Two smiling women in the outdoors with matching hats and t-shirts that say "Embrace challenge: Experience change" with the header text: "I witnessed her transform from ISOLATION to INFLUENCE"

Hello, dear friend!

Grab a cup of coffee and buckle up because I’m taking you on an adventure through one of best things I’ve ever witnessed…

We had just wrapped up the year 2020 with a global pandemic, social isolation, financial uncertainty, and a new baby. Then my mom died suddenly. Needless to say, I was in a season of grief.

Oh, and our family was gearing up to move overseas to Haiti. No big deal, right? Just a simple little uprooting and relocating to a developing country with political unrest and limited resources, with three kids in tow.

As we were packing and prepping to leave the US, the house next door came up for rent. I remember praying very specifically for someone with kids for my kids to play with, and a friend for me. Simple request, right?

Little did I know that God was about to deliver BIG TIME.

Sandy & Brooks moved in with their 3 kids right around my kids’ ages. Yay! Being the social butterfly I am, I kind of forced my way into Sandy’s life. I invited her over, invited myself over to her house, and offered for her to join my mom group.

We hung out and instantly became deep friends.

Like, the soul-level friends where you can be 100% yourself and say the things you shouldn’t say around other people and show up with greasy hair and spit-up stains with zero judgment. She was the friend I didn’t know I needed.

But I held her at bay, because I knew we’d be leaving and didn’t have any idea when we’d return.

Soon we finally got the green light to move, so we packed up and went. I’ll save those stories for another time, but I’ll tell you that we really thought it would be a long-term move. Long story short, we had to leave Haiti more suddenly than expected, and just as surprising, we ended up right back in Bastrop, Texas.

And Sandy was right where I had left her — right next door.

*Sandy & Claire at a Summit Mother+Daughter Retreat, 2025*

Sandy and I instantly reconnected and continued right where we’d left off. Late nights laughing until we cried. Play dates with wild children all over us. Deep secrets shared, warm embraces, strong coffee. It was a dream come true – No – It was an answer to prayer.

When I met Sandy, I thought she needed me.

You see, I had prayed in Haiti that God would bring mamas into my life who had a different motherhood experience than mine so I could expand my understanding and somehow support them in their journeys. Wow, did He ever deliver!

Sandy’s journey was so different from mine, yet we found common threads in every conversation.

When I met her, I thought the Lord put me in her life so she could meet Jesus.

But I soon realized that He had rather put her in MY life so I could witness a miracle:

A life so radically transformed by Jesus that I couldn’t help but jump onboard.

After a season of such dark grief, I needed someone to remind me of God’s goodness.

Someone to get so excited about Jesus that she literally squealed when she learned something new in His Word.

Someone to ask me hard questions about what I believe and remind me why I choose to follow Jesus with my whole heart.

She revived my soul. She renewed my faith. And she pointed me back to my Savior when I needed it most.

She was the friend I never knew I needed.

Sandy eventually agreed to tag along with me to social events and started making friends with my friends. She joined our local MomCo group and stepped out of her comfort zone. She started coming to church and Bible study regularly. She gave her life to Christ, igniting a fire in her soul. Then I had the honor of baptizing her in December of 2022.

Her story of overcoming addiction, isolation, and depression started inspiring others to grow closer to Christ.

Her fire became contagious.

*Sandy teaching at MomCo, Fall of 2025.*

Now, just three years later, Sandy’s life is absolutely transformed. She is healthy, growing, serving, and leading.

In addition to her sphere of influence inside of her own home, she serves as Coordinator of a MomCo group, a Women’s Ministry leader, and a Children’s Ministry volunteer. She has flourished in her leadership and servanthood in ways that I never could’ve even imagined.

God put Sandy in my life for a reason.

I witnessed her transform from isolation to influence.

*Sandy, Stacy, & Leslie at Women’s Camping Weekend, Winter 2023.*

I’m sure you’re not surprised, but now Sandy is also a volunteer with Summit Outdoor Leadership. She has attended our camping trips, retreats, discipleship cohorts, and more.

But this year, she’s not just attending our WILD Retreat – Sandy is co-leading WILD Retreat with me! Talk about a full circle moment!

*Sandy & Claire at WILD Retreat, Spring 2025.*

WILD Retreat is our annual women’s cabin weekend.

We invite all women who want to:

grow closer in relationship to God,
bear fruit in the world,
and live without fear,

Join us on May 1-3 in Buda, Texas for a weekend together with other Christian ladies. Learn more here >

Sandy and I are beyond excited to see who God brings this year.

Will it be you? Someone you know? Your next door neighbor, co-worker, or barista? We want to challenge you to boldly ask God who you know that needs to attend.

Maybe it’s someone else. But maybe it’s you, too. Would you pray about it?

Spots are filling up fast, which makes us SO pumped. But we don’t just want to fill spots — we want the right people to be there that God has already ordained. If you think even for a second that it might be you, reach out. Let’s chat about it. We’ll ease your nerves, answer your questions, and encourage you to faithfully abide and courageously obey. And P.S., don’t let finances get in the way. Just get in touch.