Releasing today, ‘Alter Girl’ shares one woman’s spiritual journey through Catholicism, Protestantism and “Done-ness”

As the religious landscape in America rapidly changes, author Andrea Syverson is sharing a personal story behind the statistics in her spiritual memoir “Alter Girl,” releasing today from Group Publishing. Syverson grew up a happy and devoted Catholic, but, like 52 percent of those raised Catholic, left the Church after falling in love with and marrying a Protestant.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – As the religious landscape in America rapidly changes, author Andrea Syverson is sharing a personal story behind the statistics in her spiritual memoir “Alter Girl,” releasing today from Group Publishing. Syverson grew up a happy and devoted Catholic, but, like 52 percent of those raised Catholic, left the Church after falling in love with and marrying a Protestant.

“I hope my story will be encouraging to the millions of people like me who have found themselves walking away from religious traditions of their childhood,” said Syverson. “While it can leave you feeling untethered, for me, it has opened up opportunities to grow deeper in my faith.”

“Though I still cherish my Catholic childhood, I realized that there are aspects of the Christian faith that are under-taught and over-taught in the Catholic Church,” said Syverson. “I gave a lot of attention to the good things, like sacraments, but I missed the best thing – Jesus.”


After attending a Lutheran church for nearly a decade, Andrea and her husband embarked on a new adventure to help plant a church. They hoped to create a relaxed environment that would focus on relationships and community.

“Our community had a church on every corner, but we felt there was still something missing,” said Syverson. “We wanted to create a place for people to go if they had more questions than answers, a place where people knew not just their name, but who they truly were.”

However, when the church’s mission changed and Syverson and her husband felt they could no longer support it, they found their story intersecting with another religious group in America, the “Dones.”

The “Dones,” over 30 million in number, are individuals who have given up on church but not their faith. Though they have baffled Christian leaders, their numbers are only growing. According to research, there are 7 million Americans in the pews today who are one step away from walking out the door.

“After attending church all my life – first Catholic, then Lutheran and finally our church plant – it was disconcerting to not have a place to worship on Sunday mornings,” said Syverson. “For a time, we didn’t feel called to another church, and I know God was allowing our souls to heal. I’m grateful for that time, because I now have great empathy for others who have left the churches in which they once served.”

In “Alter Girl,” Syverson shares her journey of holy meandering with raw honesty, providing compelling insights she’s gleaned along the way. Each step “altered” her a little bit and brought her closer to Jesus.


For more information on “Alter Girl,” please visit Alter Girl: Walking Away From Religion Into the Heart of Faith.

Andrea Syverson is an experienced branding, merchandising and creative strategist and the author of two business books, “ThinkAbout: 77 Creative Prompts for Innovators” and “BrandAbout: A Seriously Playful Approach for Passionate Brand-Builders and Merchants.” She and her husband, Dean, have been partners in marriage, business, and faith for more than 20 years.

Lifetree/Group is a Christian resource provider whose mission is to connect people to Jesus and each other.

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