Get Wisdom! But How?
Three Testimonies from Graduates of the Propel Wheaton Cohort
Sophia is the Greek word for Wisdom, and Propel Sophia seeks out the voices of truly wise women and asks them to share worked examples of how they express faith in daily life. Pull up a chair at Sophia’s table, won’t you? There’s plenty of space.
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Seek Wisdom in Community
By Andrea J Wright
As Christians, we are told to find and obtain wisdom. Many have heard the story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom above all things (1 Kings 3:1-15). But how do we gain wisdom which can seem so unattainable?
Proverbs 15:22 instructs us that “plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed” (NIV). This scripture is what the Lord personally used to lead me to the Propel Cohort at Wheaton College Graduate School – to seek wisdom amongst community.
God’s Word and prayer are always the first places I seek wisdom, but as we see in this proverb, wisdom should also come from walking among, contributing to, and learning from the community of Believers.
During my time at the Wheaton College Graduate School, I was taught by esteemed faculty who instructed on their speciality and shared personal wisdom God has revealed to them over the years. And I learned alongside brilliant colleagues who represent the fullness of the body of Christ in ages, backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and God-given talents. The posture of a student required humility, submission, active listening, hours reading new authors, studying new academic disciplines, and a willingness to be challenged by critical feedback on my work. All this was designed for the purpose of producing growth and ultimately wisdom for how to better serve Christ and His great Kingdom.
As a graduate, I continue onward—refreshed and equipped—with the resources of a broader community, and a fire burning inside for the sharing of the Gospel in the days ahead.
Others Grow As They Watch Me Grow
By Jenny Taylor
When God nudged me to say yes to the Propel Wheaton Cohort, I was quick to say yes but was also scared. I come out of the business world and felt unworthy, unqualified and insecure about my yes. I quickly learned that all the ladies in my Cohort had similar questions and doubts.
Through the cohort, my walk with Jesus became stronger, my understanding of scripture enhanced and my love of the Church grew, as I had expected. But the unexpected gift was the impact on others who watched my journey unfold. Our yes is rarely just about us, and always about God’s glory and others. I experienced this to the utmost degree by saying yes to this opportunity.
My eleven-year-old daughter, who has watched my journey, now thinks saying yes to God is normal. She views education and learning as normal. She also believes doing God’s work is normal. My network was and continues to be inspired by the fact that age doesn’t determine my path or worth but rather my willingness to respond to God’s whispers.
At the beginning, I came in with zero ministry background and questioned why God was calling me here. But I quickly found that while my ministry is in the business world, He had plans to use me just like he is using the ladies in ministry. Talk about freedom!
Wisdom Means Working Out Our Faith in Real Life
By Nikki Dutton
At the time of applying to be a part of the Propel Women cohort at Wheaton I came from an incredible background of faith communities, but still I wanted to know more. More about God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the history of the church and how to practically live a life of evangelism.
However, what I learned the last few years is that wisdom – which is desired above all else – is forged through our everyday experiences. It is the lessons we hear in sermons, books, podcasts, and conversations with friends literally lived out as we navigate real-time change, loss, celebration, and the mundane. Simply put, we pursue wisdom as we work out our faith in this world. Wisdom is found by taking what we have learned and processing it through our earth-side experience.
One moment that will always stand out was when I was in a summer class and received a phone call that my dad had passed somewhat unexpectedly. These women, who had become friends, stepped in as the hands and feet of Jesus to me and my family. They surrounded me at that time and have encouraged me since then through grief, major moves, getting married, and a global pandemic. In a program focused on evangelism, I watched women practically demonstrate God’s presence in this world as tangible agents - to me and to their communities.
