Trading the Pursuit of More for a Joy That Can’t be Shaken
For Sue Stone, trading the pursuit of more for a life worth pursuing in Jesus Christ sometimes looks like a bag filled with baby clothes, blankets, and bottles carefully packed for a new mom who has nothing.
Sue calls it a “baby shower in a bag.”
At The HOPE Center, they call it a blessing.
A Faith That Moved Beyond Sundays
Sue has been part of the Mt. Bethel Church family for a long time. She and her husband, George, were married here in the early 80s, before church and faith were priorities in their lives. But a few years later, God used life circumstances to pull her into relationship with Him and other believers.
“I was getting myself into some trouble,” she shared. “And I knew that pull was stronger than what I could do on my own. I knew the Lord would help me through it.”
Over time, her faith didn’t just bring her back to church — it began to move her outward.
She served in student ministry, participated in international mission trips, and said yes to opportunities to care for others. Eventually, God led her to a specific mission here at home.
“I decided I wanted to do something local.”
That decision led her to our church’s mission partner in Woodstock, Georgia — The HOPE Center. She has faithfully served with them now for 26 years.
Meeting Women in the Middle of Their Story
The HOPE Center walks alongside women facing unplanned pregnancies by offering resources, guidance, and consistent support.
“They provide the tools women need to keep their child,” Sue said. “A lot of times, the reason they don’t [choose to keep their child] is because they feel like they can’t.”
Through counseling, parenting classes, financial training, and providing necessities, The HOPE Center staff supports these women through the beginning of their motherhood journey, working with the mother until the child reaches the age of two.
Over the past decade, the center has served more than 10,000 women, leading to nearly 1,700 “life decisions”— mothers choosing to carry their babies to term. And while keeping and raising their children is the ultimate success, offering the love of Christ no matter the outcome is the goal.
“They even offer post-abortion counseling,” Sue added. “They're very loving and understanding and non-judgmental. They’re there to walk with you through it, because [abortion] does emotional damage.”
For Sue, the impact is best seen in moments you won’t find in a report.
She remembers delivering a blessing bag to a young woman who had just had her baby.
“She just burst into tears,” Sue said. “She said, ‘Nobody gave me a shower. I have nothing new for my baby.’”
What Sue handed her wasn’t just supplies.
It was dignity.
It was care.
It was a reminder for this new mom that she wasn’t alone, and that Jesus loves her.
Serving, Not Helping
Over the years, Sue has done just about everything at The HOPE Center — working in their Seeds Thrift Boutique*, serving on the board, baking cookies for fundraisers, and now assembling blessing bags for new moms.
But what’s kept her there isn’t a specific role.
It’s a posture.
“Serving, to me, is an act of worship,” she said.
The humility of walking alongside another person, supporting them in their greatest moment of need, is at the heart of what it means to follow Jesus — and it’s one of the ways Sue has learned to trade the pursuit of more for something deeper.
Trading Easy for Joy that Surpasses the Hardest Circumstances
Sue has traded the pursuit of more for a life worth pursuing in Jesus, and He’s led her to a joy that can’t be shaken.
The work at The HOPE Center isn’t easy.
There are days filled with heavy stories — addiction, broken relationships, fear. Days when women walk away and choose a different path.
And still, Sue describes it this way: “It’s a happy place.”
Not because the work is light, but because God is present in it.
“They start every morning with prayer,” she said. “They surround that whole building with prayer. And God has been faithful. You can feel the joy when you serve there.”
An Invitation to Take a Step
Each year, Sue participates in The HOPE Center’s Walk for Life, helping raise awareness for the ministry she’s been involved with for decades. Many from Mt. Bethel Church provide support for her — some by walking, others by giving — all sharing in the impact.
“My goal this year is to raise $5,000,” Sue shared.
But the real invitation isn’t just to an event; it’s to a different way of living.
A life not defined by more, but by meaning.
A life shaped not by what we gain, but by how we love.
A life that steps into hard places — and finds joy there.
A life worth pursuing in Jesus Christ.
Like Sue, you can go deeper with Jesus by supporting The HOPE Center! Visit mtbethel.org/missions to learn more and sign up for serving opportunities like volunteering at The Seeds Thrift Boutique on the last Saturday of every month. Click here to help Sue make a difference during this year’s Walk for Life on May 16, 2026.
* Seeds Thrift Boutique is a store owned by The HOPE Center. Per their website, proceeds from “the sale of quality donated clothing, furniture, and decor contributes greatly to The HOPE Center ministry.” In addition, women participating in The HOPE Center’s programs “benefit from their ability to earn significant discounts on needed resources.”