Macey Martinson
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; And when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
The verse rings true for both daughters and sons. Consider Macey Martinson as a shining example.
The Platte Center native now lives in Norfolk and serves as a leader for the girls SPARK youth group, working with ninth through 12th graders in the Heart of Jesus Parishes. The group is a ministry to encourage unity and fellowship with teenagers. Its mission is to help teens grow in holiness by building disciples while living a life of discipleship within a Christ-centered community.
Macey works with a group of about 10 girls whom she says have helped her grow deeper in her own faith, but she credits her parents and family for creating a strong foundation of faith that she now shares with others.
“We’re farmers,” she said of her family. “We relied heavily on the grace of God to give us rain and keep us safe on the farm. We relied on him in our family. We went through trials like everybody else, but we knew that with God, he would provide.”
Macey’s efforts to live out her faith have taken many forms. She has been a server, a lector and taught religious education for several years.
“Everyone in my family has taught religious ed at some point or another – even my dad, who was also my youth group leader with a couple of other people,” she said.
She also has been heavily influenced by the Passion play her childhood church regularly performed during Holy Week, as well as involvement with Steubenville Youth Conference.
Macey said it was never an option for her to drift away from her faith in her high school and college years. She kept her focus on Jesus to pull her out of the temptation of behaviors that had the potential to derail her goals.
“Going out and drinking and partying never really appealed to me,” she said. “I was heavily involved in sports, and I knew that to get to my end goal of getting to college was a softball scholarship, and I needed to keep my head down and focus.”
Macey said it helped that she lived at home while attending community college. The first thing she did after moving to Kansas City to attend mortuary school was find a church.
“I knew church was going to get me through the hard times. Keeping my focus on Jesus to get me through school and the friendship trials and boy trials – there was no way I was going to do it without Him,” she said.
Macey said her family still frequently engages in deep conversations about faith. Her sisters’ spouses and her own husband, Chris, have gone through the RCIA program.
In her role as a SPARK leader, Macey works with a group of about 10 girls, whom she says end up teaching her more about her own faith in the process of leading them.
“They’re a great group of girls,” she said.
Macey said SPARK members learn from the beginning of their time together about the reality of what they are up against.
“The first step we teach them is that the devil is real, and he is alive, and he’s always willing to sneak in a little bit,” she said. “If he can get into that one spot (in your life), he can bleed through the rest. We try to teach them to recognize those little things: You might think drinking is okay one week, but then it becomes a habit or you sneak out of the house one night and then it becomes a regular thing.”
Macey said she and SPARK co-leader Leslie Fanta want the group members to recognize temptation and realize the importance of surrounding themselves with good people who will support them, respect them and allow them to say no to the attractive temptations they encounter at their age.
The first group she led as freshman graduated from high school this past spring. In sending them off, she encouraged them to find a ministry group, a Newman Center or people in their post-high school life that will help encourage them in their faith. She also wanted to make sure they knew she and Leslie would be there if they needed someone with whom to talk.
“I want to be your rock. I’m going to remember you – even in 20 years,” she said.
She encourages those who are considering becoming more involved in their faith life to do so. Macey said she has found that whatever effort she gives in her endeavors, she ends up receiving tenfold.
“There’s something for everybody, and you’re going to have a renewed love of Jesus,” she said. “If you can just give that little bit, you’re going to get back so much more.”
If you’re interested in learning more about SPARK, contact Cari Ramold at 402-371-2621 or visit Spark!
