Christina Fox, Author at Women.pcacdm.org

Telling the Reformation Story to Our Children

SHERRY KENDRICK | GUEST A year ago, I had the privilege of going on a Reformation tour with fifty people from my church. Several pastors who had both interest and training in church history served as guides. It was a wonderful learning experience for me and deepened my faith. The more I learned about the Reformation, the more I came to treasure the power of God’s Word, the gift of salvation by grace alone, and the steadfast courage needed to stand for gospel truth. This year’s Reformation Sunday is October 26, and I find myself asking: how do we pass this history on to our children? The Protestant Reformation is a story of God’s faithfulness to His church—and it is a story worth telling them. What Was the Reformation? The beginning of the Reformation usually dates to October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The 95 Theses was a list of Luther’s arguments against the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences—which were like "get out of jail free" cards for sins—often sold for money to raise funds for the church. The Protestant Reformation would continue for over 130 years throughout all of Europe. There were many “reformers,” men and women, who with courage stood in the face of persecution and death for believing the five key truths that came from the Reformation. They are known as the Five Solas: Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone Sola Fide – Faith alone Sola Gratia – Grace alone Solus Christus – Christ alone Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory To prepare for the Reformation tour, my pastor recommended reading The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves. He describes the Reformation as a fire that could not be put out—a flame of gospel truth blazing across Europe. That imagery has stayed with me. It is my heart’s desire for the flame of these gospel truths to burn in me and into the hearts of the children we are discipling today...

Telling the Reformation Story to Our ChildrenChristina Fox2025-10-03T19:48:25+00:00

The Faithfulness of God in the Fall of Life

ELIZABETH TURNAGE | CONTRIBUTOR “For everything there is a season, and a time for every activity under heaven.” (Ecc. 3:1). Golden yellows, flaming oranges, deep burgundies — the brilliant leaves dance in the wind, announcing the change of season. Sunflower wreaths adorn neighborhood doors; coffee shops beckon with pumpkin spice lattes. Where I live, in the humid South, the dripping heat has relented to slightly drier air. What’s not to love about fall? We love fall, but we know, as Robert Frost reminded us, that “nothing gold can stay.” With shorter daylight hours will come the browning and furling of the leaves, and within a matter of days, a cool wind will loosen their dried-up grip on the branches, and they will slowly fall to the earth, returning to dust. Fall means glorious light and color; fall hints at the winter withering to come. Indeed, as the cynical Preacher of Ecclesiastes suggests, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every activity under heaven” (Ecc. 3:1)....

The Faithfulness of God in the Fall of LifeChristina Fox2025-09-27T13:21:26+00:00

Welcome Them In: Extending Gospel Hospitality to Our Children

LISA UPDIKE | GUEST They are everywhere in our church. Probably yours too. Running in the lobby. Dropping Cheerios on the carpet. Hiding under the bulletin table. They are adorable. Energetic. Messy. Noisy. And a valued part of the covenant community that will not be ignored. Who are they? Our children! The Bible tells us that children are a blessing from God. Their chubby-cheeked, smiling faces melt our hearts. Of course, we love our children—most of the time—however; if we are honest, I think many of us have felt frustrated with the general commotion that accompanies them. Trying to listen to the sermon with a wiggly whispering seven-year-old behind you in the pew is downright distracting. The Call to Welcome Children Yet Scripture makes it abundantly clear that our attitude toward children is to be two-fold. First, we are to welcome them into the worship of Jesus. We read in three out of the four gospels that Jesus commanded His disciples to let the little children come to him. (Matt. 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16). Essentially, Jesus was declaring that children are to be welcomed and even valued. “For such is the Kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:14) is a bold statement. We are wise to take notice...

Welcome Them In: Extending Gospel Hospitality to Our ChildrenChristina Fox2025-09-27T13:09:43+00:00

Her View from the Pew: Reflections from a Pastor’s Wife

KATIE POLSKI | CONTRIBUTOR I was twenty-three years old, had a two-year-old and a two-month-old, and my husband had just started a new position as a senior pastor at a church where I knew no one. Just weeks into our new calling, I snuck away for a few minutes of quiet while the kids played in my husband’s new office. Sitting in the pew of the quiet sanctuary, I took in my surroundings, reflecting on the weight and wonder of this new calling as “pastor’s wife.” Fast forward nearly twenty-five years, when I found myself in a time of similar contemplation. Sitting in the pew of our church, the surroundings had changed—we were at a different church, and I was in a new life stage—but the emotions of carrying the title of “pastor’s wife” were as familiar and raw as they were so many years ago. Whether you’re serving in a church you’ve known your whole life or one that’s completely new; whether ministry is part of your family’s legacy or something you’re the first to step into; or whether your congregation is overflowing with people or faithfully pressing on in small numbers—the role of pastor’s wife carries a common thread. In all these varied settings and differing seasons, every pastor’s wife can be encouraged by the same thing: Jesus’ kindness in the calling. The Hidden Burden and the Beautiful Calling In my own life, the burdens haven’t changed much through the years. Early in our ministry, I accompanied my husband to the home of grieving parents who had lost their child. As the mother practically collapsed in my arms, I had the thought, “Why am I here?” It felt almost intrusive to step into such tender grief when I barely knew the family. And yet, she wept in my arms. Why am I here? Why am I sitting in a room for a memorial service in memory of a mother I did not know. Why am I invited to a wedding of a couple I only met once? Why am I here, bearing the weight from a difficult session meeting?...

