The challenges I faced in my own life as a woman in ministry faded to nothing as I learned about the life story of Florence Li Tim-Oi for the first time.

Speaking up for the oppressed, like Shirley Chisholm did, is following in the footsteps of Jesus: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matt 25:40)

Evil takes a keen interest in each of us—and so does good.

It is one of my life's ambitions to become like the woman who brought me and my wife a cup of cold water on a hot day in Providence, Rhode Island. I would cherish the opportunity to quench another's thirst...either their physical need for a drink of water, their need to be drawn closer to the Divine, or their thirst for justice and righteousness.

They used to say “behind every good man there’s a woman,” meaning a wife holding down the home front, or typing the research papers and creating the index for the book. This year for Women’s History Month, I’m thinking about the opposite: “Behind every good woman there’s a man.” Put in a more nuanced way, many women who have an impact have men to support and encourage them along the way. That’s been true for me.