Where Broken Ground Bears Fruit by Kelly Rohr
When I first joined Word Made Flesh, the term “brokenness” was introduced to me in a way that challenged everything I knew. At Word Made Flesh, brokenness is not seen as a weakness or flaw, it is something to be celebrated. This radical perspective was difficult for me to grasp at first, but I knew I needed to confront it head-on. As I opened my heart to this profound truth, God consistently showed up, teaching me in ways I never expected.
During my visits to our Word Made Flesh partners and communities in the Navajo Nation, Romania, and Moldova, I spent time with our staff and community members, reflecting deeply on the meaning of brokenness. In these moments, it became undeniably clear that God was revealing to me the power and beauty of brokenness, how He uses it to transform lives and bring glory to His name. I discovered something profound in our Word Made Flesh communities: they are built from the broken pieces of people’s lives.
Last summer, I had deeply moving conversations with our staff—conversations that were raw, vulnerable, and honest. They shared their imperfections, their battles, and their pain with me. But in their brokenness, I saw something extraordinary. I witnessed how they transformed their scars into strengths, using their past wounds to heal others and advance His Kingdom.
I saw women who had endured the trauma of sexual abuse stand strong for young girls walking that same dark path, offering them the support they so desperately needed. I watched men who grew up without a father become the very role models they once longed for, providing guidance and strength to the boys in their care.
It is in our brokenness that God works His miracles—drawing us closer to Him and to each other. Our shared struggles and our collective pain become a powerful force of unity through the Holy Spirit.
Brokenness isn’t just something to endure; it’s the very means that God draws us back into His loving arms, where healing and redemption are found.
Henri Nouwen explores the idea that the connection essential for ministry is often rooted in our shared experiences, particularly those that have left us with wounds or scars. In The Wounded Healer, Nouwen writes,
“The great illusion of leadership is to think that a person can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.”
Embracing and sharing our brokenness as a tool for ministry can be one of the most powerful actions we take.
When reflecting on how God can utilize our brokenness, I am reminded of Jeremiah 4:3, where the prophet declares, “Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.” God called Judah and Jerusalem to return to Him from their hardened state. Fallow ground, representing uncultivated and hardened land, is resistant to growth. It requires intense effort to break, yet only when it is shattered can it nurture life. Likewise, God uses our brokenness as a means to renew and restore, allowing us to cultivate something fruitful and new.
Visiting some of our Word Made Flesh communities has taught me a profound truth: brokenness is not a barrier to spiritual growth; it is the very means God uses to reveal His grace and power. Just as the fallow ground in Jeremiah 4:3 must be broken to yield a fruitful harvest; our wounds and imperfections must be embraced and shared. Through this process, we open ourselves to deeper connections with others and a more profound understanding of God’s love. The stories from the Word Made Flesh communities beautifully illustrate this truth, showing how our most painful experiences can be transformed into powerful testimonies of faith and resilience. God uses our brokenness, just as He uses fallow ground, to cultivate something new and life-giving.
About the Author – Kelly Rohr, Former WMF Staff, Advocate
During her time with WMF, Kelly served with a deep passion for missions and for cultivating God-centered relationships with those on the margins. She especially enjoyed walking alongside students and individuals exploring their vocational calling. She led discovery teams to the Navajo Nation and participated on a WMF Romania & Moldova Discovery Team. Though she has since transitioned from staff, Kelly continues to live out these values in her daily life.