RHE when Rachel died on May 4, 2019, I cried for days—for her family and friends for all of us who loved her and depend on her words and will never get any new ones two years later, something makes me think of her and my breath catches in my throat my chest constricts as I realize all over again that she’s gone and never coming back in the weeks after she died, I re-read all of her books and I knew what I had to do I had to get these thoughts into words on paper and this book out into the world I had to it took me a minute but here she is * This is a poem from my book, unbelieve, that I dedicated to Rachel Held Evans, a woman whose heart and mind and words changed my life.
I would love for you to read it. Click here to buy it or DM me somewhere if you prefer a signed copy. (tulips not included) Anybody else get their world rocked (in the very best way) by Rachel Held Evans? I'd love to hear about it.
It was by following her on Twitter that I was opened up to the progressive Christian world. The first words I ever read from her was the foreword of Sarah Bessey's Jesus Feminist, which was absolutely life-changing for me and so healing at the beginning of my faith deconstruction. Rachel empowered so many people, including many of the LGBTQ+ Christians whose work led me to accepting myself. She was truly an ally and I wish she was still here and could speak/tweet against all the conservative bullshit like "drag queens are groomers." But my hope is that we carry on her legacy of making church/spiritual space a place for "outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes. And there's always room for more.” (Searching for Sunday)
Beautiful words, Marla. Thank you for remembering her and reminding me today. I have not really identified as a Christian for a few years now, but all I have to do is read a bit of “wholehearted” and I start to reconsider. Her words and wisdom have shaped me so much. She left such an indelible mark on the world. I miss her, too.