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.

But mine isn’t an ordinary seminary path.

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.

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.

Your gift to this four-year journey helps form a minister ready to serve this turning point in history.

Not through dogma, but through living wisdom that heals, unites, and renews the soul of the world.

Please donate, share, and bless this work.

Together, we can nurture a new generation of spiritual refuge—built not on fear, but on love and awareness.

With deep gratitude,

Kristine Grace

The Real Cost of Seminary

The cost of my Master of Divinity program is about $40,000 per year, including tuition, fees, housing, and residency travel.

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.

Moving forward, my scholarships continue—leaving me responsible for just $6,000 per year (or $3,000 per semester) to complete my degree.

Your Gift Multiplied

Every dollar you give is multiplied many times over.

Because my scholarships cover the vast majority of expenses, your support bridges the small gap that remains.

Your gift ensures that tens of thousands in scholarships are not lost, and that I can carry this through to graduation.

How You Can Help

* One-time gift: Even a small amount helps cover tuition and travel.

* Monthly support: Regular gifts sustain me across the entire program.

Every dollar goes directly toward tuition and residency travel.

Follow My Journey

You can read my reflections and writings along the way here:

https://kristinegrace1.substack.com/

And if you want to know more about where I come from and what inspired this vision:

My Story

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.

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.

Resilience in Hardship

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.

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.

Why This Work Matters

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.

The same nervous-system awareness that once felt like a weakness has become my teacher.

Animals, especially horses, have shown me that presence and empathy are sacred technologies.

Contemplative prayer taught me that communion with God is not an escape from life—but a reweaving of it.

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.

The Vision: A Network of Refuge & Renewal

Your support for my seminary formation lays the foundation for an evolving mission:

Global Online Communities

Safe, slow-paced contemplative circles for neurodivergent and environmentally sensitive people.

Trauma-aware teachings blending contemplative Christianity, neuroscience, and ecological mindfulness.

Resources for churches and spiritual groups to create their own inclusive spaces.

Physical Refuges & Learning Hubs

Low-toxin, fragrance-free retreat environments where people can live, rest, and learn.

Animal-assisted contemplative programs that reconnect people with creation.

Incubators for new spiritual practice—helping train ministers and facilitators for a generation facing climate trauma, disembodiment, and digital isolation.

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.

Why Now

If spirituality dies out, something essential in humanity dies with it.

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.

We don’t need less spirituality—we need truer, gentler, wiser forms of it.

That’s why your support now matters.

Thank you for your support. If you have friends who may be interested in supporting this mission, please do forward this link to them.