A Sense of Direction: From Subservience to Servanthood

When asked to describe herself during an interview, Mary Beth Oostenbrug had no words other than wife and mother. Nothing to describe herself as a person. This was the beginning of her search for her identity, which caused her marriage to end. Throughout her thirties and forties, Mary Beth used life's hardships as well as daily joys to find her way to the center of who she is, a servant of God. Her journey includes surviving a divorce, raising four sons while earning a degree, losing a son and many other events that all caused her to develop an inner strength and greater faith that continue to guide her through life's challenges.