By Heidi Bauer

My husband, Cory, and I had been married for 14 years and lived in Bismarck, ND when he was offered a job in Tulsa.  After much prayer we really felt God leading us down a different path and that we should move.  Cory accepted the job and in March of 2015, we drove down to Tulsa and Cory started his new job.   I could only stay with Cory for a few days before I had to go back to Bismarck to sell our house and get everything packed and ready to be loaded onto a moving van.  It was very important for us to find a church in Tulsa that Sunday so Cory could have a connection while he was in Tulsa alone.

Doing Life Together in Community

On that first weekend in Tulsa, we chose two churches to visit.  We attended Eastwood Baptist Church on a Sunday evening expecting a traditional church service.  When we arrived, we were told that instead of a church service that night there were small groups.  We were directed to a group that was meeting at the church and found that the group had a very intimate feel to it.  We could tell the people there loved God and each other.  I left Tulsa after that weekend for a couple of months to sell our house and get everything packed to bring to our new home.  The small group allowed Cory to feel like he belonged and not get lost in the crowd.  Jeremy, the small group leader, was very instrumental in helping Cory feel welcome in Tulsa while he was here alone.  When I came back to Tulsa in May, we continued attending the small group.  For me, it was a very comfortable way to be introduced to a new church.  The small group atmosphere was very instrumental in making us feel welcome and like we belonged at Eastwood.

Welcoming a Daughter

Before moving to Tulsa, we had been working with a private adoption agency in ND to grow our family but had not been matched to any children.  Through our small group, we got to know Jeremy and Sofia and their beautiful family.  Early in 2016, they asked if we would be willing to become foster parents to care for and possibly adopt their niece who would be born in May.  We met our beautiful daughter on May 5th and were able to take care of her daily until we were foster approved in July.  We are now in the process of adopting Bailey!  Through this process, we have also gained a family in Bailey’s biological family as they have taken us in as part of their own family.  God has blessed us with a church home, a beautiful daughter and a large adopted family of our own.

Full Circle

Cory and I now host a small group and give back to others what was given to us, a place to call home.

If you are looking for a place Believe, Belong, and Be Loved, Eastwood Tulsa is the place for you! Small Groups begin February 25^th and runs through the end of May with groups meeting around the Tulsa Metro area on Sunday nights and Wednesdays.  For more information or to sign up for a group, visit https://eastwoodtulsa.org/small-groups.