Our Beginning

Brooke and Bethany have known each other since 1989. They were born into the same family and grew up as close cousins. But it wasn’t until later in life, after finding their husbands and beginning their adult lives that they became close friends and sisters in Christ. They are both incredibly passionate about where God has planted them and desire to grow community and connection through faith-based ministry with the women around them. Too often we try to “get away” to “feel God” or “experience His presence” only to come back home to our sometimes mundane, routine lives and feel empty, without or away from God. We hope to encourage and challenge all who enter here that there’s more that’s meant for your life and it’s your job to seek it out. We hope to be a community that builds up and shows you how to do this. Right where you are.

Our gatherings

We had our first retreat in Fall 2018. We are now planning our Spring Day 2019. We’re just going for it. We are learning as we go. We are asking women what they want and doing our best to fulfill the need! Throughout the years we plan to sometimes take intimate groups of women away for a full weekend like we did with our first group for the Fall Afresh retreat. We cooked together, worshiped outside with our feet on the earth, did yoga and meditation, drank coffee full-time, shared our testimonies and encouraged each other like it was our job. For spring 2019 we have a different vision. We feel the need to jam pack a full day so more women can come, take a day off and out of the busy and just hear from Christian women in our community.

our mission

Our goal has been and will always be to inspire women right where we are, in our little corner of the world in East Central Illinois. We probably won’t have huge famous names coming into town for a conference or speaking event. The voices will be ladies in our own area. We want to do this so that we can build real, lasting community. These will be real women, with real stories, who are vulnerable enough to share in hopes that you will feel permission to share next! We want to use our own women so that when we leave the retreat/conference/event, we can still know and see this person and their life lived out in our very own place. Our voices (Brooke and Bethany) will be loud on this website as we work hard to bring you fruit, grace and truth. We will have guest bloggers/sharing here as well.