Where Roots Run Deep KDP Formatted Draft DONE 33 12222

A Devotional Journey for Women By: Kristin Cohn

Copyright © 2026 Kristin Cohn All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the author, except for brief quotations used in reviews or scholarly works.

DEDICATION To my mother, Linda - a pillar of strength and faithful follower of Christ. Your love has never been measured by circumstances, seasons, or performance. It has been steady, patient, and unwavering. You believed in me long before I fully believed in myself. You saw strength in me when I only saw uncertainty. You encouraged my voice when it was quiet and affirmed my calling before it had formed. Through every season - childhood wonder, growing pains, marriage and motherhood- you have remained constant. Your prayers covered me. Your wisdom steadied me. Your presence reassured me. You have modeled devotion as a daughter, faithfulness as a wife, tender strength as a mother, and enduring grace as a grandmother and great- grandmother. Your never-ending love has shaped my roots more deeply than I can fully express. This book carries your imprint - your steadiness, your faith, your belief in me. Thank you for always reaching back when I reached up, and for teaching me how to stand. I am who I am, in so many ways, because of you. To my children, thank you for the love, grace, patience, and strength you have brought into my life through every season. Being your mother has shaped my heart more deeply than words can fully express. Each of you has taught me something about faith, resilience, sacrifice, and unconditional love. And especially to my son Riley - thank you for encouraging me to make the trip to see my little sister during what became our final time together. What felt like a simple dinner became one of the greatest gifts God could have given me before her unexpected passing. I will forever remain grateful for your persistence, your compassion, and the role you played in giving me one last precious memory with her. God used you in a moment that changed my life forever, and I will always carry that gratitude within my heart.

Acknowledgements This book is written with deep gratitude for the people and moments that have shaped my faith, strengthened my character, and helped me see God more clearly in every season of my life. First and foremost, I give thanks to God, who remains faithful in every storm and steady in every season. His presence has been my anchor, His Word my foundation, and His grace my continual source of strength. Every page of this work is ultimately a reflection of His guidance and sustaining love. To the women who have walked beside me-friends, mentors, and sisters in faith-thank you for your honesty, your prayers, and your example. Your lives have reflected the very truths written within these pages, often without you even realizing it. To those who have walked through seasons of suffering, uncertainty, or waiting, yet continued to trust God anyway-your strength has not gone unnoticed. Your lives have helped shape the heart of this message. And to every reader who picks up this book, thank you. My prayer is that you find encouragement, restoration, and renewed faith as you walk through your own seasons of storms and stillness. Finally, I acknowledge that all biblical references and Scripture quotations used throughout this book are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Holy Bible.

Introduction The Call to Biblically Centered Womanhood In a world that measures women by performance, Scripture calls us to something deeper: presence before God. Culture asks us to prove ourselves. To achieve it. To maintain. To curate. To hold everything together without visible strain. We are evaluated by productivity, appearance, emotional composure, parenting outcomes, relational harmony, and spiritual consistency. We are subtly taught that strength means managing it all quietly - without trembling, without questioning, without fatigue. But Scripture, especially the books of Proverbs and Psalms, offers a different rhythm. They do not demand performance. They invite honesty. The Psalms give voice to every emotion a woman carries - joy, sorrow, strength, doubt, courage, praise, lament, hope, fear, gratitude, and longing. They reveal that spiritual maturity is not the absence of emotion, but the faithful expression of it before God. The book of Proverbs offers one of the most beautiful and practical portraits of a godly wife and mother-especially in Proverbs 31. It doesn’t describe perfection, but rather a woman of strength, wisdom, faith, and intentional love. These books are an invitation to live not as a cultural ideal, but as a woman centered in faith and grounded. Not polished. Not performative. But anchored....