It Rests

Beth is strong, confident, and thoughtful.  As a practicing Lutheran growing up, Beth heard many of the well-known bible stories and remembered the importance of maintaining a strong faith.  However, during her high school and college years, like many of us, she put her faith journey on hold. 

Looking to rekindle her faith practices as an adult, Beth and her family attended services at a neighboring congregation. That church fit the needs of their family while the children were younger, but when Beth and her husband Mark became empty nesters, Beth began to focus more on her own needs. She realized that she needed to find a church that could offer her deeper spiritual growth while also offering her and her husband Mark a place to make a stronger sense of community and connection with a focus on different priorities. “I was looking for a church where I could understand and learn more about Christ and his love,” said Beth.

After joining Easter, they started attending a small Lifegroup. At Easter, a Lifegroup is a small group who learn, serve, and gather around similar life stages or interests. Their Lifegroup offered them a small community where they could make deeper connections. Wanting to go even deeper, Beth joined the Soul Sisters leadership team.  Soul Sisters is a women’s ministry that offers programming designed to specifically meet the needs of women to help them grow in faith and carry on the work of Jesus. “I value the importance of women’s ministry in a church.” Beth said, “I feel women need a place to talk about our unique struggles and to know they are valued and loved.”  Soul Sisters reminds us that while we have many roles as women, our most important role is that of a Child of God. 

As part of a small group that “feels like family,” and through discussions with her fellow Lifegroup and Soul Sister members, Beth shared, “I was able to grow deeper in my faith and learn from others in the group.” Today, Beth and Mark are still part of that same Lifegroup, and Beth continues to serve as a team leader for the Soul Sisters group. Best of all, Beth has been re-energized by the personal relationships she’s been able to build. She’s spiritually growing again.  “I can feel God’s love. I know it is real, and it rests in my soul.”