5 minutes with Bec

Please tell us a little about yourself

I’m ‘Mum’ to three incredible, young women; wife to a creative kids’ minister; and the smitten owner of two dogs. I’m a devoted member of my church home, St James Anglican, Turramurra. I’m a self-confessed coffee addict and a literature snob.

Professionally, I find myself in a ‘mid-life atrium’ (which is a positive way to describe a mid-life crisis!). Having spent over 25 years as a journalist, most recently as Head of Eternity News, I experienced a drastic career change in 2024 and founded a Christian non-profit, Be Still Movement. We run Christ-centred movement and meditation classes in local churches, designed to enable women to flourish, spiritually, mentally and physically. Our vision is to see a movement of women finding strength, peace and belonging as they engage with God, his Word and their local church communities.

I also have my fingers in a couple of other work ‘pies’. I am a partner of Life to the Full, another not-for-profit which aims to bring holistic Christian flourishing to people and organisations. And I am the recently appointed panel host of the TV program Helping Hands, a beautiful show celebrating people who make the world a better place.

Do you have a favourite bible passage? If so, what is it and why? 

This feels a bit like choosing your favourite child – difficult and kind of transgressive! I guess it has to be Psalm 46, on which Be Still Movement’s ministry is based. It so clearly articulates God’s character: our tender, caring, reliable Father, ‘our refuge and strength’ and ‘ever-present help in trouble’. At the same time, God wields ultimate power and magnificent majesty. He is ‘the Most High’, ‘the Lord Almighty’, who ‘melts the earth’ with just the sound of his voice and determines the outcome of wars and the fate of nations.

The psalm culminates with the response we should give this mighty God: to ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ In this busy, stressed-out, pressured world, this is a calling we all need to heed and one that we must revisit every day.

How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus? 

I made a decision quite a few years ago to look at God’s Word first thing every day. I use a devotional app on my phone – Lectio 365 – which means I have to be disciplined in ignoring all the messages and notifications, and going straight to the app.

Last year I felt that I wasn’t physically opening a Bible enough, and so I also introduced a “coffee and Bible routine”. Every day I try not to drink my coffee until I am sitting down with my Bible in front of me. (Unfortunately, this habit is still a bit hit and miss, so prayers are gratefully received!).

I also attend a fortnightly growth group, church every Sunday and meet regularly with a prayer partner, as well as being part of my congregational prayer team. And as part of my job, I get to dwell on the Word of God as I prepare Bible-focussed movement & meditation classes. This nourishes my soul, as I hope it also does for attendees.

What would you like the next generation of Christian women to know? 

You are ‘made in the image of God’, in body, mind and spirit. You – that is your whole embodied being – are ‘holy and dearly loved’ as ‘God’s chosen people’. You – body, mind and spirit – are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’. You, in entirety, are worthy of compassion, attention and respect.

Having suffered from an eating disorder, burn-out, depression, anxiety and infertility, it has taken me a long time to make peace with my body and my mind. I would love to see the next generation of women embracing themselves (including their bodies) – with the inevitable flaws and weaknesses – as they would a beloved friend.

In my experience, Christian women are particularly bad at self-care as we often put everyone else’s needs first. This is the path to burnout and self-destruction. It is not good stewardship of the body, mind and spirit that God has entrusted to you. I pray that young women will prioritise their own physical, mental and spiritual needs at all stages of life. This will mean saying no to some commitments, stepping aside and slowing down in order to make the space and time to connect with yourself and with God.

What's one thing that you love about your local church? 

I particularly love the cross-generational fellowship we have. Oldies, middle-agers, Millennials and Gen Zers, teens, kids and babies all mix together in our family service. We have genuine, deep relationships in lots of different age groups, and it is a taste of heaven! This is unique to the Church, and it is how the body of Christ works best.

What did you learn about God at a time in your life you found hard? 

I have learnt that God is good all the time. There have been several key moments in my life when God has proven his love and care as I’ve walked through struggles. Most recently was through the death of my beloved Dad in September 2025. I had been praying for years for my dad to come to know Jesus as his Saviour, and in the year before he died, Dad came to love the Lord and his people more and more. I know this outcome doesn’t always happen, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to God for his gracious provision.

What are you passionate about? 

The abundant love of God and how we can experience it more deeply in our daily lives.

My amazing family.

My church.

Empowering women.

Exercise – for me, it is the key to managing mental health and wellbeing.

Coffee.

Dogs – they make me laugh so much!

Dancing (especially in the kitchen).

Humour – it oils the cogs of relationships (especially with grouchy teenagers).

What do you enjoy doing when you rest?

Reading, journaling, going to the beach (nothing like full immersion in saltwater!), sleeping (I’m a big daytime napper), taking the dogs for a walk and listening to about six podcasts daily (excessive, I know!)