The Lowly Lodgepole Pinecone

By Laurie Barker Copeland as published in Gritty Faith: Rooted

Summer had finally arrived and we were vacationing in the fascinating Yellowstone National Park. We love going on nature hikes led by the park rangers, and today, I couldn’t stop thinking about the morning’s hike.

I never had an especially huge interest in pinecones until Mike the Ranger taught us about the lowly Lodgepole pinecone. That day, their role in the world made an impact on my life.

Lodgepole pinecones don’t open when they’re done growing like other pinecones do. A sticky substance seals each pinecone scale shut and it stays sealed until the air’s temperature is 113°-140°, as in a forest fire. Until the scales open up, it doesn’t release its seeds.

Forest fires keep forests healthy, but forest fires burn down trees. How can a forest be a forest without trees? In God’s plan, Lodgepole pines can replant themselves through the extreme temperature fires create, which regenerates the whole tree life cycle!

This hit me with a reality check. Life throws us fires—sometimes almost every day. But our Creator God always provides either an answer to put out the fire or an opportunity for new growth. Out of the heat and flames, new life emerges. It is the secret of the Lodgepole pinecone and a promise of God.

Laurie Barker Copeland is an artist and author. Because she loves nature and sees God in His breathtaking creation, her handmade jewelry is accompanied by true stories about seeing God in nature. Each piece of jewelry is made from agates, druzy, quartz, and other natural stones. Laurie's gifting lies in the ability to mix design and gorgeous colors. Wholesale is available at ferneruth.com.