I come from a lineage of Mothers---matriarchs in a patriarchal society who dared to believe they could, and they did. When my grandfather died, my grandmother took over his seat as city commissioner, the first woman ever to hold the position in a small, rural town. From the time I was two years old, my mother raised me on her own.

When I came to faith it was in the context of an all-male leadership model, and for a girl who grew up without a father, referring to the church elders as "the fathers of the church" held not only a certain connotation, but overlaid an image of God who was far-off and uninterested. I needed a God who was near, who would gather me into herself and let me rest my weary head on her pillowy bosom. In my childhood home and in many of the families I know today, it's the mothers who keep the household running like a well-oiled machine, shuffling kids to activities, nourishing and providing for the family while making sure mouths are fed and homework is done. Read more of this post