“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”— E.E. Cummings
There are moments in life when people begin searching not just for a church but for a place where they no longer feel the need to hide parts of themself to belong.
For Robyn Tuwei, being part of a faith community has always been important to their family. They longed for a spiritual home that felt aligned with their values. A place where people can show up authentically and feel genuinely welcomed and affirmed. Because for many people, the deepest spiritual wounds do not come from losing faith itself, but from quietly wondering whether it is truly possible to be both authentic and fully accepted.
Long before arriving at Good Shepherd, Robyn’s spiritual life had been shaped by openness and curiosity. Though they came to Jesus in college, they had spent years exploring different faith traditions and perspectives. What ultimately drew them deeper into Christianity was the experience of friends and community close to them. People who created the safety for spiritual growth to happen naturally.
That sense of safety and belonging became transformative.
Finding the affirming and accepting church community at Good Shepherd has impacted not only Robyn individually but also their family as a whole. Through involvement in Small Groups and the Justice Team, they discovered spaces where they could participate fully, share openly, and feel genuinely valued.
What stands out most in Robyn’s story is the way service and compassion are deeply intertwined.
As a teacher, they have long felt drawn to helping others through education and understanding. Their work with the Justice Team at Good Shepherd reflects the same calling. Creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and compassionate learning, even among people with differing perspectives. As a nonbinary person, Robyn also understands firsthand the importance of spaces where people feel seen, respected, and safe enough to show up fully as themself.
Their experiences serving others have also reshaped the way they care for themself. Having a deep desire to show others dignity and grace, Robyn has begun paying closer attention to their own inner dialogue and self-talk as well.
Grace, they have learned, is not only something offered outwardly. It is something practiced inwardly, too.
Today, Robyn speaks about living more fully aligned with the values that matter most to them and their family. They have learned to recognize what nurtures peace and what drains it. And perhaps most importantly, they have learned that belonging does not require performance.
“God loves me the way I am.”
It is a simple statement, but one that holds extraordinary freedom for all of us.
After years of feeling the need to wear a mask or hide parts of themself, Robyn found in Good Shepherd the freedom to show up more fully as themself.
And maybe that is what sacred community is meant to do: remind people they no longer have to hide in order to belong.
Story Captured May 2026, by Jeannine Lindstrom
