Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists (KNCSB)

Women challenged to be risk takers

Participants in the KNCSB Wonderful Weekend for Women found themselves hanging on every word from Jennifer Rothschild, the featured speaker. Rothschild is a popular Christian author and recording artist. A rare eye disease took her sight when she was a teenager. She challenged her listeners to depend on God to help them conquer the obstacles in their own lives. Here, Rothschild starts an autograph session. (Photo by Eva Wilson)

Be a “risk taker” and not a “hole maker.”

That was the challenge a popular Christian author gave to the crowd at Wonderful Weekend for Women. The annual KNCSB women’s retreat was held Sept. 14-15 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan.

Jennifer Rothschild, who is also is a recording artist, was the featured speaker.

Women need stability and boundaries in their lives, Rothschild told the crowd. “But the other side of the coin is we can resist change. A lot of times we fear change.”

Speaking from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, Rothschild urged the women not to be “hole makers” like the man who buried his talent.

As a teenager, Rothschild was stricken with a degenerative eye disease. By the time she was a high school senior, she had been legally blind for two years. She knew she needed to become more independent, but she fought her desire to stay dependent. So she decided to go off to college by herself. However, the day before leaving, Rothschild found herself hit by a last-minute wave of panic.

Women also can find themselves in similar circumstances and be like the man who squandered his talent, Rothschild said. “That one talent was not his to squander.

“God gave you your life for you to use it. Your life didn’t come with a shovel.”

She asked the crowd, “What is your shovel? What do you cling to? Hole makers are not life livers ... [they’re] grave diggers.”

Rothschild’s books include “Lessons I Learned in the Dark,” “Fingerprints of God,” and “Lessons I Learned in the Light.” She also has two video-enhanced Bible studies—“Fingerprints of God” and “Walking By Faith”—produced by LifeWay Christian Resources.

She will be one of the featured speakers for an upcoming women’s event in the Kansas City area. The Extraordinary Women Conference will be held Oct. 26-27 at First Baptist Church, Raytown.

• Find more information about the Raytown event


• Visit Rothschild’s Web site


• Visit Rothschild’s on-line women’s magazine