The Ministry Marathon You Were Never Trained For: Why Women Pastors Need StrongHer Now
Fast forward to today. You're in your 40s or 50s, and that fire? Sometimes it feels more like burnout. The calling is still there, but so is the exhaustion. The chronic stress. The body that doesn't bounce back like it used to. The nagging sense that you're giving everything to everyone else while slowly disappearing in the process.
If this resonates, you're not alone. And more importantly, there's a way forward.
The Reality No One Warned You About
When you entered ministry, they taught you Greek and Hebrew. Homiletics and pastoral care. Theology and church administration. But nobody taught you how to sustain yourself for the long haul. Nobody mentioned that ministry in your 40s and 50s would collide with perimenopause, shifting metabolism, accumulated stress, and a body that's been keeping score of every boundary you didn't set.
Women clergy face unique pressures: proving yourself in spaces that weren't designed for you, carrying the emotional labor of your congregation, navigating leadership while managing everyone else's expectations, and doing it all while your body is going through its own massive transition.
The statistics are sobering. Burnout among clergy is at an all-time high. Women leave ministry at higher rates than men. And many of us who stay do so at great cost to our health, our relationships, and our sense of self.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
Introducing StrongHer: A Year-Long Transformation for Women in Ministry
StrongHer is a comprehensive leadership and wellness program specifically designed for women clergy and congregational leaders ages 40 and up. Created by Erin Martinson (ELCA Pastor, ordained 2001, and Owner of EMBODY Wisdom) and Rachel Bents (Owner of Enjoy! and expert in strength training and nutrition for women), this program integrates what you've been missing: spiritual depth, physical strength, and a community that truly gets it.
This isn't another professional development program that focuses only on leadership skills while ignoring the vessel doing the leading. This is a holistic, year-long journey that acknowledges a fundamental truth: you cannot pour from an empty cup.
What Makes StrongHer Different
StrongHer addresses the whole person—body, mind, spirit, emotions, and relationships. Over the course of one year, you'll receive:
Comprehensive Support Structure
48 Weekly Group Coaching Sessions (60 minutes) - Live coaching with your cohort on curated topics addressing real ministry challenges. This is where you'll process the realities of pastoral leadership with women who understand exactly what you're facing.
12 Personal One-on-One Sessions - Individualized coaching with Erin or Rachel tailored to YOUR unique needs, goals, and challenges. This is your space to go deeper on what matters most to you.
Personalized Workout Plan - Custom fitness programming designed for YOUR body, YOUR schedule, YOUR goals. No generic gym routines. This is strength training that honors where you are right now and builds capacity for where you want to go.
Personalized Nutrition Plan - Sustainable, realistic eating strategies that honor your lifestyle and fuel your calling. No restrictive diets. No shame. Just practical guidance for nourishing yourself well.
Weekly Learning Materials - Curated readings, reflection prompts, and actionable tools aligned with each week's theme. Resources you'll actually use.
Life Coaching - Expert guidance for mindset shifts, goal-setting, and breakthrough strategies that help you lead more effectively while living more fully.
Energy Work - Holistic practices to clear emotional blocks, restore balance, and align with your authentic self. This is the body-spirit integration you've been longing for.
Private Community App - Connect with your cohort, ask questions, celebrate wins, and be truly known. This is your village.
Ongoing Access to Leaders - Direct access to Erin and Rachel throughout the week for encouragement and support. You're never alone in this journey.
The Five Dimensions of Transformation
Participants in StrongHer experience measurable change across five key areas:
Physical - Increased strength, energy, and vitality. Your body becomes an ally in ministry rather than an obstacle.
Spiritual - Deeper connection with God and calling. Rediscovery of the passion that drew you to ministry in the first place.
Mental - Clarity, focus, and renewed creativity. The mental fog lifts, and you lead with sharper discernment.
Emotional - Resilience, balance, and joy. You develop tools to navigate the emotional demands of ministry without losing yourself.
Relational - Authentic community and healthier boundaries. You learn to connect deeply while protecting your own wellbeing.
Who Is StrongHer For?
StrongHer is specifically designed for women in ministry and congregational leadership in their 40s and 50s who are:
- Navigating burnout or dangerously close to it
- Seeking deeper integration of body and spirit
- Longing for a community that understands the unique demands of ministry leadership
- Ready to invest in their own wholeness as seriously as they invest in their calling
- Committed to leading for the long haul, not just limping to retirement
An Investment in Your Wholeness
What is the cost of continuing as you are? What would it mean for your ministry, your family, your own life, if you had the strength, energy, and clarity to lead from fullness instead of fumes?
StrongHer represents a significant investment in your long-term sustainability and effectiveness in ministry. Many participants receive support from their congregation's professional development budget, and we're happy to provide documentation to facilitate that conversation.
A Growing Partnership with the ELCA
We've had encouraging conversations with Augsburg Fortress, who see the potential for StrongHer to serve women clergy across the ELCA. This program fills a critical gap in clergy care and professional development.
Bishops, synod leaders, and ministry colleagues: if you know women clergy who would benefit from StrongHer, we invite you to connect them with us. This is the kind of investment in pastoral leadership that pays dividends not just for the individual pastor, but for the entire community she serves. This first year is a pilot...
Your Next Step: An Exploratory Conversation
We know this is a significant commitment. That's why we invite you to start with a no-pressure exploratory conversation. This is your chance to:
- Share your story and current challenges
- Learn more about how StrongHer works
- Ask questions about the program structure and investment
- Discern whether this is the right fit for you at this season
Schedule an Exploratory Conversation: calendly.com/embodywisdomllc
Meet Your Leadership Team
Erin Martinson - ELCA Pastor (ordained 2001), Owner/Operator of EMBODY Wisdom, specializing in spiritually grounded, trauma-informed approaches to holistic wellness. Erin brings deep understanding of both the demands of pastoral ministry and the pathways to sustainable wholeness.
Rachel Bents - Owner/Operator of Enjoy!, expert in strength training and nutrition for women. Rachel specializes in helping women in midlife rebuild strength, energy, and confidence in their bodies.
Together, we bring complementary gifts in spiritual direction, coaching, movement, and community-building. We've created StrongHer because we've lived versions of this story ourselves and because we've seen too many gifted women leave ministry unnecessarily or stay at great cost to themselves.
The Question That Matters Most
Ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. The question isn't whether you can make it to next Sunday. The question is: can you sustain this pace for another 10, 15, 20 years? Do you want to?
StrongHer exists to help you answer "yes" to that question—not by working harder or pushing through, but by fundamentally transforming how you lead, how you live, and how you steward the gift of your own life.
The women and communities you serve desperately need you to lead from a place of strength, not depletion.
Are you ready to invest in your own wholeness as seriously as you invest in your calling?
Connect With Us:
Erin Martinson
e.m.martinson@gmail.com |
www.embodywisdomca.com
Rachel Bents
rachel@enjoymyeveryday.com |
www.enjoymyeveryday.com
Schedule your exploratory conversation today: calendly.com/embodywisdomllc
