By Angela Miller, Program Manager at Serenity Retreat  

As I sat in the audience that morning, I found myself quietly in awe. Serenity Retreat was celebrating 25 years of God’s faithfulness, and story after story testified to His transforming power. When Mary Whitehurst, CEO of The Source, took the stage, something in her words spoke to me. It wasn’t just what she said, or how she said it, but what she chose to do. 

Before Mary spoke, our Interim CEO Cynthia Wenz introduced her with such tenderness. Cynthia shared how she once sat in Mary’s role as The Source CEO and testified how God had redefined her identity, not through title or position, but through intimacy with Him.  

Then Cynthia looked toward Mary with genuine admiration and said, 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I couldn’t be more honored to stand beside the torchbearer, the carrier of a ministry that healed me. So I give you, Mary Whitehurst.” 

When Healing Becomes Leadership 

Mary began to share her story with honesty and grace. She told us about the season when her marriage was unraveling, and her heart was weary. 

“My husband and I were separated,” she said quietly. “I needed a place to heal. I needed to hear God’s voice again.” 

In her search, she found Serenity Retreat in Bellville, Texas not by recommendation or by coincidence, but through a simple Google search that led her straight to a divine appointment. 

“I came just needing rest,” she said. “But through Transformation Prayer Ministry, the Lord revealed parts of my heart that were broken far beyond my marriage. I left completely changed.” 

Later, her husband joined her for his own retreat, and together they experienced reconciliation and restoration. Praise the Lord for what He does and how He has helped Serenity Retreat steward the land, of Bellville, to offer these places of rest to individuals!  

As I listened, I could feel the entire room exhale, that deep kind of sigh that comes when you realize you’re hearing not just a story, but a testimony. And this wasn’t even the main story she was going to share. There was more! 

Grace Built Into the Budget 

What moved me most was what came next. Mary didn’t stop at her personal transformation; she turned it into an act of stewardship. 

“We have twelve directors across our Houston and Austin clinics,” she said. “Each of them now comes to Serenity Retreat every year for time with the Lord. It’s become a sacred rhythm a time to rest, reflect, and remember God’s grace.” 

She went on to share that her team’s retreats are now built into the annual budget. Wow! 

That statement caught my breath. 

As someone who has served in ministry spaces and higher education, I know how rare and how holy it is when leadership intentionally makes room for soul care! To see a leader not only recognize the need for spiritual renewal but build it into the annual budget and rhythm of care for staff is truly, servant-hearted leadership. 

“It’s transformational for our team,” she said. “If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the investment, I’d ask, why not? Why wouldn’t you invest in the spiritual health and well-being of your people and yourself?” 

In that moment there was a deep agreement in my own soul, and a hope that more leaders will rise to invest in the soul care of their staff.  A prayer for a generation of leaders like Mary who are not only leading with vision, but with wisdom, compassion and action.

The Torch That Keeps Burning 

As I reflect on that morning, “passing the torch” took on a deeper meaning for me. 

Cynthia passed the torch of leadership, honoring Mary with grace and humility. 
Mary carries her torch of leadership, illuminating others with the same light that once healed her. The leaders at The Source carry their own torches every day, inviting still more to experience and share the hope of Christ through their life-affirming reproductive healthcare. 
And all of us sitting there, we were invited to take up our own flame of faithfulness, to consider how, where, and to Whom we guide others. 

This is what legacy looks like: lives transformed by Christ, leadership marked by rest and renewal, and a commitment to help others hear God’s voice for themselves. 

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” — Ephesians 3:20 

My Heartfelt Thanks 

So, thank you, Mary Whitehurst, for being an example to the next generation of leaders. 

Thank you for showing that building time for renewal and spiritual rest into the rhythm of the year is an act of grace toward those you lead. It’s a gift, a covering, that reminds them, “Your soul matters too.”

In a world where ministry can often mean pouring out until you’re empty, your leadership models something rare and beautiful: that caring for others includes caring for those who serve beside you. 

You’ve reminded us that care can be part of the plan, and that grace flows strongest when it’s lived out intentionally. May the torch you carry continue to light the way for many more to come.