Common Ground 5

In Oklahoma, people are just
friendly. It isn’t hard to find something in common with the person standing
next to you in the grocery store line or the local coffee shop—small talk is
welcomed just about anywhere. For the women of Common Ground 5, they have taken
these “small-talk” similarities and built a support system for each other,
other women and the community.

What started out as a gathering of
acquaintances has grown into a group that has helped strengthen each other and
allows them to use their talents to encourage others.

The idea of a women’s group is nothing
new. Ladies often gather for lunch, Bible studies and around reality TV shows
to converse, laugh and relate to each other. What makes this gathering
different is who is part of Common Ground 5. It is made up of a variety of
local writers and speakers—successful ones at that. It started as a way for a
few women that were writers and speakers to help sharpen each other’s skills
and play off their strengths and weaknesses.

Composing the group is Rachel
Sinclair, author and speaker; Stefne Miller, author; Christy Johnson, speaker
and award-winning writer; Diane Stout, author and speaker; and Jenny Broughton,
speaker and former English teacher. While they all have similarities, it is
easy to see how diverse this group still is. Even though they all have a talent
for writing and speaking, each of them have their own backgrounds and other
careers that provide unique perspectives. Such differences only enhance what is
Common Ground 5.

The messages that they have come
from everyday inspiration. Christy, for example, pulls from the loss of her son
and other obstacles in her life to see the good. “As a decorator, I love to
repurpose vintage treasures collected at garage and estate sales,” Christy
said. “Collecting broken, cast-off rejects reminds me of God because He
sees beauty in the broken.  In a similar way, God repurposed my
life after my son died in a car accident. Adversity and tragedy have taught me
how to choose joy and forgiveness in spite of my circumstances.”

Common Ground 5 isn’t simply
about talking—they are constantly working to do more, be more and help more
women find their faith, their voices and their inner strength. “I love
mentoring and connecting with others in these areas. Mentoring is a concern for
all of us, so who knows how we will influence the community! In May, we will
conclude our series, ‘A Night of Inspiration—Faith & Fun with Common Ground
5’ at the Inspirations Tea Room. We’ve enjoyed hosting five events where women
connect with one another and hear a faith-based message from each one of us.”

For more information on the
group, visit commonground5.wordpress.com for upcoming events, links to speaker
information, book listings and personal websites of each of the five women.