It is 1995. I board my first international flight to teach elementary school in Paraguay. There, I fall in love. It is NOT with someone tall dark and handsome. I fall in love with the Paraguayan people, international ministry, and myself in a foreign context. I gustily sing Marcos Witt with the worship team, preach once or twice in Spanish,…
Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated our Initiation for the ninth class of Woman at Nyack College! Part of the Initiation involved the leaders sharing their stories of embracing their own womanhood. Our Alumnae Coordinator, Rebecca Cheung wrote hers out–BEAUTIFUL! She’s let me share it below: I didn’t know that I was fighting myself Woman revealed lies I didn’t…
Woman is Expanding! It has always been my dream to see this beautiful, empowering Rite of Passage offered to more than simply Nyack College students. On October 6th, my dream came true! Three members of my leadership team and I headed down to Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford, NJ, where we trained an amazing group of women in the philosophy behind Woman…
Every marriage is the union of two very different people. My husband and I are more different than many. He grew up in Damascus, Syria, where St. Paul was converted. It’s the oldest continually inhabited city in the world. I grew up in the woods of upstate New York, in a town inhabited for about 200 years. He grew up…
When I read “Men Prefer Debt-Free Virgins Without Tattoos”, I immediately knew why I didn’t marry until I was 39, even though I wanted to get an MRS with my BA. My problem: I went to college, where I was taught to be “independent, loud, and immodest,” according to author Lori Alexander. My alma mater, Grove City College, though Christian,…
My black-belted karate instructor waxed eloquent about how aware of his surroundings he was. He attributed his way of seeing everything to his martial arts training. I was impressed—I loved karate (and he was kinda cute). Years later, I walk alone to a deserted beach in a foreign country. 90% of the people I pass on the way are men.…
Does the Bible allow Christian women to have authority? Our patriarchal culture, our fathers and mothers, and our churches have often told us no. But what, in fact does the Bible say? Should we shrink back and silence ourselves, or does God allow us to break the silence? I tell a story in my Redbud post, and then I ask…
Piper’s comments that women shouldn’t teach at seminary have been everywhere, it seems. As a seminary adjunct and co-coordinator of seminary chapels, I’ve felt no real urge to respond, surprisingly. I’m used to ideas like his and perhaps I’ve become numb. I find my time is often better spent just doing my job and being faithful. A simple, yet powerful response…
I keep bracing myself for the next story of sexual misconduct. I don’t know why I’m surprised. As a college-professor-hearer-of-student-stories, I’m no stranger to the fact that statistically a large number of my female and male students have been sexually violated. Why am I surprised that I keep hearing that people whom I formerly respected are perpetrators? I want the…
I fasted once this week. I don’t say that for a pat on the back. In fact, I’m not a good faster for several reasons. First, I wasn’t fasting primarily for spiritual reasons. Last week was Thanksgiving and, well, I ate. Also, I’m about to quit breastfeeding, and, well, that burns calories. I still have about 10 more pounds of…