FLOURISH

by Kori Yates

I don’t want to simply survive. 

Military life can bring its own set of challenges. I totally get it. From deployments to field training, and test flights to PCSs (moving), we walk through tough situations. Listening to those around me and even hearing words from my own mouth, I sense us many times wishing or wanting things to be easier instead of walking in faith.

Amid the hard and difficult, the weary and sad, we can get caught up in wishing for what we left behind or wanting something more. We say things like: 

“When this deployment is over, I’ll…” 

 “At our next duty station, I’ll…” 

 “When I retire, I’ll…”

Sometimes these words can signal goals we are working to achieve or activities dependent upon certain locations or circumstances. However, I think often they are our way of putting off what God has called us to in order to simply survive the place where we live. 

I have totally been there.

I believe God has something more for us than simple survival.

He wants us to flourish, which means to grow, thrive, increase, and bloom.

Flourish today, in the place where you find yourself, not in some unknown place down the road at some undesignated time. Walk in the strength, hope, and freedom that only comes from Him.

At Planting Roots we have attempted to dig into just that. How do we flourish where we are today? How do we thrive during trips to the sandbox or out on the ocean? How do we find joy despite crazy parenting or difficult marriages? How do we bloom when friendships constantly change and transitions are a normal part of life? How do we increase our prayer lives? How do we flourish in all of it?

Difficult questions when we’re smack in the middle of hard.

Psalm 92:12-13 reminds us:

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.

In Christ we can flourish in the arid desert just as much as in the fertile fields. God has more for us than barely making it from day to day. 

We are no longer wishing and wanting but walking in faith.

We are no longer simply surviving but we are planted to flourish wherever the military sends us!

We hope this plan encouraged you. Explore other resources at www.plantingroots.net