“The Hub of the Wheel”: A Legacy of Women’s Ministry and Obedient Faith

Some stories you don’t just listen to—you feel them.

When I sat down to listen to Cathy Blalock and Donna Platt talk about women’s ministry, I expected wisdom. What I didn’t expect was to be teary-eyed before the video ended.

These women have been faithfully investing in the lives of other women for decades. Cathy first began teaching Bible studies as a college student at Auburn. Donna got her start in the early 2000s, sensing a gap in her church community and stepping into it with faith and vision. Between them, they’ve served in local churches, started state-wide ministry teams, launched conferences and retreats, and built ministries from the ground up.

But if you ask them what mattered most?

It wasn’t the events.
Not the retreats.
Not even the legacy.

It was the Thursday morning Bible study.

“It’s the hub of the wheel,” Cathy says. “The best thing we do.”

Because at the core of every retreat, every women’s event, every moment of ministry—the heartbeat was helping women encounter God in His Word.

The Unexpected Timing of God

What struck me most was how Cathy described handing over leadership—something she loved deeply—strictly out of obedience. At the time, she didn’t know why. She just knew God said it was time.

Only later did she find out why: a cancer diagnosis.

That obedience, given in faith, made room for rest and healing. But it didn’t remove her purpose.

“I held on to Thursday morning Bible study,” she shared. “It was my outlet.”

That moment—quiet but strong—spoke volumes.

A Ministry Built on Scripture and Surrender

What Cathy and Donna model isn’t flashy or fast. It’s the long road of faithfulness. It’s the ministry of small groups, early mornings, and quiet obedience. It’s choosing to trust that if we show up with open Bibles and open hearts, God will meet us—and the women around us—in ways we could never orchestrate ourselves.

And He has.

Over and over again, they’ve seen women move from guilt to grace. From confusion to clarity. From believing about God to knowing who He is.

That’s the beauty of real ministry—it always points back to Jesus.

If You’re Just Beginning…

Maybe you’re not leading a Thursday morning Bible study. Maybe you're just trying to make it to Thursday at all.

But here’s what Cathy and Donna would say to you: God doesn’t need you to be impressive. He wants you to be faithful. Just start. Open His Word. Gather a few women. Trust Him to do the rest.

And if you’re tired? You’re not alone. Ministry isn’t about carrying the whole thing yourself. It’s about obedience in the season you’re in. Whether that’s stepping in—or stepping back.

A Legacy That Keeps Going

As Cathy says near the end of the video:

“To see women discover the goodness of God through His Word is what still pumps me today.”

And you can feel it. Their joy is contagious. Their love for the Word is real. And their stories remind us that God doesn’t waste a single season. Not the beginnings. Not the transitions. Not the letting go.

So here’s to faithful women, to Thursday morning Bible studies, and to the quiet kind of obedience that changes lives—one open Bible at a time.

Want to hear Cathy and Donna share their hearts in their own words?
Watch Video 1 of 4 (above) in our series and be encouraged by their beautiful legacy of ministry.