Ruffled by Grace

Michelle Wahila weaves a path of healing for clergy and other caregiving women who have experienced toxic church culture with exquisite liturgy alongside powerful personal testimony. A much-needed resource for those recovering from the harmful side of servant-leadership. Lynn M. Horan, Author, Dismantled: Abusive Church Culture and the Clergy Women Who Leave Ruffled by Grace is a beautifully authentic exploration of faith, resilience, and healing that invites readers to embrace the messiness of life with courage and grace. With its poetic prayers, raw vulnerability, and rich storytelling, this book weaves together the complexities of pastoral ministry, motherhood, and personal transformation in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. It is a treasure for anyone who has wrestled with questions of faith, identity or the meaning of a calling. Rev. Rebecca J. Craig, Author, Once Upon a Nightmare: Through the Looking Glass of Narcissistic Abuse In Ruffled by Grace, Michelle Wahila vividly describes the particulars of her world: the passing of seasons in Paris and across the landscape of her faith. Readers are invited to look behind the curtain, to see what may be all too familiar -- burnout and grief, doubt and frustration. Part memoir and part prayerbook, this book bears witness to Wahila's dogged faith and holy creativity, as she leaves behind one dream in search of a ministry that is life-giving for her and for others. Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan, pastor and author of Good Christian Sex: Why Chastity Isn't the Only Answer and Other Things the Bible Says about Sex As someone who left the ministry only to realize I had never truly left-just stepped away from its institutional form-I deeply appreciate Michelle's honest, vulnerable, and empowering account of her journey toward spiritual and vocational fulfillment. David Hayward @ NakedPastor.com With striking honesty and vulnerability, Michelle weaves together personal stories, spiritual reflections, and liturgies that offer a space of healing and solidarity for those who may feel alone as they escape toxic environments. This book is a blessing and sanctuary for battered souls, those who have gone through the storm and emerged bloodied, but whole. This must-read will challenge the reader to a more authentic, loving, and grace-filled path through the messiness of this life. Natalie Drew, Author & Activist