Hey friends, and happy Friday! Cheers to the second episode of The Happy Hour 2023! I have a first-time guest on today, Ericka Anderson, and she has listened to all five hundred and fifty-one episodes of The Happy Hour! 

Ericka is a mom, wife, freelance writer, and podcaster who recently wrote a book called “Reason to Return,” focused on the topic of women leaving the church. 16 million American women have left the church in the last decade, and Ericka shares a few reasons why. 

Some of these reasons include trauma, busyness, and church hurt. Other women may leave the church because they feel unseen or alone in their current season of life, such as single women not feeling like their needs are being met. Erica even shares her story of church trauma. I’m telling you, her experience is something worth listening to, even if it’s really hard to hear. 

For most women that walk away from the church, it’s not usually because they have a problem with God; it’s the people who have hurt them. After all, churches are full of broken, sinful people  – you and me included! But Ericka’s hope in writing “Reason to Return” is to help draw women back to a body of believers, one that is good and healthy for them to be a part of. 

Ericka and I wrap up our conversation with a beautiful story about the friend Ericka had in mind when she wrote this book. This specific person was absent from the church completely. While Ericka was still writing the book, that woman walked into a church one day and gave her life to Jesus! What an answer to prayer! While Ericka’s friend didn’t read “Reason to Return” before that day, I pray this story brings you hope that there are Jesus-loving people in a church somewhere, ready to welcome you (or someone you know) into their church family. If you or a loved one is in hard church season, I pray you’ll pick up a copy of “Reason to Return” and see how Ericka’s story might minister to you. 

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