In the Spring of 2018, our local church offered about 4 Bible study options for women to choose from. Unlike previous semesters, I walked in that morning having already decided to go to whichever class my friend Cate chose. I didn’t care which one, I just wanted some extra time with my sister-friend. So, we walked down the hall to a class on waiting, and also the only choice I didn’t feel a particular passion about. As the semester progressed, the subject never particularly resonated with me. 

BUT GOD!

Scripture and relationships are always relevant.  By Spring’s end, I had forged a deep bond with the women at my table.  My table leader texted me the night before the last session and asked if I’d give my testimony on waiting in front of the room. I felt totally exposed. Was this the point I took the mask off and said, “ummmm, I’m not really waiting on anything. I’m just here to hang out with Cate?”  I suggested she ask another girl, Rose. Or Cate. She said, “no you.” So, I wrote down my story. At first, I thought I’d talk about my journey through grief over my mother’s neurological disease. But how did that pertain to waiting? It didn’t. 

In the end, I told a small room of 20 women that I’d always wanted to write books and stories, but somehow I was still struggling with an indiscernible mix of bad timing or lack of gumption or exhaustion from life. I expressed how those feelings all seemed to culminate in some major shame. Why haven’t you done this yet? This is why you are on Earth. WRITE! I stood there and told my story.  Knees knocking. Heart pounding. Face flushing. This story is so dumb, it’s so whiny, an ugly voice roared in my head. When I was finished, I closed my notes, sat down and let it all drift out of my mind. But across the room, my friend Hazel did not forget my story.

A few months later, I was sitting in our family car scrolling through my phone in the Whataburger parking lot, while my husband ran inside with our kids to get milkshakes. My phone beeped and it was Hazel. Her text was pretty cryptic. “Hey, I’ve been talking with Jazmin about Bible Study next spring and we wanted to meet up to talk with you about some things.” First of all, who was Jazmin? Secondly, “sure!” 

We decided to meet at a local bagel shop on her way to work the next week. When I got there, she was early and had a stack of studies. She explained briefly that a week earlier,  she and Jazmin (her long-time friend and accountability partner) sat in that same spot and dreamed about writing a bible study that would be inductive and lead women to engage with scripture deeply. Along with each chapter, they planned to include stories of everyday women. “We want your help. We want to use your story, and we were wondering if you’d be interested in writing the other stories.”

“YES!” I said before I actually grasped the entire vision. But, that impulsive yes was the first step. A friendship and a collaboration was born that day and then solidified in the process of gathering stories, interviewing women, studying scripture.  

In the Fall of 2019, we launched Hebrews: An Anchor of Hope in a Sea of Feelings.  Our passion was that the women at our church would dive into Hebrews and learn from God Himself, through the movement of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Our second objective was that women would engage scripture with one another in small groups as well as learn from a handful of large group teachers on a weekly basis. A teaching team and small group leaders emerged from the women in our church (many of whom, I might add, sometimes believed themselves to be far from worthy to lead).  Thirdly, we dreamed about worship that was simple and heartfelt, giving women a chance to sing together weekly. 

And as we watched the study come together, the Lord Himself, orchestrated it all out of our trepidation and doubt. As He brought it to fruition, we began to wonder if more women had every day needs and desires to study the Word. We wondered if women outside of the walls of our church walls would also want to gather around the well of the Bible and quench their thirst at the eternal well. We wondered if more women might have stirrings in their hearts to lead in teaching, discussion, and worship.

We are The Gathering Well. A Place to connect Everyday women in Spirit, in Truth, and in Worship

We exist to abide in the greatest instruction given to those that believe in Jesus Christ. Our mission is to go, to make disciples, and to teach what the Lord has commanded to those around us.

Our purpose is to Encourage, Equip, and Empower others to pursue an active and personal relationship with the Lord and His Word. We invite others to join us in:

Beginning with Prayer

Being in the Word

Building Community