What Do You Have Apart from Jesus?

In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, I want to share the blessing and power of not doing anything apart from Jesus.

February 1, 2022, when I couldn't sleep in the night, I started thinking about what life would be like apart from Jesus. In that long night, the Holy Spirit was my Comfort and Peace, but my mind turned to my Savior.

I thought about all He had done for me. I thought about Him praying in Heaven for me. The more I meditated, the more I realized how He touched every part of my life, and that I, in fact, had no life apart from Him.

Here is what I reminded myself about that night.

Nothing Apart from Jesus

1. Apart from Jesus, there's no PATH to eternal hope and heaven.

In other words, there's no salvation. Jesus said,

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

Apart from our Savior, we have no hope for eternity; but with Jesus, we have "a living hope" (1 Peter 1:3).

2. Apart from Jesus, there's no PURPOSE for spiritually-meaningful life and legacy.

We all have personal goals—some made with much prayer and in seeking God, and others planned without Him.

The best way for a Christ-follower to live is to prayerfully ask God for direction.

Why?

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).

God planned works for us to do. He had jobs, careers, and responsibilities in mind when He created us.

I've thought about this a lot. I believe:

• God gifted me and He empowers me.
• He knew I would be a wife, mother, and grandmother.
• He knew I would be a writer, speaker, and love to sing in the choir.
• He has provided all I've needed, in my weakness, to be strong in Him.
• He designed me to love truth and show mercy.
• He gave me the desire to live for His glory.

He did all of this for me and in and through me as I am "in Christ"—and I am so grateful!

Perhaps you might review your own life. Consider how God has prepared the way and used you in ways you never would have imagined.

Perhaps you are like me. Without the Lord, I have no spiritually-meaningful life. Without Him, my legacy would be shallow. But with Him . . .

3. Apart for Jesus, there's no POWER for godly choices and change.

We may be able to overcome some issues with sheer will power, but godly choices requires knowing God. When we have the "mind of Christ," we will think differently (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Also, because Jesus stands in victory, we do not have to sin! As a popular song says, "sin's curse has lost its grip on me." * I have both the desire and the enabling to overcome temptation in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57) and through the Word of God (1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 119:11).

I am being transformed through the "renewing" of my mind (Romans 12:2). God is changing me to become more like His Son (Romans 8:29).

Without Christ, we can do nothing, but with Him—when we abide in Him, when we live in His strength—what a difference!

4. Apart from Jesus, there's no PROVISION for spiritual growth and godliness.

God gives us great grace. It is the grace of God that He chooses to bless us instead of give us what our sin deserves.

Paul reminds us that nothing good dwells in our flesh (Romans 7:18). How can that which is not good do good? Even our so-called goodness is as "filthy rags" before God—tainted by sin or wrong motives.

Oh, how we need Jesus!

In Jesus, God made a way not only for eternal life, but blessings as well. In Christ, we are given many spiritual blessings and we are able to live "to the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:3-14).

God give us "grace gifts" (spiritual gifts) to help us "bear much fruit" (John 15:8) as we serve Him and pursue God-given goals.

• Father God calls us to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-17).
• He gave us the Holy One, Jesus, to enable our holiness (John 6:68-69).
• And Jesus prayed the Father would send the Holy Spirit to guide us into righteousness (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:16).

Clearly, it is God's will that we be holy; but we cannot be godly apart from our Savior.

5. Apart from Jesus, there's no PEACE in the world's confusion and chaos.

Just listening to newscasts for one day is enough to either make us angry or make us afraid. We rightly ask, "What in the world is going on?"

We may be tempted to panic. We crave peace in all the confusion and chaos. 

Yet, as Christ-followers, we know there's more going on than earthly headlines.

• We know Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is coming back to set things right.
• We know that—whatever happens to our earthly bodies—sin, circumstances, and the evil one cannot destroy us.
• We know that apart from Jesus we might panic, but in Him, we have peace that the world cannot understand.

Jesus desires to give us HIS peace, far beyond the peace promoted in this world (John 14:27). It's the kind of peace that enables us to not be troubled or afraid in the scary circumstances of life.

Apart from Jesus we may feel hopeless, purposeless, powerless, helpless, and restless. But all that changes when we are alive in Him.

