The most important news ever delivered by God through a human voice was delivered by a woman of color. Yet how often do we allow the paintings, movies, and stained glass windows we’ve grown up with determine what we imagine Bible characters looked like? The Bible’s stories are all about people of color–the whole Bible […]
Did God really choose a brothel owner to play an important role in the family line of Jesus?! YES!! Rahab was a Canaanite woman living in Jericho. She was a business owner. Her business was running a brothel. Yet, scripture commends her righteous act of helping Israel’s spies in both the Old and New Testaments. […]
Do you take your knowledge of the Bible for granted? In this video clip, I talk about the woman prophet Huldah, a biblical woman of whom most of my audiences have never heard. Huldah was the first person to authenticate a written document as God’s word, thus beginning the centuries long process of choosing which […]
Can you imagine someone joining your church staff tomorrow who was just released from prison today? I can’t, but I should be able to! Why? Because when Jesus healed Mary Magdalene from being imprisoned by seven demons–which could imply she suffered from the worst possible corruption–she became one of a group of wealthy women who […]
Being misunderstood is an expected occupational hazard for any leader. Being doubted as a leader is also frustrating. Sometimes, those occurrences can make you feel debilitatingly paralyzed from wanting to continue with your responsibilities. That’s when I pull out my leadership tools of the example of others who overcame such obstacles. I often turn to the […]
Our world’s problems are overwhelming and we can feel helpless to make a difference. Yet, each one of us can make an impact on these problems with conscious, daily actions. From human trafficking to global warming to endless wars to the world’s refugee crisis, you can help to bring about positive change! As a leader, […]
I had a great time in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, last week consulting with a group of very capable, gifted, and enthusiastic women leaders guiding them through a strategic planning process (Hello, PASJ WMU!) Our fun activity on Friday evening was to go see the movie “Hidden Figures” together and then go out for dessert and a discussion […]
She was probably single. She was evidently a woman of independent means living in one of the most cosmopolitan cities on earth in the first century, able to travel more than 600 miles, a servant leader recognized by her church as a deacon, and a financial supporter of many—including the apostle Paul. She was apparently […]
Communicating with men leaders can be challenging for a woman, especially if you are more accustomed to working only with women. Research has shown that women and men really do have different styles of communication (see Deborah Tannen’s books on Amazon). Yet, the precedents set by many biblical women–who lived in a very patriarchal culture–can […]
I am so excited to see the new movie “Hidden Figures” about Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three African-American women who helped the US win the Space Race by using their mathematical skills at NASA to put John Glenn into orbit. This is one of those movies that will educate all of us […]
(Please enjoy an adapted blog post from my previous blog. I am busy enjoying my grandchildren this week.) When someone mentions Mary and Martha, what comes to mind? If you know anything about them, you immediately associate their names with the scene from Luke 10:38-42 where Martha is complaining to Jesus about Mary not helping her […]
Why do you think we are wired to desire praise from others? My theory is that it is part of our being created in the image of God. Since God wants to be praised for WHO God is, then it makes sense that humans should want to receive appreciation for WHO we are–not just for what […]
