Becca Stevens (priest)
Rev. Becca Stevens is an Episcopal priest and writer who is chaplain at Vanderbilt University's St. Augustine's Chapel in Nashville, Tennessee.[1] She is notable for her work helping former prostitutes leave the sex industry and start new lives.[2]
She founded Magdalene in 1997,[3] a two year residential program for former prostitutes overcoming addiction(s) and wanting to restart their lives.[4] She also started Thistle Farms, which employs the same group of women to make products sold in stores like Whole Foods and on the Internet. In 2013, Thistle Farms opened a café, employing ex-prostitutes as baristas.[2]
She has written several books, including nine published by Abingdon Press.[5] Her 2013 memoir, Snake Oil: The Art of Healing and Truth-Telling, "details her own sexual abuse and healing and how her ministry has led to the founding of Thistle Farms",[6] and was reported by The Tennessean as an area bestseller.[7] She has received many local awards as well as being designated a White House Champion of Change in 2011.
Books
- Finding Balance: Loving God with Heart and Soul, Mind and Strength. Abingdon Press. 2004. ISBN 978-0-687-34510-6.
- Sanctuary: Unexpected Places Where God Found Me. Abingdon Press. 2005. ISBN 978-0-687-49420-0.
- Hither and Yon: A Travel Guide for the Spiritual Journey. Abingdon Press. 2007. ISBN 978-0-687-49076-9.
- Walking Bible Study: The Path of Peace. Abingdon Press. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4267-3329-1.
- Walking Bible Study: The Path of Love. Abingdon Press. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4267-1174-9.
- Walking Bible Study: The Path of Justice. Abingdon Press. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4267-4608-6.
- Funeral for a Stranger: Thoughts on Life and Love. Abingdon Press. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4267-2234-9.
- Find Your Way Home: Words from the Street, Wisdom from the Heart. Abingdon Press. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4267-2253-0. Co-written with the Women of Magdalene.
- The Gift of Compassion: A Guide to Helping Those Who Grieve. Abingdon Press. 2012. ISBN 978-1-4267-4234-7.
- Snake Oil: The Art of Healing and Truth-Telling. FaithWords. 2013. ISBN 978-1-4555-1907-1.
- The Way of Tea and Justice: Rescuing the World's Favorite Beverage from Its Violent History. FaithWords. 2014. ISBN 978-1-4555-1903-3.
Awards
- The Frist Foundation and the Academy of Women in Achievement
- Nashvillian of the Year by the Nashville Scene, 2000[8]
- A Tennessean of the Year by The Tennessean, 2005[9][10]
- "NEXT Award" as an Entrepreneur of the Year by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, 2011[11][12]
- A White House "Champion of Change", 2011[13][14]
Personal life
She is married to Grammy-winning country music artist Marcus Hummon, and has three children.[15]
References
- ↑ "Becca Stevens". St. Augustine's Chapel at Vanderbilt. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kristof, Nicholas (2013-10-13). "From the Streets to the ‘World’s Best Mom’". The New York Times.
- ↑ Kerr, Gail (2011-11-24). "Self-worth rises for women of Magdalene House". The Tennessean.
- ↑ Hall, Heidi (April 22, 2014). "Former drug addict, prostitute finds rebirth of her own". The Tennessean.
- ↑ "Authors: Becca Stevens". Abingdon Press. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ↑ Garrigan, Liz (2013-03-11). "Books: For Becca Stevens, an Episcopal priest, age-old remedies hold secret to healing". Nashville City Paper.
- ↑ "BookManBookWoman best-sellers". The Tennessean. 2014-03-23.
- ↑ West, Kay (2000-12-21). "2000 Nashvillian of the Year: Becca Stevens, executive director of the Magdalene project". Nashville Scene.
- ↑ "Tennesseans of the Year". The Tennessean. 2005-12-25. p. A23.
- ↑ "The Vanderbilt University 2006 Financial Report" (PDF). Vanderbilt University. 2006. p. 12.
The Tennessean names Chancellor Gordon Gee and Reverend. Becca Stevens as 'Tennesseans of the Year.'
- ↑ McClain, Randy (2011-10-19). "Nashville chamber honors NEXT winners". The Tennessean.
- ↑ Chambers, Lindsay (2011-10-19). "Nashville Area Chamber, Entrepreneur Center announce NEXT Award winners" (Press release). Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
- ↑ Haruch, Steve (2011-10-17). "Rev. Becca Stevens of Magdalene and Thistle Farms Named a 'Champion of Change' by the White House".
- ↑ "Becca Stevens". Champions of Change. Whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2014-06-19.
- ↑ Ghianni, Tim (2007-01-13). "Mom's compassion lives on". Tennessean.
External links
- Becca Stevens' official website
- Thistle Farms website