Women I Admire
Women I admire. This has long been a subject I wanted to cover, but I haven’t done it ‘cause I’m scared of missing one. :P
There are women who I admire simply for their singing talent. Like Julie Andrews, Charlotte Church, Susan Boyle, Celtic Woman (music group), Barbra Streisand. And there are women I admire for their dedicated single purpose of mind and devotion to God and/or a cause, even to the sacrifice of the opinions and regard of family and friends, and that of their heart’s dearest wish.
My list so far comprises not only of dead women, but one fictional. I will blog more on her later.
Florence Nightingale: A high society girl, Florence did not use her influence in society to become an empty-headed doll looking for an advantageous marriage, but went totally against the accepted rules of her class after her heart turned towards God, forsaking the comforts of her well-to-do life, training herself and other women as nurses and serving British troops in the Crimea. She never married, although she guided, mentored and mothered many, and left a lasting legacy in society by having changed the whole face and procedure of nursing.
Clara Barton: Wow. Yes. I DID choose an American. Clara Barton could be the American counterpart of Florence Nightingale, minus the high class upbringing. Clara nursed the soldiers in the American Civil War. Her tribute was given her by the soldiers; all who she tended grew to love her. God supplied the absence of husband and children by blessing her for her faithfulness to His calling with the love of those she served.
Gladys Aylward: Gladys followed the world until she was in her late 20s/early 30s, when God saved her and placed a call on her heart to China. Gladys gave everything she had to get to China, even sacrificing her life and her dream of marriage and children in the end, knowing where God wanted her and what He wanted of her. God rewarded her faithfulness by blessing her richly, and giving her well over a hundred Chinese children to love and care for.
Deborah: Judge of Israel, a position of authority which technically a woman shouldn’t be in, God gave her the wisdom because she had the heart to seek after Him and live in His ways. Barak himself turned chicken, declaring that he wouldn’t go into battle unless Deborah went with him, believing the presence of God rested upon Deborah rather that the power of God was with him as He had promised. In return for his cowardice, God through Deborah told him that the victory would be given to a woman - Jael. Little is mentioned of these women’s husbands. It is generally understood that Heber, Jael’s husband, was a collaborator, and as for Lapidoth, there is only one or two mentions of him in Scripture. Was Deborah being unwomanly? No. Did she have an issue with the fact that God’s calling was on her and not on her husband? I don’t know, but I should imagine she struggled.
Lydia: Another independent woman who sought to serve God and His disciples and apostle. Again, there is only one mention of her family; she made her own living selling purple fabrics, which was an extremely well paying cloth in those days. She gave her little to God after the blessing of salvation He had given her, and He blessed her for it.
Yentl: In a time where education, books, Talmud and study are forbidden to women, a single Jewish girl, only child of one of the village rabbis, turns down every offer of marriage as she is useless at household matters and only thirsts to learn. In the end, forced by her father’s death to run away, she dresses up as a boy and goes to a yeshiva to study. A series of events force her to flee again; in the end she must choose between love and marriage or her yearning to study and learn more and more. She chooses to follow her heart and journeys on to a place where she can study in freedom.
These are my favourite women. If I find another, I shall add her to the list. :)
There are women who I admire simply for their singing talent. Like Julie Andrews, Charlotte Church, Susan Boyle, Celtic Woman (music group), Barbra Streisand. And there are women I admire for their dedicated single purpose of mind and devotion to God and/or a cause, even to the sacrifice of the opinions and regard of family and friends, and that of their heart’s dearest wish.
My list so far comprises not only of dead women, but one fictional. I will blog more on her later.
Florence Nightingale: A high society girl, Florence did not use her influence in society to become an empty-headed doll looking for an advantageous marriage, but went totally against the accepted rules of her class after her heart turned towards God, forsaking the comforts of her well-to-do life, training herself and other women as nurses and serving British troops in the Crimea. She never married, although she guided, mentored and mothered many, and left a lasting legacy in society by having changed the whole face and procedure of nursing.
Clara Barton: Wow. Yes. I DID choose an American. Clara Barton could be the American counterpart of Florence Nightingale, minus the high class upbringing. Clara nursed the soldiers in the American Civil War. Her tribute was given her by the soldiers; all who she tended grew to love her. God supplied the absence of husband and children by blessing her for her faithfulness to His calling with the love of those she served.
Gladys Aylward: Gladys followed the world until she was in her late 20s/early 30s, when God saved her and placed a call on her heart to China. Gladys gave everything she had to get to China, even sacrificing her life and her dream of marriage and children in the end, knowing where God wanted her and what He wanted of her. God rewarded her faithfulness by blessing her richly, and giving her well over a hundred Chinese children to love and care for.
Deborah: Judge of Israel, a position of authority which technically a woman shouldn’t be in, God gave her the wisdom because she had the heart to seek after Him and live in His ways. Barak himself turned chicken, declaring that he wouldn’t go into battle unless Deborah went with him, believing the presence of God rested upon Deborah rather that the power of God was with him as He had promised. In return for his cowardice, God through Deborah told him that the victory would be given to a woman - Jael. Little is mentioned of these women’s husbands. It is generally understood that Heber, Jael’s husband, was a collaborator, and as for Lapidoth, there is only one or two mentions of him in Scripture. Was Deborah being unwomanly? No. Did she have an issue with the fact that God’s calling was on her and not on her husband? I don’t know, but I should imagine she struggled.
Lydia: Another independent woman who sought to serve God and His disciples and apostle. Again, there is only one mention of her family; she made her own living selling purple fabrics, which was an extremely well paying cloth in those days. She gave her little to God after the blessing of salvation He had given her, and He blessed her for it.
Yentl: In a time where education, books, Talmud and study are forbidden to women, a single Jewish girl, only child of one of the village rabbis, turns down every offer of marriage as she is useless at household matters and only thirsts to learn. In the end, forced by her father’s death to run away, she dresses up as a boy and goes to a yeshiva to study. A series of events force her to flee again; in the end she must choose between love and marriage or her yearning to study and learn more and more. She chooses to follow her heart and journeys on to a place where she can study in freedom.
These are my favourite women. If I find another, I shall add her to the list. :)
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. :)