Ashlie Fletcher: A Renewed Hope

I’ve been thinking recently about what it means to have a solid foundation in Christ. I moved to Atlanta in October of 2023, limping from several difficult years in Los Angeles. I was far from home and navigating deep grief after losing my dad in a plane crash in Alaska.

I was praying for a place—and for a purpose.

That prayer was answered when I stepped into Westside and someone asked my name. Such a simple thing, yet incredibly powerful! I knew I needed deep friendships here. I walked into my first community group only to discover that the hosts had a college friend who lived with my family almost 30 years ago. The elder who conducted my membership interview had worked at my home church in California as a college student 28 years ago—and he remembered my parents mentoring him. Of all the churches I could have walked into!

God had prepared a place for me.

Through my relationships at Westside, God has reminded me that I have value and purpose—and that I am worth it to Him. I may not have an earthly dad, but I have a Heavenly Father who adores me.

My earthly anchors have broken and shifted, but my foundation in Christ holds firm.

I’ve always resonated with Psalm 46:2 as a Californian accustomed to earthquakes: “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains tumble into the sea.” We do not need to fear. Even in grief and uncertainty, Christ is our unshakable foundation.

It’s from this place of gratitude and hope that I’m longing for our Deeper: All Church Retreat on March 6–8. I believe time spent together, the freedom to ask questions, and hearing stories of God’s goodness all contribute to building that foundation in Christ and deepening our relationships with one another. There is a place for everyone at this retreat—in our church and in the Kingdom. Students and grandparents. Singles, children, and parents. Those who are broken or thriving. Those firm in faith or walking through a season of questions.

You have value. You have purpose.

And there are people who want to know your story—a community that wants to know your name.

You are a treasure to Jesus.