Being a leader sometimes means feeling unsure of the path, says the leader of Thistle Farms and the Magdalene community, two Christian institutions that are helping women recover from prostitution.
Author
Becca Stevens
Priest and founder of Magdalene and Thistle Farms
The Rev. Becca Stevens is an Episcopal priest serving as chaplain at St. Augustine's Episcopal Chapel at Vanderbilt University. She is founder of Magdalene and Thistle Farms, a community and social enterprise for women recovering from trafficking, prostitution, addiction and life on the streets. Magdalene is a residential program that serves women for two years at no cost. Thistle Farms employs more than 40 residents and graduates who manufacture, market and sell all-natural bath and beauty products. In 2011, Stevens was named a “Champion of Change” by the White House. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Grammy-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon, and their three sons. Her blog is available at beccastevens.org.
Lilly Endowment Inc. announces Exploring Christian Practices Initiative
The Exploring Christian Practices Initiative aims to multiply opportunities and increase access to settings that help individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds explore and engage in Christian practices to address their spiritual interests and questions, find and build community with others, nourish their religious lives and grow in faith.
In this open and competitive initiative, the Endowment invites charitable organizations to submit proposals for grants of up to $2.5 million each that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new and/or enhance existing programs that present promising strategies for advancing the aim of the initiative and provide compelling and thoughtful responses to its guiding questions. The Endowment anticipates awarding approximately 60 grants and announcing grant awards in December 2026.
The Endowment will host four virtual information sessions (February 17, 19, 24, and 25) to discuss the Exploring Christian Practices guidelines for submitting a proposal. An Interest Form and Letter of Interest are due March 25, 2026. Complete proposals are due May 18, 2026.
Learn More and register for information sessions