"No guilt in life no fear in death,

This is the power of Christ in me.

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny." *

How grateful I am that I do not live apart from the One who loved me enough to die for me, the One who has provided all I will ever need.

Is there some area of life where you are apart from Jesus? Do you have a personal relationship with Him? What do you have that has not come from Him?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

* Lyrics from "In Christ Alone" by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Matteo Vistocco at Unsplash.

When Mom Is in Heaven . . .

In this Mother's Day UPGRADE, Dawn reminds us to honor our moms for as long as we can. Why? "When Mom is in heaven," she says, "a big piece of our heart is there too." This is my first Mother's Day without my mom; and my husband's mother went to heaven in late 2021.

A few days after I wrote this post, I received news that a dear friend's elderly mother was in transition. Family members have gathered, and they will likely experience Mother's Day without their mom too.

The simple fact is, Mother's Day looks a lot different when a loving Christian Mom is dying or already in heaven with Jesus.

It's just so hard!

My sister was my mom's caregiver for so many years. I know she is hurting too. While there is relief when our loved one is out of pain, caregivers also experience great sorrow.

People speak of "losing" someone in death, but I haven't lost my mom. I know exactly where she is.

Knowing Mom is safe and well in the place where she lives forever helps me deal with the pain.

More about that later.

Perhaps someone reading this is struggling. I hope this will encourage you.

Five things to remember when facing Mom's earthly absence on Mother's Day:

1) It's normal to grieve.

I watched a television commercial promoting a lovely Mother's Day necklace. A tear slipped from my eye. Never again this side of heaven would I be able to give my mom a gift of any kind. Not even a Mother's Day card.

We can change the channel when the commercial comes on and avoid the card aisle at the drugstore, but that won't bring her back.

Grieving is natural, and no one can tell us when to stop grieving.

We can look at old scrapbooks of special events with our mom in the photos, but suddenly we realize there will be no more photos. We close the scrapbook. It's just too hard.

In time, a new awareness sets in.

In grieving, we eventually realize that great grief means great love.

If we did not love our mothers so much, we would not grieve them so deeply.

So what helps?

• Pause for a while and feel the depths of your grief.
• Then take your pain to Jesus—totally human, totally God—the One who understands how you feel. He is intimately acquainted with your situation (Psalm 139:b NASB). You are not alone. He does not stand back, avoiding your pain. He wants to comfort your heart through the watch-care of the Holy Spirit.

2) Some memories are sweet, others are hard, and some are funny!

After pausing to feel grief, allow your thoughts to drift to happy days when your mother was still on earth. Ask God to help you remember some sweet memories.

It's OK for tears to flow.

Memories can still be sweet, even when difficult or painful.

We can know that, as Bible-believing believers, someday all those tears of grief will be wiped away, and death, mourning, crying, and pain will end (Revelation 21:4).

In the midst of grieving your mother's death, perhaps you will recall some funny memories. That's OK!

Some of my favorite funerals and celebration services included funny stories of the deceased. Loved ones laughed through their tears.

Stories are reminders that the one we love was completely human and will be missed.

So what helps?

• If you feel comfortable, pull out that scrapbook again, or look at photos on social media or on your phone.
• Try to remember the place and time for each picture. Choose joy, and thank God for the memories.

(Bob's mother, left, and mine — when they were young.)

3) It's God-honoring and mom-honoring to remember her legacy.

All moms leave some kind of legacy. This is hopefully doubly true in Christian families. There is Mom's legacy in family traditions, and her legacy in Christ.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants (Psalm 116:15 NIV).

If your mom lived even nominally for Jesus, that's more than the vast number of moms have done around the world—moms who have never trusted in the Lord. It's not that those other moms don't love their children. It's only that they could not show the love of God to their children.

If your mom walked closely with her Savior, however, she will likely have left a profound "heartprint" in your life—transformational truth, and inspiration to follow her heart as you follow in Jesus' steps.

So what helps?

• Your mom may not have been perfect, but thank God for giving you life (Psalm 139:13) and the legacy of her love. If she taught you about the Lord, His Word, and His ways, praise God for that (Deuteronomy 4:9; Proverbs 1:8-9).
• Thank God for her influence in your character and your understanding of Father God (Proverbs 31:25-27).

