3 - Finding a Home for Faith
The Search for Belonging
Welcome to the next installment of The Lydia Effect (If you’re new here, catch up anytime with the Table of Contents).
In the first two chapters, we named the hunger for meaning and the identity crisis unfolding all around us. This week, we arrive at the heart of the matter: belonging.
Finding a place to belong is hard. Community is messy. And yet we need spaces to share our faith and grow into our God-given identities. But where do we find faith community rooted in Scripture, shaped by grounded practices, and safe enough to stay? I won’t sugarcoat it—this is not easy to find.
I have to be honest—what’s happened in many faith institutions makes me furious. For generations, churches offered belonging and purpose. But today, many are in decline or distortion. Some no longer reflect the teachings they claim to uphold. Others have caused real harm through exclusion, abuse, and control. And now we have dangerous polarization and extremism—where fear and even hate can drown out the call to love.
But, the longing for renewal and a home to share our hearts in faith doesn’t just go away.
I see it everywhere on blogs, podcasts, and even headlines. This renewed hunger for faith, especially among Gen Z is real, but it’s complex and evolving. Some are turning back to tradition and structure, especially young men. Others are still deconstructing and sorting out the next step, unsure of what a spiritual home could even look like.
I am grateful for the writers, pastors, and scholars doing deep, thoughtful work in this complex season. But sometimes, amid all the commentary and debate, we can miss something essential: the human need for a faith home—a place to bring our questions, our worship, and our real selves.
The more I see, the more I think I understand —this isn’t just my anger and disappointment with church culture or personal grief. We are living through a full-blown crisis of spiritual identity — a confusion about what it means to be made in the image of God, and belong to a community rooted in faith, truth, and the raw mystical power of Spirit. What we are seeing is not the promise.
Generations of women have been discarded, manipulated, used, or overlooked in the very spaces that preached “belonging.” In response, women are leaving churches for the “spiritual but not religious” options. Some men are taking the blame or helping revise doctrines, while others seek ritual and structure, searching for clarity and validation in tradition. But there’s still a way forward—one that offers mentorship to the next generation, honors both men and women, and makes space for something holy to grow again.
As a Gen X professional woman of faith, I understand why so many women like me walked away. I lived the heartbreak and avoidance, leaving again and again. The spaces that were meant to offer belonging sometimes did the opposite—sometimes to the point of questioning not just my place in the church, but even my identity.
Maybe you’ve felt that too. Maybe the places that once felt like spiritual home now feel foreign — like something you’re supposed to want, but no longer trust. Or maybe you never tried at all because of the politics or the hypocrisy. I understand. And you might be wondering the same thing I’ve asked myself: what are we supposed to do with our hunger for a faith home and our love for God?
For years I searched. I didn’t need a beautiful cathedral, formal liturgies, or a brand-new version of Christianity. I just needed a sacred place to bring my faith — a space rooted in scripture, but free from fear and shame. Somewhere I could be seen as my whole self and still feel welcome. Somewhere truly safe from domination and predators, where I could finally let my guard down.
I kept searching because something in my heart refused to give up. Scripture tells us we are made in the image of a relational God—and to reflect that image, we need each other. Faith flourishes through relationship and belonging.
The world unfolding around us is chaotic, divided, and relentless. It doesn’t offer the kind of home we need. Social media and consumer culture create almost a spiritual starvation. So, the hunger remains—the holy invitation still stands.
If you are a woman feeling this hunger—a call back to faith and safe community—you’re not alone. Whether you’ve spent your life in church, are exploring faith for the first time, or hesitant to try again, let’s imagine what’s possible.
And if you’re not sure yet, that’s okay. I’ve been there too, unsure whether to take the next step. But in my seeking, I kept coming back to one question: What would it look like to build faith in community that’s truly healthy for women—where we can be our true selves and share our hearts without performing or pretending? This question would not leave me alone.
And that’s when Lydia’s story from 2000 years ago found me, like a message in a bottle. She opened her heart to profound renewal and took small, courageous steps, and then opened her home so others could encounter God and be transformed.
As I explored Lydia’s story, I saw a bold and living faith that took root in community — around tables, in whispered prayers, in the kind of honest conversations that nourish us. That’s where renewal becomes contagious.
Maybe that’s the kind of space your soul has been hoping for, too.
So, let me introduce you to Lydia’s story. The thread of her story connected me deeper into the greater story — the story of Christ.
I spent many months nerding out on Lydia’s story—and I resurfaced with conviction. Lydia’s story changed my life and I believe her story still speaks to women today: women who are searching, questioning, leading, hoping.
It’s deep, rich, and surprisingly relevant. And if you let it, her story just might change yours, too.
Up next week in The Lydia Effect - 4 Lydia: A Mentor for Today's Women
Loneliness, longing, and faith are tough topics loaded with emotion and baggage, especially with the polarized world we live in. So, how about one tiny little step to ease into the mood – curiosity.
Reflection Prompts:
Do you notice some of the feelings you are having about faith, community, and belonging? Do those feelings have a name?
Before next week, take a moment to consider: what kind of faith home would you build if nothing held you back?
For the next few days, look for signs of faith, renewal, or longing in unexpected places. Social media, music, conversations, public spaces. Where do you see people searching for a home for deeper connection?
See if you can chat with a friend (The Buddy System!) about where you’ve noticed spiritual hunger or renewal happening, and your feelings are about it. If you think this is something they would enjoy, share the post.
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Another great article, thanks for sharing!