Meet the officer – Auxiliary-Lieutenant Esther Atkins

1. What is your current appointment, and what do you find most satisfying about it?

I am an auxiliary-lieutenant at Reservoir Corps and about to go into my seventh year as a corps officer alongside my husband, Matt. I have lived, volunteered and worked in the community of Reservoir and with Rezza (Reservoir) Salvos for over 18 years now. The most satisfying part of being part of this community is the longevity that I have been able to have in this space. I have seen multiple generations come through our church and programs, and my own kids are now at school with the next generation of kids that used to come along to our kids and youth programs! We have had someone I enrolled as a junior soldier hold the flag at the dedication of both of my kids as a senior soldier. We have seen and journeyed with people through big wins and hard lows and been able to provide a consistent, safe space in Reservoir for people to grow, learn, journey, heal and exist just as they are. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly and am thankful for every day.

2. Away from the appointment – if that’s possible! – what do you do to relax or unwind?

I have learned over the last six years to prioritise my own wellbeing and growth and set boundaries so that I can be a healthy and happy human with strength and energy to give to my job, community, as well as my own kids and family. I love to read, play video and board games, create art, and go running and do strength training. I’m a big gym nerd, getting in gym sessions 4-5 times a week to lift weights, train cardio and, most importantly, move my body to support my overall mental health and wellbeing. Fitness has had such a big impact on me over the years that I also took on studying my Certificate 3 & 4 in Fitness in my spare time. It’s taking far longer than I had planned, but I’m nearly done!

3. What’s a favourite Christian song, and why do you like it?

I’m going to say the David Crowder Band Oh For Joy album [because we’ve just had the Christmas season]. It gets a lot of playtime in our house over December!

4. If you could have a good talk with a biblical character apart from Jesus, who would it be, and what would you talk about?

Honestly, I just want to hear from the women who walked with, learned from and supported Jesus, and shared the Good News once he was gone from the tomb. It’s safe to say they have never gotten enough credit or time or energy even within the written accounts of the New Testament, and I would love to hear from them the work I know they did that was pinnacle to the stories we read about now.

5. If you were talking to a group of Salvationists and they asked if you recommended officership or not, what would you say?

I would say that the route of being an auxiliary-lieutenant has been an overall really good journey for me. It’s not without its challenges, and it might not be where I stay forever, but I am so grateful that I have been able to work in my community in this role over the last six years, and I’m looking forward to the next three that we have signed up for. Auxiliary-lieutenancy is a really great option for those people who are ‘job ready’, experienced, passionate and want to serve in the capacity of an officer within a shorter time frame.