<div>My name is Kristine Grace, and I’m completing a four-year Master of Divinity at Bethany Theological Seminary—continuing a legacy of peace-building leadership begun by my great-grandfather, Albert Cassel Wieand.
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<div>But mine isn’t an ordinary seminary path.
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<div>We are living through an era of spiritual collapse: ecological crisis, political polarization, war, burnout, and disconnection. Many have left organized religion, yet the hunger for meaning, belonging, and wonder has never been greater.
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<div>I already have a great start in equipping myself for this wish through earning graduate certificates in trauma-aware mindfulness, eco-chaplaincy, and theological writing. I spent the last 2 years getting my bachelor's degree in Theopoetics and theological writing to qualify for the MDiv program which I am already accepted into.
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<div>Your gift to this four-year journey helps form a minister ready to serve this turning point in history.
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<div>Not through dogma, but through living wisdom that heals, unites, and renews the soul of the world.
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<div>Please donate, share, and bless this work.
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<div>Together, we can nurture a new generation of spiritual refuge—built not on fear, but on love and awareness.
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<div>With deep gratitude,
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<div>Kristine Grace
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<div>The Real Cost of Seminary
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<div>The cost of my Master of Divinity program is about $40,000 per year, including tuition, fees, housing, and residency travel.
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<div>I have been blessed to qualify for scholarships that cover nearly all of this cost. For the past two years, I only needed to pay $1,800 per semester out-of-pocket, which I managed through my own savings and sacrifices.
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<div>Moving forward, my scholarships continue—leaving me responsible for just $6,000 per year (or $3,000 per semester) to complete my degree.
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<div>Your Gift Multiplied
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<div>Every dollar you give is multiplied many times over.
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<div>Because my scholarships cover the vast majority of expenses, your support bridges the small gap that remains. 
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<div>Your gift ensures that tens of thousands in scholarships are not lost, and that I can carry this through to graduation.
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<div>How You Can Help
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<div>* One-time gift: Even a small amount helps cover tuition and travel.
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<div>* Monthly support: Regular gifts sustain me across the entire program.
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<div>Every dollar goes directly toward tuition and residency travel.
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<div>Follow My Journey
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<div>You can read my reflections and writings along the way here:
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<div><a href="https://kristinegrace1.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://kristinegrace1.substack.com/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://kristinegrace1.substack.com/</a></a>
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<div>And if you want to know more about where I come from and what inspired this vision:
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<div>My Story
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<div>I grew up in abusive environments and endured an 18-year abusive marriage. In 2003, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness that causes constant pain and exhaustion. I relinquished a career as a world champion equestrian, and in 2017, my husband abandoned me, leaving me homeless.
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<div>Since then, I’ve devoted myself to healing, study, and service. I hold certifications in eco-chaplaincy, animal behavior, and post-trauma growth mindfulness. I’ve also done significant animal rescue work and carried out mission explorations in Mexico, Bolivia, and Portugal, envisioning a nature refuge for environmentally sensitive people. I’ve lived in Buddhist monasteries learning to become a meditation master while deepening my interspiritual practice while staying rooted in Christian tradition. Currently, I’m writing a book on contemplative Christian prayer, blending mysticism, Scripture, and neuroscience.
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<div>Resilience in Hardship
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<div>With very limited income and serious health challenges, I’ve had to make tough choices: choosing medical care over accessible housing, living in monasteries and retreat centers, and relying on the generosity of friends. In seminary, I hope to secure school-supported housing that fits my health needs, and to use off-season study options in more affordable countries to stretch resources further.
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<div>In this moment, the world needs ministers who can speak both science and spirit, both trauma and theology—who can hold the sensitivity of this age as holy.
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<div>Why This Work Matters
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<div>As a neurodivergent and environmentally sensitive woman, I’ve experienced firsthand what it means to live in a body attuned to the suffering of the world. I know how overwhelming sound, toxins, and conflict can be—and how silence, prayer, and nature can become medicine. Though many think these kinds of sensitivities are rare, current research shows that a conservative estimate is that 25% of the world's population experiences these kinds of sensitivities. Many people like me live isolated lives, even losing friends, family and housing due to the misunderstanding of these challenges.
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<div>The same nervous-system awareness that once felt like a weakness has become my teacher.
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<div>Animals, especially horses, have shown me that presence and empathy are sacred technologies.
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<div>Contemplative prayer taught me that communion with God is not an escape from life—but a reweaving of it.
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<div>This isn’t just personal healing. It’s preparation for a new kind of ministry—one that can help the neurodivergent and the ecologically burdened find refuge and rebuild connection.
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<div>The Vision: A Network of Refuge &amp; Renewal
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<div>Your support for my seminary formation lays the foundation for an evolving mission:
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<div>Global Online Communities
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<div>Safe, slow-paced contemplative circles for neurodivergent and environmentally sensitive people.
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<div>Trauma-aware teachings blending contemplative Christianity, neuroscience, and ecological mindfulness.
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<div>Resources for churches and spiritual groups to create their own inclusive spaces.
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<div>Physical Refuges &amp; Learning Hubs
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<div>Low-toxin, fragrance-free retreat environments where people can live, rest, and learn.
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<div>Animal-assisted contemplative programs that reconnect people with creation.
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<div>Incubators for new spiritual practice—helping train ministers and facilitators for a generation facing climate trauma, disembodiment, and digital isolation.
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<div>These communities will serve as laboratories for spiritual evolution—places where we remember what it means to be human in right relationship with Earth and one another.
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<div>Why Now
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<div>If spirituality dies out, something essential in humanity dies with it.
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<div>Our capacity for awe, reverence, forgiveness, and meaning-making is what keeps civilization human. The wars and divisions we see are what happen when religion loses love and embodiment.
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<div>We don’t need less spirituality—we need truer, gentler, wiser forms of it.
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<div>That’s why your support now matters.
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<div>Thank you for your support. If you have friends who may be interested in supporting this mission, please do forward this link to them.
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