Kennedy, Stephanie, and Whitney Renshaw were raised by parents who helped them each have a relationship with Christ (Proverbs 22:6). A family with Christ as the center can produce fruit well into adulthood. One of Watermark’s priorities this year is to strengthen families, and this story demonstrates the importance of a strong, Christ-centered family. The Renshaw sisters were asked a few questions about the influence of their parents’ faith and how they encourage each other in their walks with the Lord.
How was your relationship with Christ formed and fostered?
Stephanie: “I remember crawling up in our parent’s bed one night, and our dad shared with us the Bridge Illustration, an illustration that explains salvation in Christ with Romans 6:23, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ That summer my sisters and I accepted that gift and shortly after all three of us were baptized.
“Our parents have been faithful in leading us spiritually as well as encouraging us in our walk with the Lord. I know a lot of parents put pressure on their kids about what’s needed to be successful, but our parents have faithfully prayed for us, even before we were born, that we would make Christlike decisions. They know that the Lord is directing us (Proverbs 16:9) and have always reminded us of that truth.”
Whitney: “We are so overwhelmed with the blessing of our parents and our grandparents who have held the responsibility of faithfulness in parenting. It’s a legacy of love. It was eye-opening to us when we got to college to see the Lord’s provision He has placed over our family. We have authentic relationships with both our parents and each other, and the driving factor is our faith. We know there are a lot of siblings that don't have that.”
Kennedy: “I wasn’t really prepared for the transition from college to post-grad. In college, I quickly found community and a church, but when my twin sister, Stephanie, and I moved to a new city after graduating, it was more difficult. Because of our upbringing, I knew the importance of being surrounded by other faithful followers of Christ. And then, after consistently listening to the Porch podcast and attending the first Awaken conference, I felt the Lord prompting me to move to Dallas. I realized I had to step out in faith and go on my own, as this was the first time Stephanie and I hadn’t lived in the same city.
“I was here in Dallas for a year, and then the Lord stirred a desire in my sisters' hearts to join me in Dallas the following year. It was at Watermark that we were all three able to find biblical communities and friends who pushed us closer to the Lord. We are able to daily encourage each other to know God and serve others.”
How does your faith affect your sibling dynamics?
Whitney: “Like most sisters, we have our fair share of conflict, but we have a solid foundation of who God is, and we view each other differently because of that. We know we’re on each other’s team, but we have to frequently sit down and remind each other of that. Through quality time together, we encourage each other in our relationships with Christ. The fact that we all ended up in Dallas and at the same church is such a blessing.”
Stephanie: “Envy and comparison have been our biggest struggles as sisters. It is important we keep 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 in mind. We love each other so much, but we are wired and gifted so differently. It’s easy to compare ourselves. We have to fight those lies with the Holy Spirit and truth from God’s Word. We also have to make time for each other. Having siblings in the same city with the same faith in Christ is an opportunity for another layer of community and openness. We usually get together once a week to talk about life and what the Lord is doing in each of us.”
How have you seen the Lord’s faithfulness throughout your lives?
Kennedy: “The Lord has continuously shown His faithfulness through my parents who modeled what it looks like to follow the Lord, sisters to walk through the good and hard seasons with, and a biblical community to encourage and challenge me in my faith.”
Whitney: “One example of God’s faithfulness to me is the way He has abundantly provided godly friendships in my life. Prior to moving to Dallas, I was tempted to doubt the Lord’s goodness, but He has shown me that He is always in control, and He deeply cares.”
Stephanie: “It has been sweet to look back and see how faithful the Lord has been in different seasons of my life. Post-college was a tough time for me. My family continued to point me to the Lord, pray for me, and encourage me that my identity is not found in my circumstances but in Him. The Lord continuously reveals to me in His kindness that He has gone before and behind me, no matter the circumstance.”