Today we hear from Embrace Leader: Lt. Amanda Keene, corps officer at the Logansport, IN corps as she shares about her first experience leading Embrace.
Did you have any expectations about Embrace before your first gathering? I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I was bringing together a group of women who didn’t know each other for the most part, were coming from different backgrounds, different ages, different races….I didn’t know how they would get along or if they would open up!
What (if anything) surprised you about the questions? The questions were simple yet thought provoking, and I LOVED that. For a long time, I’ve been hoping for a women’s ministry option that provided a space for real, deep, authentic experiences and sharing. Embrace helped bring that space!
How did your women respond? I could not believe how much these women talked! My goodness! It was INSANE to see God’s hand at work. I had no idea what many of the women were going through but there were common threads that strung us ALL together. I watched in amazement as the women answered honestly, bravely, and supported one another. And it was only the first week!!
It what way do you hope Embrace build community in your corps? Of course, my hope is that maybe the women that come from the Embrace groups will be bridged over to the corps. HOWEVER, if this doesn’t happen then it’s ok because I know that God is working in their lives! That’s what is important. I’m hoping that soon enough, there will be multiple Embrace groups and that women all over Logansport and Cass County will be transformed and changed through these groups.
Additional comments: I cannot thank you enough for helping us to get out of our traditional women’s ministries and reminding us what community and living life together is all about!
