Flowers seem to be a well-used symbol for Christian women. Have you ever been to a meeting, conference or group that proclaimed “bloom where you’re planted”? The covers of books and cards, Christian tea towels (yes, that’s a thing!) and just about any other Christian item for women usually has flowers on it. To be honest, I find it all a bit sugary! Especially so since many Christian women are not flourishing, especially in the expression of their spiritual gifts. How can Christian women thrive? This question is part of the origin story of this Gospel Women ministry.

One wildflower got me thinking.

I live in Perth, Western Australia. It’s a beautiful city with a sprawling nature park in its centre, called King’s Park. You can explore the park for hours, enjoying solitude and nature right in the heart of the city. In the spring, wildflowers of extraordinary variety burst into bloom in cultivated gardens and wild eco zones.

One year I ambled the park, reflecting on my own journey as a Christian woman. I came upon an area where a bushfire had destroyed a large section of the park several years earlier. In contrast to the vibrancy of the rest of the park, it was a scene of destruction. Twisted and blackened branches littered the ground.

After the initial shock reaction, something caught my eye. There in the midst of the devastation was one wildflower, a bright flash of blue in the middle of a destroyed landscape. Unless I had stopped to look, I would have missed it. Soon, I saw another, and another. To my surprise, there were wildflowers all around, poking their heads up from the ashes. In spite of inhospitable conditions, these flowers were bravely blossoming. It made me think of the difficulties for women that have existed in churches for the past 2000 years.

Christian Women: surviving or thriving?

As I strolled on, stories of Christian women I’d known came to mind. So many women had struggled to find their place in churches. Although enduring insult, injury and opposition, some dedicated women servants of the Lord have been blooming quietly, unnoticed. Although some Christian women operate happily within the denominational rules, others have struggled. Meanwhile some have quietly launched missions under the radar. If you don’t know where to look, you won’t see the flowers blooming here and there.

In contrast to that burnt over area of King’s Park, there is another area that displays wildflowers in glorious abundance. This is the part of the park that is nurtured by gardeners. Walking on from the burn zone, I approached the mixed borders with a question in my mind.

What would it take to help Christian women flourish and thrive?

That question has sat with me for some years, quietly growing and putting out shoots. Christian women can fulfil their high potential, and they ought to! Jesus came for that blooming. After years of seeking the Lord for guidance, it’s time to create a space for women to grow.

You don’t have to be a lonely wildflower. You can be seen and heard, and nurtured. Gospel Women is being built, bit by bit, to provide the inspiration, encouragement, equipping and support you need. Find out more about Gospel Women here! Would you like to join other wildflowers from around the world as we grow into our potential? We’d love to send you a free series of inspirational devotionals about the Gospel Women of Luke 8…you can sign up below.