For Women Who Have Taught, Pastored, Inspired, and Led Me

Gracious God, thank you so much for the many brilliant women who have taught, pastored, inspired, and led me, including my mom (Millie Hostetler), Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Hall, Helen Bender, Arvilla Hostetler, Sue Wright, the lovely Robin, Freda Ditmer, Alice Baxendale, Eva Shannon, June Rader, Barbara Bicknell, Sharon Berry, Dorothy Breen, Mariruth Montemurro, Aubrey McCane, Nina Hostetler, Dorothy Sayers, Flora Larsson, Madge Unsworth, Eudora Welty, Yvonne Lehman, Catherine Marshall, Ellen G. Traylor, Hannah W. Smith, Annie Dillard, Margaret Feinberg, Denise Muir Kjesbo, Linda Belleville, Taryn Souders, Phyllis Tickle, Mary W. Tileston, Barbara Brown Taylor, Cindy Sproles, Mary Oliver, Eva Marie Everson, Bonnie Friedman, Edwina Perkins, Tamela Hancock Murray, Alice Mills, Lysa Terkeurst, Lauren Winner, Anne Lamott, Susan Cain, Lisa Barnes, Jennifer Bearchell...and so many more, including maybe even the author of Hebrews! How poor would my life have been without them, and how deep is my debt. 

(photo by Belinda Fewings via unsplash.com)