Mom Reaches Others Online
It's a Monday morning, and Karen Schenk begins a hectic day. In between making lunches for her children -- Luke, 13, Brett, 10, and Kaylin, 5 -- she flips open her laptop and checks e-mail. More than 80 new messages fill her inbox (the record is 400). "Mondays are crazy," she says.
This day is especially busy -- the newest issues of five online magazines are due; Karen oversees them all.
It's another whirlwind day in the life of Karen, director of Women Today Online, a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. Working from her home in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Karen leads the thriving Internet ministry while balancing the demands of marriage and motherhood.
Once her kids are out the door, Karen retires to her study, where two computers are set up. Often she works from them simultaneously, sending e-mails on one and Instant Messages on another, while talking on the phone.
The days can get crazy; the multitasking intense. But she loves it.
Started in 1996, the ministry features six Web sites designed specifically for women. With articles, advice and e-mail mentoring, the ministry uses high-tech means to build women in their faith. In their chat rooms, scores of women gather to discuss issues ranging from the practical to deeply personal.
Karen oversees the design and management of the Web sites, viewed by women in more than 170 countries. She leads a 12-member staff team and at least 300 volunteers, scattered around the globe. At least once a month, she travels to Vancouver to meet with several of the staff members.
The ministry has prospered as the Internet has picked up steam over the years. Each month, hundreds of women indicate decisions of coming to faith in Christ online (more than 700 in May 2003 alone), and many others are being spiritually mentored.
A 35-year-old mother named Laurie McMahon surfed into the chat room one day. After chatting online with Karen, she received Christ. A short time later, so did her husband and one of her children. "Running online magazines is exciting," Karen says, "but nowhere near as exciting as seeing people find Christ."
It turns out Laurie lives only a mile from Karen's home. The two met for coffee one day, and have been friends ever since. Laurie is now growing steadily in her faith, mentoring others and involved in a Bible study with Karen.
Thousands like Laurie visit the Web sites each month -- the Christian Women Today chat room is one of the top listings on Google when users of that search engine enter the keywords "Christian women" or "women chat."
The workload is intense, filling Karen's days (and sometimes nights). Because of neck pain and headaches -- complications from a car accident last fall -- Karen doesn't always sleep well.
When that happens, she'll often log back on to the computer. After all, the Internet is open 24 hours a day. "One of the best things about my job is that I can stop and start all day long," she says. "That's also the most difficult part."
Katherine Kehler, the developer of the ministry, originally recruited Karen to oversee the chat-room ministry in 1999. Impressed by her leadership, she appointed Karen head of Women Today Online just three years later. "She's director material," says Katherine. "I see no one better for the job."
Co-workers say her personality is also an asset to what she does. "She's very much a people person," says co-worker Barb Klemke. "And you can be a people person over the Internet."
Karen grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and became a believer at a young age. "I loved God, but I didn't trust Him," she says of her faith at that time.
There were dark times, like the 10 years she struggled with anorexia. At one point, her weight dropped to 82 pounds, and she was hospitalized. "They did not think I would live through the night," she says. Cam, now her husband, visited her daily in the hospital. Through counseling, a growing faith in Christ and Cam's love, God healed Karen from the disorder.
The couple married and worked together with Campus Crusade for Christ. Cam, who spiritually mentors men in the business community full time, enjoys working in a partnership with his wife. And they complement each other well. "She's the type A [personality], and I'm the type B," he says.
Cam recalls an evening several years ago when, after putting the kids to bed, he and Karen were relaxing together. Cam drifted asleep on the couch. Meanwhile, Karen painted all the walls of the same room with a faux finish.
Even with her hectic workload, Karen keeps her family top priority. She is consistently around them -- an advantage of working from home. She schedules her workday, arranging for a baby sitter to watch her youngest child. She also makes time to play, like going on family bike rides or trying a new restaurant.
For years, Karen struggled with other people's perceptions of her high activity level. But attending a Women Today leadership conference changed her views. "God has given us all different abilities," Vonette Bright told the women. The co-founder of Campus Crusade acknowledged that some women can juggle two balls while others can juggle 12.
"I really felt freed to be who I am," says Karen, "even if it means being crazy busy at times."
Karen finds insight for her role at Women Today in the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could safely flee from Pharaoh's army. But like Moses, Karen knows that God performs the miracles and changes lives, not her. She need only listen and obey His leading.
"My heart's cry is that during this season, I'm not trying to hold up the Red Sea," she says. "It's not about my abilities."
God used Moses and his stick to part the waters. As Karen looks to God, He's using this mother and wife to help bring thousands to Christ.
RSS Feed