4) Life now is about more than trying to "make Mom proud."

Proverbs 17:6b (NLT) says,

Parents are the pride of their children. *

It's natural that children take pride in their parents. That's why we have special days to celebrate them—Father's Day and Mother's Day. God tells us to honor our parents (Exodus 20:12); and the scriptures go one step further with moms: We must never "despise" (neglect) them when they are old (Proverbs 23:22b).

Yes. It's good to take pride in our parents.

Children also normally want to make their parents proud.

It's suggested that Mom is glad when we're making wise choices.

May your . . . mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful!" (Proverbs 22:25).

Most parents are happily proud of their children, even if they don't communicate it. Parental pride and gladness are often linked. I remember telling one of my sons after he displayed an act of kindness, "I'm so glad you were born. I'm so proud of you."

You may hope that you made your mama proud; and that feeling may continue after she's in heaven.

But your mother would want MORE for you.

Your mom would want you to live a wonderful, fruitful, God-blessed life. She would want you to live for more than simply making her proud.

She would want you to make God smile.

Turns out, that's a biblical concept.

May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor. . .  (Numbers 6:25-26a NLT)

God smiles when He sees His children looking to Him for wisdom and direction. When we seek Him out for the right way to live (Psalm 119:35 Msg), He pours out His favor in our lives.

Your mom wouldn't want you to become a sour, legalistic Christian. But she would want you to walk in submission, faith, and obedience to God because that's the way to a blessed life.

So what helps?

• Why not write a note in your journal or to post on social media to celebrate your Mom's life—rise up and "call her blessed" (Proverbs 31:28). Your mom may be in heaven, but you can still share part of her story or why you loved her.
• Ask God how you can make Him smile. What would that look like? What would move God's heart to bless you? The Bible gives some insight: Hosea 6:6 NLT; Psalm 147:11 ESV; 1 John 5:3a NIV; Matthew 6:33 NIV)

5. We know we will see our Christ-following Mom again.

Only God knows our hearts, but if your mother has genuinely received Jesus as her Savior (trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection; and repenting of sin and asking for His forgiveness) — and you have genuinely done the same — you will see your loved one again.

Again, what helps?

• Praise God for your mother's salvation. ** (She's not only your mom. If you both know the Lord, she's your sister in Christ!)
• Be sure you know the Lord too. (How do you know—how can you be sure—you know Jesus? Here is a presentation of the good news of salvation in Christ; and here are some evidences of salvation.)

I cannot wait to see my mom, my husband's mom, and a few precious adopted "moms" I've loved along the way. What a wondrous day that will be!

Let me offer a prayer for those who hurt this Mother's Day.

Father God,

I ask you to encourage those who have mothers in heaven. Comfort them and bring them peace.

Remind them of sweet memories so they will have tears of joy mingled with their grief.

Show them how they can best honor their mothers this Mother's Day and in the years to come. Amen.

Is your mom in heaven? Could you try some of these suggestions to face this Mother's Day with peace, and a "heavenly" perspective?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Vlanka at Pixabay.

* Note: Most versions say "father" rather than "parents."

** I know that some moms give no evidence of receiving Christ. We cannot, however, see into their heart and mind. Perhaps they had a conversation wth God before they died. We just do not know—but God does. We can take comfort in the biblical truth that God is loving, kind, and just. And we can thank Him for the years He allowed our Mom to care for us.

Feeling Like a Failure as a Mom?

Kathy Collard Miller is treasure, shaped by God for specific ministry—reaching women who deal with anger issues, and teaching how to be a positive parent. In this Parenting UPGRADE, she reaches out to women who feel like failures in motherhood—an insightful post before Mother's Day.

"Don’t be alarmed," Kathy says. "Every mother at one point or another feels like a failure, but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t have help to improve her parenting skills."

I (Dawn) like that word "every." I am not alone in my mothering regrets. All mothers wish we could go back and redo something in our imperfect parenting. But what does God have to say about this?

Kathy continues . . .

If anyone could say they are a failure as a mom, it would be me.

