In addition to being a marathon runner, Cottonwood Shores resident Rebecca Jones is also a pastor of children at RockPile Church, advocacy coordinator for the Highland Lakes Crisis Network, and coach at Verus Strength and Fitness. Staff photo Brigid Cooley
Cottonwood Shores resident Rebecca Jones has started training for her first half marathon in 2020, hoping to find a sense of normalcy and a goal to work towards during the early days of the pandemic. Now, with half and full marathons in the books, Jones dreams of taking her newfound hobby all the way to the Boston Marathon.
“I just love how (running) has totally changed me, how it includes my mental, emotional and physical health, and how I develop in these things,” she said.
A naturally passionate person, Jones has shared her love of fitness with the Marble Falls community as a trainer at Verus Strength and Fitness for the past two and a half years. She tries to keep her running exercise to herself, however, and she uses it as a tool to navigate her daily life.
“(Running) is almost meditative for me,” she explained. “Especially in 2020 and 2021, a lot in the world seemed to be changing in society. (Running) was just a place where I could spend 30 minutes, an hour, two hours, three hours in my life tackling space.”
Jones ran the Rock and Roll Marathon in San Antonio in December last year and is currently training for the second and third marathon.
In addition to being a runner and coach, Jones holds a number of titles within the Highland Lakes community. She currently works as an advocacy coordinator for the Highland Lakes Crisis Network and a pastor of children at the non-denominational RockPile Church in Marble Falls.
Despite being a lifelong Christian, Jones never envisioned herself in the latter role, but when her church’s children’s pastor gave up the position in 2018, she felt called to fill it.
“I grew up in a family that was always involved in service, but I can’t say that child service was on my list of things to do,” she said. “I was thinking more like worship or, more specifically, a woman’s service. But I ‘see a need, fill a need for a ‘type of person’.”
In her pastoral role, Jones primarily works with children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, and organizes teaching classes during the Sunday service. To do this, you spend a lot of time studying the Bible and coming up with ways to make its lessons understandable. She also shares one with her parents in devotees to better meet the needs of their children.
One of her favorite things about her job is the spontaneity that children bring into her life.
“The kids will ask the strangest questions, and they’ll turn away from you,” she laughed. “(Working with them) really frees me to embrace my inner child and relax a bit. I enjoy being direct with them and they see the world very clearly. This is something I feed on, and it encourages me in my daily life.”
Jones also has a passion for helping women grow in their relationships with Christ. She co-hosted a Christian lifestyle podcast called “Redefined,” which is available on the HUB Radio Network and podcasts are broadcast everywhere. The podcast focuses on topics such as purity in everyday life, how to live authentically, and the different ways to worship.
However, she believes that the best way to transmit the Christian faith to the people she serves is to constantly work on her relationship with God.
“The greatest gift I can give is to truly walk in humility and grace and love, and be honest about who I am and how I grow in the Lord, and then invite (people) on that journey as well,” she explained. .
Even with her many professional commitments, Jones always makes time to lace up her running shoes five evenings a week and start running long distances, which can stretch from five to 20 miles. She considers this time an opportunity to strengthen her relationship with herself and with God.
“(Running) is a physical reminder that I’m working in progress, and that’s the beauty of being human,” she said. “I’m still growing, and this investment is leading me toward my ultimate goals and teaching me to give myself grace in the process.”
