When I think about The Rooted Experience, I don’t think about 19 September alone.
I think about everything that happened before that day.
It started with an idea between me and Mercy. We created a group where we could bring everything concerning the event together. But then we looked at the group and thought, we can’t just create a group and leave it dormant.
So we decided to start having Bible studies every Saturday.
And honestly, that became one of my favourite parts of the journey.
We didn’t miss a Saturday.
Every week, we showed up. We studied the Word, asked questions, shared what we were learning and allowed ourselves to grow together. What started as something we thought would simply keep the group active became something that genuinely blessed us.
We learned about waiting on God. We talked about God’s manifestation. We learned about finishing what God has started and even looked at Noah’s story and what obedience looks like when you have to keep building before you see the rain.
Looking back now, I think those Bible studies were part of the preparation for the event itself.
Before we could create a space for other people, God was also preparing us.
Then there were the planning conversations.
The calls.
The voice notes.
So many voice notes.
The chats that would start with one thing about the event and somehow turn into ten other things. We talked about the programme, the speakers, the venue, the activities, the food, the tickets and all the little details that had to come together.
Sometimes we knew exactly what we wanted.
Other times, we were figuring things out as we went.
But we kept going.
And then 19 September finally came.
I remember seeing everything we had been talking about actually happening in front of us.
People were there.
The worship was happening.
People were laughing and interacting.
The games were happening.
The speakers were sharing.
People were connecting.
And honestly, there were moments when Mercy and I looked at each other like, wait… is this actually happening?
Because we had spent weeks talking about this day.
We had prayed about it.
We had planned it.
We had imagined what it would look like.
And now we were standing in it.
That was a testimony for me.
The Rooted Experience was not perfect, and I don’t think it needed to be. What made it special was seeing an idea that had once only existed in conversations become something people could actually experience.
We wanted people to encounter God, but we also wanted them to enjoy themselves. There was worship, prayer, teaching, games, laughter, food, conversations and connection.
And I think that is something I have been learning through Rooted in Grace; walking with God has room for all of that.
There is room to learn.
There is room to pray.
There is room to grow.
There is room to connect.
And there is room to laugh and enjoy the people God has placed around you.
One of the biggest things I took away from the entire journey is that purpose is not always found in one big moment.
Sometimes it looks like showing up every Saturday.
Sometimes it looks like sending another voice note.
Sometimes it is another planning call.
Sometimes it is praying again when you don’t know how everything will come together.
Sometimes it is simply continuing.
And while we were planning an event about Walking in Purpose, I realised that we were also learning what it means to walk in purpose ourselves.
Step by step.
From the group, to the Bible studies, to the planning, to the actual event.
From an idea to something we could finally see, touch and experience.
The Rooted Experience became more than an event to me.
It became a testimony.
A reminder that God can take something small and breathe life into it.
A reminder that we don’t always have to see the whole picture before taking the next step.
And a reminder that sometimes, when you look back, you realise that God was preparing you in ways you didn’t even recognise at the time.
I am grateful for the journey.
Grateful for Mercy.
Grateful for everyone who showed up, supported, prayed, gave, reposted, participated and believed in what we were building.
And most of all, grateful to God for allowing us to see this idea come to life.
The Rooted Experience happened on 19 September.
But the story started long before that.
And honestly?
I think this is only the beginning.