She was desperate. She had been patient, much longer than anyone would expect. Judah, her father-in-law, had promised her he would take care of things and yet he had failed her once again. Tamar was her name and the strategy she felt compelled to carry out is truly beyond our comprehension today. Yet, somehow, her […]
It was a brisk spring morning and Anna’s aging bones were reminding her of her advanced years. After her daily ritual bath at the temple, required by all who wanted to enter the temple courts to worship, she ascended the steps toward the Court of Women. She caught herself grinning and almost skipping with some […]
Who was the first person to know of the coming birth of the Messiah? Who was the first person to request a miracle from Jesus? Would you be surprised to know that the same woman is the answer to both of those questions? Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the first person to know of […]
What is the most joyful thing you’ve ever experienced? For Elizabeth, it was the experience of finally being pregnant after a lifetime of barrenness. Sure, pregnancy is a common enough occurrence, but not for everyone. She was well past childbearing years, and yet God chose Elizabeth to be the recipient of one of the birthing […]
Expectant hope was the motherly motivation that produced one of the greatest prophets in biblical history—Samuel. His mother, Hannah, left us a legacy of hope which had a tremendous influence not only on her son Samuel, but also on Mary, the mother of Jesus, 1,000 years later. During these next four weeks of Advent, I’ll […]
A word of good news wraps peace around a longing heart. During Advent, we celebrate the arrival of the Prince of Peace—the long-awaited Messiah—and we are reminded how Jesus was born into a world that was anything but peaceful. Yet even then there were some faithful people still waiting expectantly for God to change things. […]
When you think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, what is the first image that comes to mind? During Advent, we see beautiful paintings of Mary cradling her newborn son at the manger. During Easter, sculptures remind us of Mary cradling her crucified Savior at the cross. Those images try to capture the love between a mother […]
The giggly gurgles of a baby are some of the sweetest sounds on earth. That fresh, squeezably soft infant skin has a fragrance all its own. Twinkling tiny eyes that blink with delight can bring joy to any heart. God sends babies to us in cute packages. Yet, not everyone gets one. I remember my […]
Who are your mentors? Who are you mentoring? Whether you want to be a mentor or are looking for one, what are the marks of a willing mentor? Women’s relationships are extremely important to God and are used to shape us into the women God has created and called us to be. My favorite biblical […]
