When hopelessness amid a time of painful change descended upon Leslie Holl four years ago, during her days as a student at Indiana University, she was unsure where to turn.
“I was not in a good place,” she said. “I was unable to see the light. It felt overwhelming.”
So much so that when a Christian Student Fellowship leader came alongside Holl her sophomore year and suggested she read the book “Uninvited” by Christian author Lysa TerKeurst, Holl wanted no part of it initially. Then an understanding friend proposed that they could read the book together.
That eventual healing journey, and the changes it wrought, are just one reason that Holl will lead the teen girls support group “Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely” beginning Feb. 19 at the Tuesday Connection outreach at Community Church of Columbus. Tuesday Connection regularly offers a collection of children and adults’ weekly support groups, most of them free or with only a nominal fee for materials for anyone interested.
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The groups, which sometimes have attracted as many as 300 people, are open to those from any church or no church, no questions asked.
Holl proposed leading a group so that she could share with teens the hope she found in Christ — all via the book that she at first rejected.
“It really made a huge difference in the way that I learned to see things — and also the way that I thought about everything that has happened in my life,” Holl said.
Holl is confident that she and church member Heather MaGaha, who is leading a companion “Uninvited” group for middle schoolers, can help young women connect to hope for change — and a healthier, more biblically-based general perspective.
“The author shares a lot of her own personal struggles,” Holl said. “And it was really easy for me to relate to what she was going through. And it was really easy to tie my experiences to those that she had had.
“I have to admit, though — I was skeptical (about change) for the first two weeks. But, by the third week, God was pointing out all these different areas where I could see him working in my life.”
Author TerKeurst, long known for her candor and vulnerability in her writing and in her speaking, shares everything from the pain of childhood abandonment by her father to perceived judgments from others. Along the way, the book guides readers with tips on how to process hurt and pain, and how to avoid turning a small incident into a full-blown issue.
Holl aims to help participants find a connection and a sense of trust with others in the group.
“We want the girls in the group to be able to find at least one other person in the group they can share things with,” she said, adding that some could be daunted sharing some things with the whole group. “I definitely do not want this to be just me talking to them.”
Scott Hundley, director of counseling and community at the church, mentioned that support groups ideally live up to their name while offering strength and encouragement.
“We are created for community,” Hundley said. “Every person has that nudge in their life to develop close relationships and attachments. Groups provide a sense of counsel for life change as well as growth in relationships. We are not created to live in isolation.”
In the past, Holl volunteered with another Tuesday Connection group, The Landing, helping teen girls and boys deal with various hurts, harmful habits and hangups.
“I especially saw a lot of different needs with the teenage girls,” she said. “And they were going through very similar experiences of what I had gone through (at college).”
Her goal with the current group is a simple one.
“I want them to find support, know that they can be heard, and discover that they are not alone in these struggles,” Holl said. “And I want them to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
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What: "Uninvited," an eight-week support group for teen girls, based on the book by the same name by veteran Christian author Lysa TerKeurst. The book’s subtitle is "Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely." The author is frank about her own pain, including the childhood abandonment by her father and battling the perceived judgments of others.
When: Begins Feb. 19. Free meal at 5:30 p.m. followed by the group at 6 p.m. Tuesdays (for eight weeks) as part of the larger program called Tuesday Connections.
Where: Community Church of Columbus, 3850 N. Marr Road.
Information: 812-348-6257 or cccolumbus.org
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Adults
- Financial Peace University – Develop a plan of control and management for your family finances.
- Celebrate Recovery – For those battling harmful or life-controlling habits, hang-ups or addictions.
- Hopekeepers – A support group for those struggling with chronic illness or pain.
- Griefshare – A support group for adults who are navigating the loss of a loved one.
- ESL – English as a Second Language. Educational group for all levels of English learners.
- Insight Group – (no pre-registration needed) A support group for adults who have a loved one struggling with addiction.
- Better Together – A marriage enrichment course appropriate for both married and engaged couples.
- Parent Project – An acclaimed program to help parents “out will the strong will” of their teen children.
- Changes That Heal – Women’s only group using the book "Changes That Heal" by Henry Cloud, Discussion topics include; bonding, boundaries, emotional and spiritual growth.
Children
- Celebration Place: (Grades K-6) The uplifting and hope-filled children’s companion to Celebrate Recovery. Children learn how to effectively deal with “hurts, habits and hang-ups.”
- Firm Foundation: (Grades pre-K to sixth grade) An interactive experience designed to help kids build their faith by teaching them who God is and why he deserves worship.
- KidCare: (ages birth to pre-K) Fully staffed and secure nursery and preschool areas. Children still in diapers are welcome.
Participants need not be a member of Community Church of Columbus, or any house of worship.
Information: 812-348-6257 or cccolumbus.org.
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