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…
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…
I miss you. I really do. And I’m not ignoring you. I’m really not. We used to hang out. . . A LOT. We used to get coffee and dinner and hike and go to concerts and. . . I miss that! I realize that you wanted to give me privacy those first couple of months of marriage, but it’s…
“When I was a kid, I impressed the neighborhood boys with my ability to lift cinderblocks, climb trees, and run fast; I was strong. But when I played dolls, house, or school with the girls, it was never about demonstrating strength. Strength was domination, force, or power, not cooperation, design, or instruction. So I became a strong woman as defined…
Tuesday morning, I had the fantastic opportunity to chat with Nyack College Alumnus, Zachariah Hummer and Ryan Baker, both dedicated youth ministers. They encourage youth ministers to not solely look at their jobs as stepping stones to be a “real” pastor later, but to invest in youth with all their hearts. They are really funny and relevant to many–I laughed…
It was a cold early morning in 1993 when I got on the bus leaving my college campus. I was excited. I had paid money to go on this trip, and we were about to March for Life, as so many did yesterday. We filled that coach bus for what we thought was a really good and clear-cut cause and…
On the first day of classes, I taught on memory—why it’s important and what it does to us and for us. Lately, I feel like I can’t remember anything—lack of sleep with a three-month-old and a toddler will do that to you. But I was reminded of the transformative power of my ten-year journal. It changes me, even when my…
The highlight of winter is Christmas, isn’t it? The anticipation of a beautiful holiday, great movies, Christmas lights, Christmas parties and food, Christmas music—everything helps us dream of a white Christmas and make the steadily dipping temperatures bearable. Even Thanksgiving in its turkey-laden glory makes us smile and ignore November’s shorter days, longer nights, naked trees, and frosty ground. Leaves…
I’m three weeks postpartum, so I’m hosting a guest blogger again. This time it’s Elisabeth Scheffel–an alumna of Nyack and an alumna of the Woman Rite of Passage. She is great–check out her message below! Do you know what it’s like to feel rejected? I do. I just go on Snapchat, and I feel it instantly. Every time I view my…
When Wanda Velez, Wanda Walborn, and I met in the fall of 2010 to plan a rite of passage for spring, 2011, I didn’t even dream that Woman would grow to be a year-long process, produce a two journal articles and The Book of Womanhood, and form a strong community of 20 mentors, 83 alumnae, and 15 current participants. We started small! Women…