Over 40 years ago, I was an abusive mom of our toddler daughter.

I feared I would kill her in one of my rages.

It seemed God had given up on me, because no matter how much I prayed to be a godly mother, nothing changed. Suicide seemed the only option, and I almost took my life.

But God intervened, gave me hope, and also gave me biblical and practical help to become the loving mom I wanted to be. Today, our family is intact and has healthy relationships.

So what can you do when mothering is overwhelming and feels hopeless?

Hope for "Failing" Moms

1. The story isn’t finished.

This might sound like a pat answer, but we feel hopeless because everything is going wrong. We believe our child’s life is ruined forever.

Think of the disciples while Jesus is in the grave. For three days they had no clue God was going to bring hope to the whole world through an astounding, unexpected act—the resurrection.

I certainly had no clue that God would not only help me become a patient mom and heal my daughter’s wounded heart, He would also open ministry doors that has included sharing my story in nine foreign countries, having over 60 books published, and sharing God’s hope in over 30 U.S. states.

None of us can predict how our powerful Father will use what seems hopeless. Because then His glory is brighter than ever.

2. What you are struggling with is only preparation for sharing help and hope with others.

Initially, I prayed for an instantaneous deliverance from my anger.

I couldn’t possibly comprehend any good coming from struggle.

But as I learned more and more, I could teach parenting classes and workshops.

I Peter 1:6-7 (ESV) tells us,

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

3. Have courage to share your struggle knowing you are not alone.

Satan loves to keep sin in the darkness of secrets. I thought I was the only one struggling.

I remember sitting during our church service after being angry toward our daughter that morning. I sat trying not to cry, and yet my heart was breaking.

The woman sitting next to me seemed visibly disturbed because I was so upset. I knew she didn’t know what to do, but I feared sharing because she would condemn me.

In time, God gave me the courage to share in the neighborhood Bible study I led, and my friends didn’t condemn me. They began to pray for me and hold me accountable.

James 5:16 (ESV) commands us,

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

I saw God keep His promise of delivering me when I accepted His courage to tell others.

Whatever struggle you have is absolutely weak in comparison to your Heavenly Father’s power.

You will feel intimidated, but be courageous to share with others. If no one will help, keep sharing until you find the wise counselor you need.

What struggle seems too strong to ask for help from God and others?

Kathy Collard Miller has continued to be in awe of God’s ability to not only release His children from sin’s grasp, but also to use what He teaches us. God has used His journey for her through His opportunities to write over 60 books, speak in 9 countries and more than 30 U.S. states. Her memoir, No More Anger: Hope for an Out-of-Control Mom (available in print, Kindle, and audio) is her story, which also includes practical, biblical ideas for overcoming anger and being a positive parent. Kathy and her husband, Larry, of more than 50 years, are parents, grandparents, and lay counselors. They live in Boise, Idaho. Visit her at www.KathyCollardMiller.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Liza Summer at Pexels.

A Mary Heart in a Martha World

Joanie Shawhan is an overcomer on many levels, and God is using her life to encourage others. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she zooms in on a woman in the Bible who has much to teach us.

"As I pondered the events of Holy week," Joanie says, "I was drawn to Mary of Bethany."

I (Dawn) have to admit that I've always been just as drawn to Martha as to Mary—probably because I've been a "Type A"-plus woman—always working, always intense. Illness has slowed me down, and it's a good thing. I'm learning the value of having a Mary heart, so I love what Joanie has to say about Mary here.

Joanie continues . . .

What motivated Mary to break an expensive jar of perfume and pour it over Jesus’s feet?

We are first introduced to Mary seated at the feet of Jesus listening to his teachings. Meanwhile, her sister Martha scurried about serving their guests.

Martha appealed to Jesus.

“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke10:40 NIV).

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:39-42 NIV).

I’m pretty sure this wasn’t the answer Martha anticipated. She probably felt overwhelmed and maybe annoyed by her sister’s lack of help.

As I ponder Jesus’s reprimand, I’m convicted of my own patterns of busyness.

Like Martha, I’m also distracted and fret about many things.

