Beth Warlick

Beth's Story

I was the youngest of three children and the only girl. Both of my parents worked full time and Dad traveled out of town often. We moved every couple of years until I was in 4th grade. Although, God and church were not a big part of our family life, we did celebrate Christmas and Easter and usually went to church on those days each year.

When I was 11, my neighbors began taking me to their evangelical Lutheran church. I liked going to church and sang in the choir, went through catechism and was baptized. By the time I went to college, however, I had lost interest in God and decided to become an athiest.

When I was 19, my parents decided to get divorced. Not long after that, my brother, Rick, died in a motorcycle accident. Somehow I managed to get through my next semester in nursing school, but my grades were suffering so I dropped out and went to Sun Valley, Idaho and lived with some other college dropouts. After a few months of lots of drugs and drinking, I was chronically sick and knew I needed to get out of that lifestyle. Thankfully, I did and was able to finish college while living in Texas with my Mom and her new husband.

By the time I turned 25, I had been married for a little over a year. My husband was a medical student and nearly always busy going to classes or studying. I felt isolated and alone. For years, I had secretly suffered from an eating disorder and it got much worse resulting in severe depression and increasing thoughts of suicide. It was then that I was able to hear Christ calling me to invite Him into my life and I did.

Immediately, God began changing me little by little beginning with my foul language. Within a couple of weeks, I joined my first ladies Bible study and I quickly developed a voracious appetite for God and His Word.

For the 34 years since I asked Jesus to come into my life, God has brought much healing (no more eating disorder!), peace and joy into my life. In addition, by God's grace, I have healthy relationships with God and others. God's grace has been truly amazing!

My husband and I have been married for 35 years, now. He is an unbeliever still, but we have a good relationship of love and respect. God blessed us with four great children who are now grown and on their own. Our first grandchild is due July 22, 2010!

I have had the privilege of leading Bible studies for the past 29 years. During that time I taught Precept Bible studies for about 10 years and served as a Precept Area Trainer in Virginia and Kansas for several years.

Being part of the team developing the Establishing God’s Peace (EGP) Bible journal and studies since 1993 has given me greater joy than I could have imagined. God uses these studies to change lives. I want women everywhere to know about EGP and to learn to use the tools that have made all the difference in my life and in the lives of hundreds of women in the US and elsewhere.

After several missions trips to Ukraine, God led me to complete a Masters degree in Russian and East European Studies at the University of Kansas. In all, God took me to Ukraine 16 times. As an added bonus, Verna was with me for the last 10 trips! God enabled us to minister to young adults and missionaries during all of those amazing trips.

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. I had symptoms for over 20 years beginning with the birth of our fourth child. I had chronic pain and fatigue. Some weeks it was hard to get out of bed and long naps were part of my daily routine the whole time I was raising our children.

Finally, a few years ago, I was diagnosed with two forms of Lyme and after two years on antibiotics and various other things, I was able to recover. Unfortunately, after only a year of good health, I contracted another form of Lyme and had to undergo another year of treatment.

Thankfully, I am once again healthy and free of pain and fatigue and am grateful that God was there to carry me through all of those years when I wasn’t well. It amazes me that during that time, He used me in my weaknesses and pain to not only raise the kids, but to write Bible studies, make trips to Ukraine, finish graduate school and grow so much closer to Him.

Currently, I am leading two weekly women’s EGP Bible study classes and co-teaching an IFI re-entry class the Lansing Prison each week. Before class, a few of the prisoners and I get together to study Russian. It is a blessing to get to keep using my Russian language skills and share them with others.

I love to spend time getting to know God, read, write studies, walk our dogs, run with my husband and visit with family. My 82 year old Mom lives with us and God has given me the privilege of getting to serve her as she ages.

Life is always a challenge, but with God and His unending grace through Jesus and His Spirit, it is the greatest