Her View from the Pew: Reflections from a Pastor’s WifeChristina Fox2025-09-21T15:18:16+00:00

Held in His Truth: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness

KATHRYN MANN | GUEST Editor's Note: The following contains Kathryn's story about miscarriage. “Kathryn, it’s not looking good today.” These words still haunt me today. Several months ago, I was eight weeks pregnant. Just a few days earlier, my husband and I had gone in for our first appointment. We were full of nerves and excitement. Lub-dub. Lub-dub. Lub-dub. What a privilege to hear our baby’s heart beating–a heart so small yet so strong, creating the most exquisite melody. After a little symptom scare, I went back to the clinic to hear the worst news possible. My baby’s heart had stopped beating. I proclaim God’s goodness every day. Even when my father passed away two years ago, I felt my faith strengthened, and I wanted to encourage others more than ever to trust Him. But the death of my baby shook me. As a mother, you are deeply bonded to your baby from the beginning, and the loss of a baby in the womb is the heartbreaking loss of your child. To the eyes of the world, I do not look like a mother. I have no baby bump. I have no baby in my arms. I do not carry around a diaper bag. Rather, I despair the emptiness of my womb, my arms long to hold my baby, and I carry the weight of grief on my shoulders. From the very moment I found out I was growing a babe in my womb, I never ceased praying for my baby, especially for my baby’s heart. Lord, keep that heart growing and beating strong. And then to hear the heart was beating no more…why had God not answered my prayers?...

Held in His Truth: Pregnancy and Infant Loss AwarenessChristina Fox2025-09-21T15:08:02+00:00

Welcoming Others with Gospel Hospitality

BETHANY BELUE | CONTRIBUTOR When I was in my twenties, I was mentored by a woman in the church where I was on staff. What began as a babysitting job turned into a lasting friendship. She was a mom of three small children with a husband who worked long hours. Often, our conversations occurred during dinner and bath time with small children, while folding laundry, or during a walk to pick up a child from an activity. While I met with her regularly for prayer and counsel, receiving much wisdom from her, I mostly remember how she welcomed me into her home and her life. She likely thought that those moments together were loud and messy, while in my heart, I felt seen and welcomed into the mess with her. She showed me (and continues to show me) gospel hospitality. The Greatest Commandment One of the most well-known passages in the Bible is found in Mark 12:30-31: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” This command speaks two important truths: love the Lord first and love others as yourself. As believers, we are called to not only love the Lord but to love others around us. A very specific way we can do this is by showing hospitality. The Challenge of Gospel Hospitality When we hear the word “hospitality,” we may think only of inviting people into our home. The thought of doing so may create a feeling of panic deep within us as we think about cleaning the house or fixing an elaborate meal. Hospitality can feel risky as we think about letting strangers and even friends in our homes and our lives. But gospel hospitality says nothing about a clean house or fancy meals. In fact, nothing about the gospel is fancy or flashy. The gospel is good news. It is the message of Jesus loving us enough to leave the glory of Heaven and die on the cross for our sins. Everything about this act of Jesus was messy and sacrificial. The gospel says, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Living a gospel-centered life puts others first and gives us the opportunity to show our love to friends, neighbors, and strangers...

