As many wrestle with disillusionment in organized religion while still yearning for spiritual depth, Ruffled by Grace: Rebellious Blessings for a Fierce Faith arrives as a bold breath of fresh air. Today’s Belief Behind the Book features Rev. Michelle Wahila’s fierce and freeing story—a celebration of love, liturgy and living faithfully beyond the confines of the institutional church.
Belief Behind the Book is a feature that gives readers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the beliefs—or what I call “the why”—behind books written by progressive spiritual leaders. Inspired by the Ministry from the Margins Books program, Belief Behind the Book shines a spotlight on why authors write the books they write, offering up practical tips for readers to apply to their own belief systems.
After crashing into the stained-glass ceiling, Pastor Michelle Wahila embarks on a transformative journey in Paris, where faith, glitter, wine, and liturgy intertwine. Defying the heteropatriarchy of the institutional church, she officiates weddings for any couple ready to say, “I do.”
From queer weddings to boudoir workshops and rural French farm life, Ruffled is a story of love in its many forms, healing after loss, and the evolving role of faith in a world drifting further from pews and pulpits.
Rev. Michelle Wahila is an ordained PCUSA pastor, founder of Ruffled by Grace, and a sought-after officiant and retreat leader. She creates heartfelt celebrations and soulful experiences that blend tradition with imagination. Now living in a 19th-century farmhouse in rural France with her family and a menagerie of pets, she enjoys gardening, making jam, and savoring a good cup of coffee.
When asked why Wahila penned this beautiful book, she responded, “My journey of losing faith in the institutional church while holding onto a fierce love for God and community inspired me. I wanted to tell an honest story about what it means to be a woman of faith navigating a system that often feels confining, and how I found new ways to serve, love, and create sacred moments outside traditional church walls. I wanted readers to not only hear my story but also engage with it spiritually. Including liturgies and prayers creates an interactive experience, inviting readers to meditate, worship, and heal alongside the narrative.”
She offered readers some practical advice for everyday living, saying, “Faith is bigger than any institution. You can walk away from what no longer serves you and still be deeply spiritual, creative, and called to love in powerful ways.”
Rev. Wahila’s journey reminds us that walking away from broken systems doesn’t mean walking away from spirituality altogether. Ruffled by Grace is an invitation to imagine new ways of being spiritual, of creating sacred space, and of loving boldly and rebelliously. For anyone whose faith has been ruffled but not ruined, this book offers fierce blessings for the journey ahead.
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Award-winning author of ten books, including The Authorpreneur Handbook. Founder and CEO of Tehom Center Publishing, a nonprofit press publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. Rev. Dr. Yarber’s work has been featured in Forbes, HuffPo, NPR, The Advocate, Ms. Magazine, the television show Tiny House Nation, and more. She travels the world speaking, preaching, publishing, and writing, but she can always be found at www.tehomcenter.org