As a child growing up in a small town in Illinois, Marilyn was imbued with the confidence that she could do just about anything if she persevered. In high school, she thrived on singing and playing piano and flute. So when she set forth for college, she thought she might pursue a career in music education. However, when she began to take college courses in religious studies, she was intrigued. Her studies gave Marilyn a way to answer her questions about her faith. Perhaps she could teach and do the same for others! Later, when she began teaching college students, she discovered that the satisfaction was well worth the hard work of her graduate school preparation. But several years after her marriage and move to Canada, her opportunities to teach came to an end. Working at the archives of the United Church of Canada, she developed a focus for research and writing, looking at the roles women have played in the church. Although things did not go as she hoped, grace led her in new directions. And Marilyn discovered threads of joy woven into the tapestry of her life.