MCCREARY COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56) — In early 2023, Veronica Stephens of McCreary County felt a calling to help and encourage women in her community, leading her to start her own ministry known as Women of Worship.

The ministry has slowly grown over the last several months.

Its goal is simple: to help women who are struggling and to provide hope. Whether it be for women battling depression, trying to escape an abusive relationship, or simply looking to better themselves, Stephens wants to bring women together to be the hands of Jesus.

It’s about being loving and kind, and she said the best way to do that is by helping one another.

Although much of the help and guidance offered derives from the Bible, Stephens said you don’t have to be a believer.

“Even if you mess up, it’s okay,” Stephens said. “You just ask for forgiveness and ask God to help you do better, and that’s the relationship with Jesus; it’s just a complete surrender of, you know, knowing that I can’t live this life and be perfect, and I’m never going to be perfect, but once you receive Jesus in your heart, then he just makes you better.”

From Bible studies to prayer sessions to even just meals with members of the ministry, they’ll hold a number of events meant to get the women they serve together.

One of the main ways the ministry helps the women they serve is through testimonials. Women are sharing their stories about how Jesus has helped them overcome their personal struggles.

Everyone is welcome to the ministry, Stephens said. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been to church in your life or have been going every Sunday since you were born. Stephens wants to show women that there is hope.

She said women are already paying it forward, taking it upon themselves to help others.

In describing one woman who is giving back to the women the ministry serves, Stephens said:

“She wanted to start something in the community of a grief program. We’re a rural county; we don’t have a whole lot of things that people can do or go to. If there is anything, it’s usually 20 to 30 minutes out. So, she wanted to start like a grief program, too, where they would meet weekly and just kind of have discussions to get over their grief but help each other and through that process, and it was all because she came to some of our events and got inspired.”

To learn more, you can find Women of Worship on Facebook here.