At Sherwood Park Alliance Church, we talk a lot about doing life together and this story is such a beautiful picture of that. Taryn leads a group of women who meet on Wednesday nights to walk, run or do some sort of fitness activity together. What started as group fitness has become something much deeper. Here's Taryn, in her own words, sharing what this group has meant to her and how God has used it to remind her of His love. I have the privilege of leading an amazing group of ladies on Wednesday nights. We build community through group exercise; either walking, running, or working out in the gym together. I am a perfectionist, and running has been an outlet for me. Watching my pace improve, performing well in races, and becoming more fit gives me great satisfaction and a sense of pride. That being said, I fail to live knowing that Jesus’ love for me is not dependent on how I am doing in individual areas of life. I also tend to believe that God loves me to the degree that I think I am worthy of being loved. On days where I think I’ve served well, I’ve physically performed well, or loved my people well- I think he is elated. On days that I fall flat, I am injured, or I have hurt people in my life- I tend to believe that God is disappointed with me and thinks lower of me. Last year I was training for a marathon and I poured my heart and soul into trying to achieve the “perfect” time. While I was doing this, the ladies in my group showed up for me time and time again. I realized that they did not care about my training- they cared for me for who I am. Every week, they showed up and encouraged me; whether I had just PR’d my 10km time, and when I was at my lowest with a stress fracture in my foot. Through their care, I realized that they were showing me how God actually loves me- steadfast, unchanging, and not based on anything that I could do or any standard I may have set for myself. Often, I don’t feel like I’m leading my group- quite the opposite! I feel like these ladies have led me and helped me grow. I have gained so much wisdom from hearing their stories and I get a window into seeing how they live out their faith at home, at work, and with their children. I mean it when I say that I think my group of ladies are the best. And it is an added perk that I get to combine a group of ladies that I adore with activities that I love every week on Wednesday. I continue to learn so much from the ladies I do life with in this group. They have shown me the Lord’s grace and mercy time and time again. I am thankful that they taught me that God’s love never changes for me, and I look forward to continuing doing life together as a group. We love how God works through relationships and how often the people we think we’re leading end up teaching us something too. Taryn’s story is a reminder that we don’t have to earn God’s love or prove ourselves. He’s steady. He’s present. And He uses community to show us just how real that love is.If you’re looking for connection or a place to grow in your faith, we’d love to help you find a group where you can do life with others too. Walk Run Group Info Here