We want communities - especially women and people of color - to see God at work and feel encouraged, uplifted and connected.
founder & CEO
Rachael R. Wade
Chief Encouragement Officer
Rachael is a wife, mom of two, bible teacher, and leadership consultant who is passionate about encouraging & equipping women and men with the word of God. She believes in the power of the "in process" everyday story. For this reason, she created Olive Us, a platform where she invites folks to #recount2remember the goodness & faithfulness of God. Writing poetry, prose, and devotionals are some of her favorite ways to share God's glory & love. You can read Rachael's writing at She Reads Truth and on Substack. Living, loving, and leading in San Francisco for the last twelve years, Rachael enjoys teaching at churches throughout the Bay Area. She enjoys an artisanal charcuterie board, laughing with girlfriends in wine country, and planning trips to Japan with her husband Justin and two kids.
The Roots of Olive Us
Behind the Name
Because God is super cool, I had written in my notes to name this project "All of Us." Then weeks later, maybe even months (time is blurry with two small children), I kept being drawn to passages in the Bible with olive tree references. As a tree lover, this sent me down a rabbit hole of research, and I fell in LOVE. The olive tree represents peace, friendship, abundance, and protection. Its roots are indestructible. Despite sweltering temperatures and drought-like conditions, the olive tree can not only live but FLOURISH, because of its connected root system that goes deep into the soil, to the source, to receive nourishment.
While vacuuming one day I yelled out to my husband, "Honey, I don't know how, but I gotta use the olive tree in some project that I start." Then one day, out of nowhere (but really not outta nowhere: from KING JESUS), I looked at my notes and laughed. "Wait…All of Us…sounds like Olive. Is that dumb? Is this it?!" OLIVE US…could this be the name?
How We've Grown
I've always known how passionate I am about encouraging women to see themselves the way God sees them. I've worked in event planning, non-profits, health care, and ministry, and all roads lead to women WINNING. As our national climate continued to point us toward division, comparison, and isolation, I began to feel an unrelenting sense of urgency to encourage women in who they are in Christ. Our struggles, our passions, our highs, our lows, our downright hard times, these are pieces of us that need to be shared within a community of faith. It is so important to recount our stories so that we can remember God's goodness, faithfulness, and steadfast love. And from that conviction, Olive Us was born.
As Olive Us has grown, so has the orchard. What began as a space rooted in encouraging women, and especially women of color, has beautifully expanded, because that is what happens when the work is real: it draws people in. Men, women, and people of every background have found their way here, hungry for the same things: connection, restoration, and a deeper walk with God.
Though I feel especially drawn to work with women and people of color, it has been a profound gift to watch that circle widen. The faith community we are building is for anyone who is ready to recount their story, remember God's goodness, and do this life alongside others who believe they were made for more.
I keep coming back to the analogy of the olive orchard. As a gardener, there are times to focus on one tree or one section that needs special love and care, and other times to step back and tend to the health of the whole orchard. That is how we approach our retreats and faith experiences. Some are designed for specific communities, and each experience will make clear who it is built for. The roots, though, are always the same.
The Vision of Where We Are Going
I want to live in a world where people know that they matter, and that their stories matter. I want faith communities to understand our interconnectedness and to learn how to dig deep into the source that is Jesus. We get our nourishment, our strength, our peace, and our provision from him. We absolutely need each other to grow and flourish. We need each other to remember we are not alone. We were created to be in community with one another, to bear one another's burdens.
Whether you are searching for a Christian women's retreat, a faith-based community experience, or simply a place to be restored and reminded of who God says you are, you are in the right place. Just as God has guided me in every season, through stories, through retreats, through what comes next, I will continue to trust him for the inspiration of what follows. But one thing will be woven throughout: you will leave encouraged, connected, and feeling seen.
The Branches of Olive Us
01
Events
In an ever-evolving artificial and digital world, being in proximity matters. Check out our calendar for events to uplift your spirits.
02
Podcast
Hear our archive of "in-process" stories of God's goodness and faithfulness in people's lives. This is the perfect companion when you're on a walk or during your commute and you want to fill your heart and mind with the work God is doing in the world. Take a listen and send an episode to a friend.
03
Seeds of Encouragement
Rachael’s Substack where words are written in hopes of encouraging, uplifting, uniting, and pointing back to Our Father.
04
Free Resources
These are a few of our favorite things! Tools to help you grow in your emotional, spiritual, and relational health. Curated by Olive Us members in our community.