Thistle Fields

What’s in a name…

What do cassette tapes, an ironing board, and a plane ride have in common? They are all parts of my journey that became Thistle Fields Tea Room - a Ministry of Willowbrook Women.  Hi, my name is Dana Wheeler; I love Jesus, and I am a self-described tea snob.  

In the early 2000s, my husband’s job took our family to London, England, for three years.  I would receive Pastor Mark’s sermons by cassette tape during this time, and I would listen as I ironed.  As I stood at the ironing board one day listening to a sermon, God began to stir in me a dream for Him to use afternoon tea as a ministry. Though it wasn’t immediate, all these years later, the vision God had laid on my heart all those years ago began to unfold.  

 So, why do we call it Thistle Fields? As I prayed through this ministry's details, I couldn’t seem to land on a name that felt right until I was on a plane to see my granddaughter, and the word 'thistle' caught my attention. 

After doing some research, I discovered that the thistle represents endurance, unity, and victory, and I knew then Thistle Fields should be the name of our tea room. My heart is to encourage women, especially Christian women:

•  to endure—to persevere and keep moving forward;

•  to be united by fostering compassion and understanding; and

•  to always, always, always remind ourselves as Christians, VICTORY is already ours.  

My prayer is that God will be pleased and glorified by what takes place at Thistle Fields Tea Room and women will know the pleasure of sharing afternoon tea with friends while nurturing endurance & unity and be reminded victory is ours because of Christ.

I hope you will share a “cuppa” with us soon!

Dana