“and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven” – Jeremiah 7:18
Back when I was 17, I wanted more than anything to go to Bible college, so I went with my Baptist youth group to Columbia, South Carolina to visit the school. But my parents would not let me attend this school and instead wanted me to attend college close to home.
Even though I was upset with their decision at the time, this turned out to be the best thing ever. And I did eventually go to seminary and pursued graduate work in theology, and now I am finishing up my PhD.
And looking back, I am so thankful I didn’t go to Bible college.
But I didn’t exactly see myself becoming Mormon (or a Latter-day Saint) either. God indeed works in mysterious ways!
So, next week after Christmas I will be taking yet another trip to Columbia, South Carolina—this time to go for my Temple endowments. I honestly never thought the day would come!
But my journey to the Temple is unconventional, to say the least. It took eight years of discernment and a book by David Spangler (click for review!) to help me decide this was the right path for me. Then things just kind of fell into place from there to prepare the way. It was the strangest thing, and I could feel the pull of the Spirit World in my decision to go.
And David has been very supportive of my decision, although he himself is not Mormon.
Then on Sunday, my Temple Prep class teacher “felt inspired” (her own words) to give me a loaf of what she called “friendship bread.” I thought very little about it on the way home, until my husband pointed something out – last year, I wrote a paper on bread symbolism and the Heavenly Mother connection for my PhD program.
My husband mentioning that gave me chills, and I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that my decision to go to the Temple was indeed a divine appointment.
….if only I had known what I know now back when I visited Bible college.
Photo Credit: Robert Wiener
Michelle Wiener
Dr. Michelle Wiener holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky and a Master of Ecumenical Studies from the University of Geneva in Switzerland where she studied for a year with the World Council of Churches. A convert from the Bible Belt, she loves genealogy and serves as Temple & Family History Consultant. A devotee of Heavenly Mother, she also runs the Finding Heavenly Mother Project. Michelle just completed her PhD in comparative theology through Euclid University.
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