• I’m a task-oriented person, and my to-do list is very important.
• I scamper from one activity to the next.
• I try to focus on the Lord, but soon my imagination skips along on another tangent.
• Random thoughts flit through my mind and intermingle with my to-do list.

Then I’m reminded of Mary who once again defied cultural norms and chose to be in the Lord’s presence. This time Jesus was the guest of honor at another dinner Martha served shortly before his crucifixion. 

“Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance” (John 12:3 NLT).

Jesus surprises me with his response.

“Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial” (John 12:7 NLT).

He valued Mary’s gift, a reflection of her love and devotion.

A Heart like Mary's

How does a task-oriented person like me approach Jesus with a heart like Mary’s in a Martha world?

1. Humble myself.

When Mary pressed in and sat at the feet of Jesus, she laid aside the expectations and the cultural norms of her day.

Did she care what the others thought?

I wonder if the men encircling Jesus noticed her. Did they glower?

Am I willing to draw near and humble myself before the Lord even when others don’t understand?

2. Stop and listen.

Mary refused to be distracted. She stopped, pressed in, and listened to Jesus.

I wonder if she heard Martha calling for help.

Sometimes I need to stop what I’m doing, sit quietly before the Lord, and wait.

“Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10 NLT).

I brush aside cobwebs of distraction: my to-do lists, random thoughts, and past regrets. As I refocus on the Lord, distractions will fade away.

I have an image of the Lord taking my face in his hands and turning my face to His as one would a child’s. “Look at me,” he says. “Look at me. Stay in my presence.”

In his presence is the fullness of joy. (See Psalm 16:11).

3. Give Jesus my all.

Mary held nothing back when she poured out her devotion and that extravagant perfume on Jesus.

Mary gave her all.

She gave her best.

What is my best that Jesus asks me to lay at his feet in worship?

“For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son” (Romans 8:32 TPT). 

4. Maintain a pure heart.

Mary’s actions created quite a stir.

• Even her own sister didn’t understand.
• Simon and the disciples not only misunderstood Mary’s extravagant gesture of love, but they were offended and deemed her act of worship a waste.

Am I willing to endure the accusations and the disappointment from others who do not understand my love for Jesus?

I need to be careful that I, in turn, do not become offended or bitter because of the actions or harsh words by others.

Unhindered devotion to Jesus requires me to walk in forgiveness.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8 NKJV).

Seeking the Lord with a heart like Mary’s is a challenge to my Martha mentality. But the joy I experience in his presence is worth the price.

What helps you to lay aside the distractions of daily life and be in the Lord’s presence?

Joanie Shawhan shares true-life stories, offering her reader an eyewitness view of the action. Her Selah Awards Finalist book, In Her Shoes: Dancing in the Shadow of Cancer, reflects the value of “Your story plus my story become our stories.” An ovarian cancer survivor and registered nurse, Joanie speaks to medical students in the Survivors Teaching Students program. She co-founded an ovarian cancer social group: The Fried Eggs—Sunny-Side Up. Publishing credits include: Guideposts Divine Interventions, Snapshots of Hope & Heart, Wit, Whimsy & Wisdom, Life Repurposed, and We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished. Follow Joanie at www.joanieshawhan.com.

First graphic, adapted, is "Jesus at the House of Mary and Martha." is adapted. Wikipedia notes that the painting is by British artist Harold Copping.

Second graphic is of "Christ in the House of Martha and Mary" by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, posted at Wikipedia.

Celebrate Well-Behaved Women Making History!

Morgan Farr is a woman of strength and wisdom. I always enjoy her unique insights. In this Biblical Womanhood UPGRADE during Women's History Month, she points to women in biblical history who have made a difference."Did you know," Morgan says, "that one of the most famous women’s empowerment quotes is actually a twisting of praise for Christian women?"

That question certainly piqued my (Dawn's) interest!

Morgan continues . . .

We are in the middle of the month of March, which means that if you hop onto any social media platform you will likely be bombarded with the celebration of women from across the globe. It's Women’s History Month.

Quotes from famous women, quotes about world-changing women, and quotes celebrating women are flying across social media at the moment.

But one in particular stands out to me:

“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

We see this quote on pins, stickers, and water bottles. It is often used as a sort of rallying cry for women to behave badly, which is a bit ironic, given the source.