Welcoming Others with Gospel HospitalityChristina Fox2025-09-13T14:43:22+00:00

The Surprising Relevance of Haggai and Malachi

CHRISTINE GORDON | CONTRIBUTOR Most believers I know don’t regularly quote from Haggai or hang verses from Malachi on their bathroom mirror to be memorized while brushing their teeth. And yet these books sit in the Bible just like Romans or Genesis, important enough to claim a spot in God’s Word. I read through them last year in my annual whirlwind tour of the Bible. And honestly, I didn’t understand much more about them when I was finished reading than I did before I started. With phrases like, “Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel” and “I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated,” these books seemed a little bit like fossils I didn’t have the tools to excavate. But then I began to study them. Turns out, they’re relevant. Wrong Priorities Once I got past the strange names and read some explanation of their context, I found myself relating to God’s people in these books. In Haggai, the people of Judah had gotten their priorities messed up. God called them to rebuild His house, but they were too caught up in their own personal house beautification projects to build the temple. It took God calling out their sin to get their attention. They knew what they were supposed to be doing but were apathetic/too busy/preoccupied. God named their failure. But instead of leaving them in shame, He then promised to be with them as they worked. He stirred their spirits, rousing them to obedience. God’s people built His temple and again had the privilege of coming close to the “God of angel armies” as He’s frequently called in Haggai. We haven’t been called to build God’s physical temple. Instead of needing a building to be near God, God has come near to us in the person of Jesus. By His Spirit, we enjoy His constant presence. But we have been called to build His kingdom so that others might also know His presence and worship Him. We know this, but struggle to put God’s kingdom first. Between children’s doctor appointments, Amazon returns, and work responsibilities, it’s easy for us to have our priorities mixed up like the people of Haggai’s day. The kingdom of God sometimes becomes something we set to the side. We put off the things of God until we feel more settled in all the other parts of life. Giving financially, discipling others, and serving the body of Christ in other ways all take time and planning. We often give that time and attention to other things. We prioritize our own desires and decide we’ll get to God’s kingdom later. We get distracted by all kinds of things – even good things. Weeks or months can pass before we realize God’s kingdom and His call to invest in it has been put aside. But God doesn’t put His people aside....

The Surprising Relevance of Haggai and MalachiChristina Fox2025-09-13T13:36:55+00:00

Why Attend Leadership Training

CATHE CLEVELAND|GUEST If you serve in women's ministry, you may or may not know about the PCA's annual Women's Ministry Leadership Conference, what many affectionately call, "LT." It is not hyperbole to say that the PCA has led the way in providing focused training and resources for women’s ministry and for women who serve in any type of leadership role. You may not know what LT is all about and why you should attend. You might think your role in your ministry isn't significant enough to merit attending or perhaps your ministry is chugging along just fine, and you doubt you'll benefit from it. Or maybe you think you'll be the only one there whose ministry has struggled just to get off the ground. Whatever the state of your ministry, there are important things you can gain from LT as a leader in women's ministry. My favorite definition of a leader is: a person who influences people to accomplish a purpose. There are three parts to this definition: the person leading, the people they lead, and the purpose they accomplish. The action in this definition is to influence. Even if you have a grand purpose, you are not a leader if you have no people you are influencing. If you have the wrong destination in mind, you might have some great relationships, and maybe even conduct some wonderful events, but you are not really leading anyone to a place they should be. There are situations such as the military or law enforcement, where leaders legitimately use some level of authority or force to compel other people to accomplish some purpose even if they would not want to otherwise. But effective ministry leaders influence others to develop proper motivation so that they desire to work towards accomplishing the purpose together....

Why Attend Leadership TrainingChristina Fox2025-09-12T12:13:26+00:00

When a Holding Pattern is Your Homework Assignment

LAURA PATTERSON | GUEST Three years ago, I found myself in a holding pattern over the city of Nashville. Only minutes after the pilot instructed the cabin and crew to prepare for descent, the plan seemed to change. I realized over the next 30 minutes, with no announcement from the cockpit, that we were not landing after all. Instead, we were circling the Nashville airport in a racetrack pattern, suspended at 30,000 feet. For someone with anxious tendencies, combined with the fact that I was traveling alone, I began to feel unsettled. I focused on deep breathing and tried to distract myself. But I knew something was wrong—why weren’t we landing at our intended destination? Perhaps the experience of a holding pattern feels familiar as you settle into the realities of a new school or ministry year. You bought tickets to an intended destination, packed your bags appropriately, and now that you are in the air, you are confronted with the fact that you are not actually in control. Unknown Flight Path As far as I can recall, every past school and ministry year has brought with it a new or ongoing holding pattern. It’s like a spiritual homework assignment set on repeat. And, as a new year of learning and growing is now underway, I find myself wondering how this journey will go...

When a Holding Pattern is Your Homework AssignmentChristina Fox2025-09-12T11:51:41+00:00

Clay Like Calling: God’s Glory in Our Weakness

KAREN HODGE | CONTRIBUTOR We stand on the precipice of a new ministry year. Let's gather the team, formulate a stellar plan, whip out a shiny brochure, and rally the women! And while we're at it, let's try to make it bigger, faster, or shinier than last year. Been there and tried that strategy. “Shiny Plan” seems like a bulletproof proposal in September, but by October, cracks began to form in our well-formulated plan. CRACK… You try to recruit women to execute this shiny plan and find that many of them are just "too busy" to participate. CHIP… You put the Women's Connect Event in the bulletin, announce it from the front, send an email, and then wonder why more women didn't show up when you are cleaning up. CRUMBLE…. After teaching a Bible study you spent hours preparing and then receive stinging criticism in the hallway, you hastily vow you will never teach again! SHATTER…. Although you meant to send the shiny plan to the Session ahead of printing the brochures, upon reading it, they suggest that you scale things back to avoid draining the church's resources....

Clay Like Calling: God’s Glory in Our WeaknessChristina Fox2025-08-10T15:08:46+00:00

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