micahlagrave.com
Biography
I am the first born into a military family. My father was a JAG lawyer in the Air Force, while my mom stayed at home to take care of the household until I went to college. By then my dad had retired and my mom went to work as a legal secretary. They now live in Northern VA. I have a younger sister who now lives on the west coast with her husband and my two nephews and a niece. I have been married to my wife, Michelle, since 2011 and am so deeply, deeply grateful for her presence in my life. We have several loving and gentle cats who fill our lives with joy, laughter, and their amazing ability to make even the hardest days better!
​
My formative years were a mixture of trauma and happy memories. It was a scary childhood with many unpredictable moments. Although my parents did the best they knew how to do, they were not equipped to nurture the spiritual and emotional life of their children. This left me with some growing to do when I went to college. While at Bates, I was confronted with my emotional immaturity and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. As I grappled with these realities, I was embraced by several Christians on campus who “prayed for my salvation.” These friendships led me to study the Bible and embrace the teachings of Jesus. I had such a passion for spreading the good news that had transformed my life, that I embraced the invitation to become a missionary to Polish university students in Krakow, Poland after college.
Creating final edits for a Sunday Sermon.
The mission was to convert Catholic university students to Evangelical Christianity. However, as I encountered the deep faith of many of the Catholic students I met, I began to question my own evangelical beliefs. I returned to the United States certain that I was not an Evangelical Christian, that I had a call to ministry, and newly questioning my sexuality. Here I should say that I was assigned female at birth because it was during this time that I came out as a person attracted to cisgender women. It would take me 20 more years to embrace my transgender identity, however this early journey of discovery led me down the road of healing, embrace of my authentic self, and a deeper understanding of myself in relationship to others and to GOD.
​
Upon my return to the United States, I worked for two years in the public school system in central ME supporting students on the autism spectrum as they were integrated into the mainstream classroom. This was deeply fulfilling work and I discovered how my presence makes a difference in people's lives. While I thoroughly enjoyed this work, I could not escape that inner voice that was nudging me towards ordained ministry. Thus, after these two years, I packed my bags and headed to MA to attended Andover Newton Theological School.
​
As I needed to work while attending Andover Newton, I continued to work with people with developmental disabilities. Over the next 15 years I worked in a variety of settings assisting these folks in gaining as much independence as possible. I am not sure who learned more. For me, it was a continual encounter with the Divine in a population of people who are often written off by society as unworthy of dignity and respect. I learned to value the unconditional love and trust that these folks placed in me and discovered how deeply unconscious my own biases were. Throughout these years, I became aware of the value and richness that each individual I worked with offered to me. Yes, I taught them skills to live more independently. They taught me to live with joy!
​
After 15 years of work, I lost my two jobs due to my declining mental health, went through bankruptcy, and ended up on disability. This was a humbling experience. However, before I realized that I could not yet return to the workforce, I completed the final requirement for my MDiv. Thus, in May 2010, I graduated! The years between 2010-2015 were marked by significant struggles with my mental health. I refer to this time as my dark night of the soul. Although I struggled with my mental health, I was able to complete 3 units of Clinical Pastoral Education as a Chaplain Intern at a community hospital and at a VA hospital.
​
It was not until I encountered New Thought principles in the Spring of 2014 that my life began to turn around. I began to study the book The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes on my own and faithfully watch Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. It was these two mainstays that nurtured my soul and transformed my life. When I entered my first Unity church in June 2018, I found my spiritual home. These teaching have not only transformed my life, they filled me from within with the Power to live a full life filled with joy, authenticity, stability, wonder, awe, and gratitude. Along the way, I have had outstanding mental health care that leaves me equipped to manage my life and thrive while do so. I have become centered in who I am and have a deep awareness of what I desire from my life. I have put into place supports that help sustain my mental health and I am served by the richness of my own self-awareness.
Offering prayer for Trans World Day of Remembrance 2023.
Being of Sacred Service, sprucing up the Prayer Garden at Unity Church of Austin.
It was shortly after entering the doors of Unity of Omaha that I began taking S.E.E. classes. At the time I had no idea where it would lead. I was filled with a passion to learn, grow, and mature in my faith. What I discovered along the way a renewal and deeper sense of my call to ministry. Thus, I threw myself into the S.E.E. courses with the goal of entering either UWSI or UUMS once complete. I opted for UUMS and began my studies their in the Spring term of 2021. It was also during this spring that I was accepted as a candidate for ordained ministry with UWM. By this time we had moved to Houston, TX where I became involved with the pastoral care ministry in the Fall of 2020. This would eventually lead to me taking on the role as the part-time Pastoral Care Coordinator at Unity of Houston in the Fall of 2022. I am still serving in that role as I complete my studies at UUMS.
​
We moved to Austin, TX in the summer of 2023 and in July 2023, I began serving as the Ministerial Intern at Unity of Austin. I am very much loving all aspects of my ministry at both Unity of Houston and Unity of Austin. I just love to teach classes and experience Truth students have aha moments. Pastoral care is a particular passion of mine. I have the capacity and gentleness to create a container of support for people facing significant loss, grappling with life changing diagnoses, and facing other life transitions that need a gentle loving presence. I enjoy being a part of equipping people to become the change they desire to see in the world and supporting leadership as they seek to lead from prayer consciousness and an awareness of themselves as Divine beings.
​
My life has been rich, filled with several ups and downs, and the radical embrace of the Absolute and Abundant LOVE of GOD. I am so very, very grateful for all my life's experiences because they have made me the person I am today. I carry with me the lessons and the awareness of my own perfection as I seek to venture forth on this next chapter of my life’s journey.
​
Will you be a part of it? Let's explore how we might be able to co-create a container that shines Divine LIGHT and LOVE into the world!