Jana Karika

Life Story:

I was born at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina—a “Marine brat”—and grew up in a loving, Christian home.  My parents were consistent in their love of the Lord, each other, and my brother and me.  God saved me as a child and gave me a sense of my own unworthiness and His gracious love.  That was the beginning of the process of growing my faith—which continues to this day!  

In addition to all the typical church experiences of worship services, Sunday School, and VBS, I was often in tow as my mom consistently participated in women’s Bible study.  Her example pressed upon me that the Bible was sacred, authoritative, and worthy of in-depth study.  This became particularly important to me in college and grad school as doctrinal arguments and sophisticated secular attacks against Christianity swirled around me.  I realized the only way for me to know the truth was to dive into God’s written revelation of Himself to us… the Bible.  That set me on a course to study truth, not from a self-help or moralistic perspective, but from a heart hungry to taste and see that the Lord is good.  From then on, I have been active in in-depth Bible study and women’s ministry in many forms including church ministry, in-home Bible study, and para-church ministry.  Serving as Women’s Ministry Director at Restoration Church is a joy and a privilege as I get to help facilitate relationships among the women of the church, walk beside women as they discover the ways God has gifted them to serve the body, and above all, see God work through His Word in Women’s Bible Study.

My husband, Ken, and I have been married for 29 years and have a son and a daughter, Jack and Kinsley.  I love gardening (flowers more than veggies), reading or listening to audio books, and not cooking.  

Hopes for our church: 

My hope for our church is that we would continue to grow deep roots of relationship with each other and the outside community through Christ-exalting, gospel-celebrating, Bible-believing reliance on the Lord.