Picayune People: Pandemic got children’s pastor, fitness instructor Rebekah Jones up and running 

In addition to being a marathon runner, Cottonwood Shores resident Rebekah Jones can be a youngsters’s pastor at RockPile Church, an advocacy coordinator for the Highland Lakes Crisis Network, and a coach at Verus Strength and Fitness. Staff picture by Brigid Cooley

Cottonwood Shores resident Rebekah Jones started coaching for her first half-marathon in 2020, hoping to discover a sense of normalcy and a objective to work towards in the course of the early days of the pandemic. Now, with each a half- and a full marathon on the books, Jones goals of taking her newfound passion all the best way to the Boston Marathon. 

“I’m simply in love with how (operating) has modified me holistically, the way it encompasses my psychological, emotional, and bodily well being, and the way I’m rising in these issues,” she mentioned.

A passionate particular person by nature, Jones has shared her love of health with the Marble Falls neighborhood as a coach at Verus Strength and Fitness for the previous 2½ years. She tries to maintain her operating observe for herself, nonetheless, utilizing it as a instrument to navigate her each day life. 

“(Running) is nearly meditative for me,” she defined. “Especially in 2020 and 2021, a lot on the earth appeared prefer it was shifting locally. (Running) was only a place the place I might spend half-hour, an hour, two hours, three hours in my very own house processing life.”

Jones ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Antonio in December of final 12 months and is at present coaching for her second and third full marathons.

In addition to being a runner and coach, Jones holds a variety of titles throughout the Highland Lakes neighborhood. She at present serves as advocacy coordinator for the Highland Lakes Crisis Network and kids’s pastor on the nondenominational RockPile Church in Marble Falls. 

Although a lifelong Christian, Jones by no means envisioned herself within the latter function, however when her church’s youngsters’s pastor relinquished the place in 2018, she felt known as to fill it. 

“I grew up in a household that was at all times concerned in ministry, however I can’t say that children’ ministry was on my checklist of issues I used to be going to do,” she mentioned. “I used to be considering extra like worship or, particularly, ladies’s ministry. But I’m a ‘see a necessity, fill a necessity’ form of particular person.”

Through her pastoral function, Jones primarily works with youngsters from prekindergarten by means of the fifth grade, organizing classes to show throughout Sunday service. To do that, she spends a variety of time learning the Bible and arising with methods to make its classes comprehensible. She additionally engages one on one with dad and mom within the congregation to raised meet the wants of their youngsters. 

One of her favourite issues about her job is the spontaneity youngsters deliver into her life. 

“Kids will ask the strangest questions, and they’ll throw you off,” she laughed. “(Working with them) has actually freed me as much as embrace the internal little one in me and to loosen up somewhat bit. I take pleasure in their directness and that they see the world very clearly. That’s one thing I feed off of, and it encourages me in my each day life.” 

Jones additionally has a ardour for serving to ladies develop of their relationships with Christ. She co-hosts a Christian way of life podcast known as “Redefined,” which is accessible on the HUB Radio Network and all over the place podcasts are streamed. The podcast focuses on themes similar to purity in on a regular basis life, find out how to stay authentically, and other ways to worship. 

However, she believes the easiest way she will go the Christian religion on to the individuals she serves is by always engaged on her personal relationship with God.

“The best reward I may give is to actually stroll in humility, grace, and love, be sincere about who I’m and the way I’m rising within the Lord, after which inviting (individuals) alongside that journey as nicely,” she defined.

Even along with her {many professional} commitments, Jones at all times carves out time to lace up her trainers 5 evenings every week and embark on long-distance runs, which may span 5 to twenty miles. She views this time as a chance to develop stronger in her relationship with herself and with God.

“(Running) is a bodily reminder that I’m a piece in progress, and that’s the fantastic thing about being a human being,” she mentioned. “I’m nonetheless rising, and this funding is main in direction of my final objectives and instructing me to provide myself grace in that course of.”

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