerable.
The same is true spiritually and emotionally.
Who Are Your People?
Not just the people you hang out with—but the people who have your back.
The ones who may not always tell you what you want to hear, but will always tell you what you need to hear.
The ones who would choose you over convenience.
Once you find them—stay close. Call them. Spend time with them. Let your roots intertwine.
And for those who are younger: don’t make the mistake of thinking independence means isolation. Family, trusted adults, and faith communities exist to protect and strengthen you—not limit you.
You Are Never Alone
Even if your circle feels small, there is One who never forgets you.
Isaiah wrote:
“Can a woman forget her sucking child…?
Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.”
You are carried. Known. Remembered.
Your pain is His concern.
Your storms are not faced alone.
The more you intertwine your life with Him—and with people who love you—the stronger and taller you will grow.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Reach out to someone from your tribe today.
Have lunch. Make the call. Send the message.
Strengthen the roots.
And if you can, spend a few moments in nature—listening for what God might be teaching you there.
For daily devotionals and episode topics, visit
https://joshdowns.com/daily-devotionals
For weekly gospel-based lessons designed for teens, visit
https://joshdowns.com/come-follow-me-for-teens
