Illuminating Scripture for Women to be
Encouraged, Equipped, and Engaged

Reader

I haven’t sent an email to the whole Illuminate community in a long time! The last email was in June letting the group know I’d be ghosting communication to focus on our son’s wedding. It was a lovely, perfect Portland, Oregon, August wedding day. The ceremony was beautiful (as was the bride), and the reception turned into a super fun party—which is exactly what they wanted: to celebrate WELL!

So, here’s our family now!

I felt compelled to write today (my longest email to date!) because I just returned from teaching at Rainier View Christian Church’s women’s weekend retreat. Seventy-one women gathered to hear the stories of The Women Around the Cross: This is My Story. The retreat team did an incredible job orchestrating beautiful worship and creating space for small groups to unpack each of the four sessions. The combination of these elements and the presence of Holy Spirit birthed moments and beautiful testimonies that I will never forget. I am honored, grateful, and humbled to have been invited to be a part of it.

Over the weekend, I fielded several questions like, “Where can I learn more?” and “What’s next for Illuminate?” Well, subscribing to this email is the first place to learn more about Illuminate itself, and I’m so glad you’re here! I try to send something out every couple of months.

If you want to learn more about women in Scripture right away, I suggested three books they could start with (not in any particular order)

1. ​The Women of the Bible Speak​
2. ​Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church​
3. ​Jesus Through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord​

You can also download The Women Around the Cross series as a private podcast with an e-workbook. The link below reduces the price to $9 (regularly $30) until the end of the month.

As for what’s next? Well, that’s the big question and why I’m asking you to pray.

Because, honestly, I don’t know! And I feel like God doesn’t want me to know just yet.

So, I’m focusing on what’s in front of me. The Living Room has two more sessions left of First Ladies: The Women in Genesis—Tamar and Potiphar’s Wife. I’m also working on finishing my Level 2 Life Coach certification for 9 Lumens, which requires 500 coaching hours by December 6.

After that, I’ll be taking the last two weeks of December off to enjoy Christmas and family—and praying about 2025. January will be a time of prayer, planning, and preparing for what Illuminate and 9 Lumens will look like moving forward (literally “look like,” as Cameron is working on new logos as we speak).

What’s on the table to be praying about for next year?

• Editing the recordings from Samaria, Wells & A Woman into a podcast and e-workbook?
• Re-launching The Women Who Co-Labored with Paul to Birth the Church (which will need a bigger “Living Room” to share)?
• With a bigger “Living Room,” there could also be the possibility of re-launching First Ladies: The Women in Genesis?
• More opportunities for immersive The Women Around the Cross studies?

One thing I do know after being a part of Rainier View Christian Church's women's retreat weekend and witnessing how encouraged women were by hearing the stories of women in Scripture; there’s so much more ahead.

So, this is me asking, would you be praying for me and Illuminate next year?

Much love,

Linda Hannigan, BTh, CPLC, ACC Life, Leadership & Spiritual Formation Coaching, and Speaker ​ Owner & Coach 9 Lumens​ & Illuminate