Come and stay: Relationship Rooted in Love

Throughout the Gospels, we read of people’s encounters with Christ, where He invites them to “come and see” who He is. Jesus continues to extend this invitation to each of us today — but how easy is it for us to “stay” in relationship with Him when trials come our way? Furthermore, what does it look like for us to follow in Christ’s footsteps, seeing our interactions with others as opportunities to reveal the Father's love to them?

The theme of this year’s Beloved Daughters Ministry conference is “Come and Stay: Relationships Rooted in Love.” As Rikka, Maria, and Jessica (the founders of Beloved Daughters Ministry) were praying and reflecting on the theme, they considered the many roles women hold. As daughters, friends, mothers, and sisters, women are presented with ample opportunities throughout daily life to cultivate and maintain authentic relationships. Yet often, comparison, fear, insecurities, and responsibilities can get in the way of developing these relationships.

Maria, Rikka, and Jessica have been friends for over ten years. They can attest to the challenges of nurturing their friendship while fulfilling multiple roles and responsibilities. In the midst of it all, they strive to remind each other that disagreements are opportunities to grow in virtue — to help one another become saints and truly see each other in God’s image.

Having previously volunteered together in youth and young adult ministry, we saw the formation of Beloved Daughters Ministry as an opportunity to journey alongside other women as we grow in our identity as beloved daughters of God. As we’ve mentioned at just about every one of our events, we are on the same journey as every other woman — we don’t have it all figured out.

Alongside running this ministry, each of us also has a career: Rikka and Jessica work as registered nurses, and Maria is a dental hygienist. Rikka is also blessed with the roles of wife and mother to four children. Although Maria and Jessica are in a different state of life, the three of us strive to live out the roles of “sister” and “friend” to each other. Oh, how much wisdom we have received from one another amidst our different seasons of life!

As we juggle our many roles, there have been times when our friendships were neglected or tested. In the midst of these challenges, it can be so easy to focus only on your own perspective — on how someone has hurt you or failed to appreciate your efforts.  

Slowly but surely, each of us is learning that every disagreement offers the opportunity to stay, be present, and see things from another’s point of view. We can each attest that this is often challenging and frustrating in the moment. Yet by God’s grace, He continues to open our eyes to truly see one another as daughters of Christ, rather than turning inward on ourselves. This has expanded our capacity to extend love and mercy to each other. Vulnerability has led us to listen more deeply, empathize, and understand. There is a natural delight that comes with sharing life and choosing to stay with the friend placed before us.
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Planning ministry events together reminds us that we are on the same team. We share the same mission: to grow in love for Christ and to share that love with others. This ministry has provided space and opportunities for us to grow in holiness and virtue.

More recently, as we plan our upcoming conference, we have also been reminded of the simple joy of having fun together! Sharing laughter has helped us not to take ourselves so seriously — and to remember that when we live under the freedom of being beloved daughters, God’s grace makes up for all that we lack. Within the Father’s love, there is freedom to make mistakes and to allow Him to transform them into opportunities to increase our capacity to give and receive love.

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Written by Jessica, Beloved Daughters Ministry, Calgary.

Beloved Daughters Ministry’s third annual women’s conference will be held this coming May 9-10, 2025 at Saint Michael Church. Over the course of the two day conference guest speakers, and mother-daughter duo, Rachel and Debbie Herbeck, will accompany women as they explore what it looks like to come, and stay, in relationship with Jesus. From this they will be unpacking how remaining rooted in Christ’s love enables the flourishing of all other relationships. 
 
Throughout the conference there also will be opportunities to participate in praise & worship, prayer ministry, adoration, the sacrament of Confession, as well as a local Christian vendor market. For more information regarding this event, visit: www.beloveddaughtersyyc.com.