CBE’s ninth annual writing contest has finally come to a close. We deeply appreciate all participants’ involvement and commitment to CBE and to the Mutuality blog. Our writers include men and women, young and old, clergy and laypeople from around the globe. We are so grateful for the work you do. You remind us that, while our work may sometimes seem overwhelming, we are far from alone. Together, we can change the world for the women of tomorrow.
We would like to note that due to the high quality of many of our entries, the final choices for Grand Prize were very difficult. Many of the honorable mentions could easily have been Grand Prize winners themselves! In addition, some non-winners will still likely be published. We encourage you to continue submitting any ideas or drafts you may have throughout the year. In particular, we hope that more creative writing is submitted in the next year!
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Our Winners by Competitive Category
1. A Sermon or Devotional
Grand Prize Winner
Jamie Hulker
Jamie holds an MA from Moody Theological Seminary and is an international Bible teacher, speaker, author, and director of “Here for You” ministries. With years of global ministry experience in over 35 countries, her heart is to equip and encourage believers. Her passions: God’s Word, global missions, women’s issues, Church unity.
Honorable Mentions
Alexis Eyrich Kjellstrom
Since discovering a personal relationship with God through an international Bible study, Alexis’s faith has deepened, her life been enriched, and her desire for biblical knowledge is insatiable. Alexis holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, a master’s degree in counseling, and certificates in mediation, theology, and biblical counseling. She has been married for 50 years and has one living child, one who is with God, a daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren.
Paul Abdul
Paul is a minister from Nigeria, who has followed Christ since 2005. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from The Christian Institute in Jos, Nigeria, and a post-graduate diploma in theology from Trinity Anglican Seminary–Ambridge. He serves as a missionary/mission mobilizer at El-Rehoboth Global Leadership Foundation–Jos, a priest with the Anglican Diocese of Jos, and a school administrator/chaplain at Calvary Anglican Missionary College–Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Paul is married to Zati, and they have three children.
2. Poetry or Original Song Lyrics
Grand Prize Winner
Katherine Larson
Katherine is currently a freshman. Her mother is a seminarian, which has influenced Katherine to read theology books and think about big questions. Katherine processes her reading and daily life through writing poetry.
Honorable Mentions
Audrey Perry
Audrey is a homeschooling mom and minister in the Assemblies of God from Fort Branch, Indiana. Passionate about trauma-informed care and theology, she is pursuing her master’s degree in pastoral counseling at Bridges Christian College Seminary. She enjoys writing poems, blogs, and songs; giving music lessons; reading; and starting—but not always finishing—DIY projects.
Morgan Esterline
Morgan Rae Esterline is a senior at Thomas More University, studying english, creative writing, and philosophy. She is dedicated to the theology of women in her personal studies and is an apprentice for the Place Keepers Initiative, which runs creative writing programs as part of the UACC and OAI.
3. Vignettes
Grand Prize Winner
Jazmine Lawrence
Jazmine Lawrence is a Master of Arts in Theology student at Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia, Canada. She grew up as one of five girls, making the five daughters of Zelophehad introduced in Numbers 27:1-11 particularly meaningful and encouraging to her journey of healing from the effects of patriarchy on her family and church.
Honorable Mentions
Dawn Sutherland
Dr. Dawn Lewis Sutherland is an accomplished educator, scholar, and speaker specializing in Old Testament and ancient Near Eastern studies. With a PhD in bible exposition from Liberty University, she focuses on equipping others with deep scriptural insights, fostering critical engagement with the Bible, and advocating for leadership inclusivity within the church and in the academy.
Christine Woolgar
Christine Woolgar is an avid reader and musician, preacher, and worship leader. Living in the UK, she habitually delves Scripture and has an MA in theology. She blogs on hope, sexuality and consent at Light in Grey Places and posts creative content inspired by the Bible at Faith in Grey Places.
4. Screenplays and Scripts
Grand Prize Winner
Irene Maciá Doménech
Irene Maciá Doménech is a criminologist, writer, and amateur actor in Spanish theater. She studies theology at institutions like CEPROMELAT, the RTM Academy, and the Instituto Teológico Encuentra. In 2017 she started publishing her books on Amazon, the most recent being the biblical essay And He Created Woman.
5. Pop Culture Commentary
Grand Prize Winner
Amelia Smith
Amelia Smith is a performer, director, and theater educator. She is a core member of Still Small Theatre, a Christian touring company based in Beverly, Massachusetts. Her passion is telling stories that help audiences see how each person reveals a unique facet of the image of God.
Honorable Mention
Mary Stromer Hanson
Mary Stromer Hanson is a longtime member of the Denver Chapter of CBE. She is a Biblical Studies NT graduate of Denver Seminary. Her blog, “Mary’s Sword,” can be found at marystromerhanson.com. Mary is the author of two books:The New Perspective on Mary and Martha and Bold Girls Speak, both published by Wipf and Stock in 2013.
6. Unique Theological Reflections on Women in Scripture
Grand Prize Winner
Monica Warren
Monica Napoli Warren is a wife, mom, and mimi in addition to being an Anglican priest and a perpetual student, who loves to share what she learns. Monica also teaches religion courses at the University of South Alabama.
Honorable Mention
Israel Steinmetz
Dr. Israel Steinmetz, DMin (Fuller Theological Seminary), is a pastor-theologian who has ministered for thirty years in diverse contexts and roles throughout North America. He and his family reside in Katy, TX where Israel serves as Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at The Bible Seminary.
7. Other Honorable Mentions
Leno Thomas
Raised in a deeply, deeply, deeply empowering home, Leno was formed by parents who embodied God’s image—her mother reflecting God’s agape motherlove, and her father, Christlike fatherhood. They gave Leno two lenses: a Jesus lens and Jesus’ own prescription, a child’s lens of trust and innocence—both serving as her compass for discerning when a text or doctrine is not aligned with Christ’s logic and character.
Jacqueline Coleman
Reverend Jacqueline Coleman, MDiv, MA, serves as the Missions and Families Pastor at Palm Coast Bible Church in Palm Coast, Florida. She is a Maine girl who married her high school sweetheart. Together, they have five adult children, three children-in-love, and three grandchildren who all love to explore the world.
Congratulations again to all our winners! In addition to being published by the Mutuality blog, grand prize winners will receive a free e-book and a year-long print subscription to Mutuality magazine. Honorable mentions may also be published.