As we hit our four-year mark here at Planting Roots, I am in awe of what the Lord has done, not just in Planting Roots but also in me. Through His grace, patience, love and power, He has done a work in my heart, but He has also renewed a vision for all that He has yet to do.

Years ago, God began whispering in my heart – “What if military women (both wives and women in uniform) came together to encourage and equip each other in our walk with the Lord?” “What if we connected with each other, then challenged and encouraged each other to follow God with our whole heart wherever God had plants us?” “What if we all found our stability in Christ, purpose in our place, and impacted a world for Christ?”

What if?

I have found in the past few years that God has whispered these same things in the hearts of hundreds of godly military women. With around 250,000 military women around the world, the possibilities of what God could do with us is beyond even my imagination. Can you imagine us as one of the greatest missionary movements of our time, simply because we were obedient and courageous in following the Lord in the place where we are? It’s a vision only God could bring to fruition.

Jeremiah 17:8, our theme verse, tells us the tree “does not fear when heat comes,” “nor worries in a year of drought,” and “never fails to bear fruit.” The tree accomplishes these things because it is planted by the water and sends out its roots by a stream. The tree can withstand much and continue to grow and flourish because it found the source of life.

I want to be that tree.

Planting my roots in the dirt where I am is not going to do it, however. My strength, my hope, my stability all come from one life source. That is where I have to plant my roots. Our lives as military women can be crazy and hard, but God intentionally put us in the place where we are. His desire is not for a life of misery or heartache, but one of abundance (John 10:10). He has a plan for each of us.

He is our source of life, but He has also given us each other. As women, we find encouragement and strength in our battle buddies – the women who walk this road with us. Together we worship, share stories of what God has done, give godly counsel to those who are struggling, watch each other’s kids, make meals for each other, use the gifts God has given us to make a difference in the lives of those around us.

We walk together in this thing called life, seeking all the while to follow Jesus.

This is the heart of Planting Roots, bringing military women together to hear encourage and equip each other as we all seek to wholeheartedly follow Jesus in the place where He has planted us. Individually, we make a difference where we are. Together, we impact the world for Christ.

Just ordinary women seeking to follow Jesus and make Him known.

We are Planting Roots.