This quote actually came from an academic paper published by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. She was talking about the funeral sermons of Christian women.

I want to share how to upgrade your walk with well-behaved women who made history.

The idea behind Ulrich’s quote is that the women who live quiet lives tend to be overlooked by history, not that women should be poorly-behaved in order to make history.

At first, we want to react against this, but even in the Christian culture, it is the women who stepped out of line that are most often remembered.

In preparation for this article, I did a social media poll and asked my followers to name five women in the Bible.

These were the names I got and who they are:

• Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:6).
• Sarah laughs at the idea that she would get pregnant in her old age (Genesis 18:10-15).
• Rahab was a prostitute (Joshua 2:1).
• Bathesheba was married when she was taken by King David, who then murdered her husband (2 Samuel 11:2-17).
• Mary was pregnant out of wedlock (Luke 1:26-35).
• Ruth bucked tradition by following her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:8-22).
• Esther challenged a king (Esther 4:1-14; 5:1-8; 7:1-10; 8:1-16).

All of these women stand out in some way because of their stories.

Initially I was going to use the word salacious or maybe scandalous stories, but really, these women just had big stories. They are the major names that people think of with the term “women in the Bible.''

After that things start to get a little fuzzy and people really have to stretch for the names of other women.

Understanding Bible history and how women interact with it matters.

I find that knowing the Bible helps me in my everyday walk with Christ. Being a constant student of the Word is a crucial aspect of our faith. We are told in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that there is nothing new under the sun. If I am struggling with something in my life, looking to the Bible can help me see next steps and to make decisions.

Consider some examples of faithful women who followed God’s call for their lives, even with the threat of death.

These women do not often have entire Bible studies written about them unlike many of the women listed above, but their contributions to Christianity show that God’s plan is perfect, even if it doesn’t seem like it.

1. Shiphrah and Puah

These ladies were midwives who bravely stood up to Pharaoh when he ordered the murder of children (Exodus 1:15-21).

2. Deborah

She was a prophet and a judge who led Israel with honor and integrity when she stepped into a leadership vacuum (Judges 4:4-24; 5:1-31).

3. Priscilla

She was a tentmaker who traveled with her husband to share the gospel and invited Paul into her home (Acts 18:1-3, 18-19, 26).

4. Lydia

Lydia was a gentile woman. She was at a prayer gathering when Paul and Timothy came to preach, and she converted to Christianity. She led her family to Christ and used her wealth as a textile merchant to support the early church (Acts 16:12-15, 40).

5. Joanna

She followed Jesus after He healed her, she supported the apostles, stayed with Jesus when crowds turned against him, stayed during the crucifixion, and went to the tomb where she was one of the first to learn of Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 8:1-3; 23:49, 55-56; and 24:1-10).

What can we learn from these ladies?

• When a boss asks you to do something that goes against your scruples? Shiphrah and Puah.
• When you want to be involved in the church but you don’t know how? Take a note from Priscilla and open your home.
• Does your church support missions? Lydia would tell you to give generously.

Of course, none of this is to say that we as women cannot learn from men in the Bible, or that men can’t learn from women in the Bible. But when my four-year-old daughter asked why the stories in her children’s Bible are mostly about boys, I am now able to tell her of the women who have made a difference in our faith—women she can look up to, women she can follow as they followed God.

For all of the women we listed today, there are thousands, millions even, who faithfully lived out the call that God had for their lives without ever having their name recorded.

It can be easy in the drudgery of everyday life to wonder if your life has meaning, if you are making a difference.

Remember:

When you are loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength while loving your neighbor as yourself, you are working for the Lord.

Your daily walk with Him matters.

In this month of celebrating women’s history, we celebrate the well-behaved women who are making history today.

What woman in your history made a difference in your life?

Morgan Farr is a succulent-cultivating, book nerd, aspiring author. She spends her days homeschooling her four young children and training her working dogs. As an Army wife, Morgan has learned to lean heavily on Jesus as she walks out military life. She is the Director fo Publishing at Planting Roots, a minitry for military women and wives. You can connect with Morgan on all major social media channels using her handle: morgandfarr.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Aaron Burden at Unsplash.