Retelling Our Stories

Women most often become—at best—supporting characters. Without thinking about it, we’ve accepted this point of view and this unspoken role for women across time. We’ve accepted looking at women through men’s eyes.

     But a second glance reveals the stories of often-unnamed women as living faithfully and courageously for God, as well as some living powerfully and villainously against God. Regardless of whose point of view is reflected in the stories we read in Scripture, women, as much as men, have contributed to the great narrative of God and humanity.

From the blog

The Prophet Huldah

Huldah, as one of the five women prophets listed in the Hebrew scriptures, was perhaps the most influential prophet of her day. The fate of her people, her nation, and her king hung on the oracle she would deliver. #Hulda #Josiah #WomanProphet

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Phoebe

Paul introduced her as “our sister,” and later one of the saints. Phoebe was deacon of the church at Cenchreae, and she was to be warmly welcomed. Anything she required, the assemblies in Rome were to provide for her. Why? Because she was, in fact, a benefactor of many, including Paul himself.

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Michal, Daughter of Saul

In Michal’s story we meet a young women in love, who soon becomes courage itself in her quick-witted rescue of her husband. But as the years go by, she becomes an abandoned wife given to another man, then a political pawn and finally the outraged and rejected queen.

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Tabitha (Dorcas)

The unique and intriguing story of a woman with dual citizenship, as it were, a woman known for her good deeds, the only woman who was actually called disciple in the entire Christian Testament, whose death rocked her Christian community to its core, and her deliverance by being raised back to life generated widespread belief…

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The Sinful Woman

her traditional title of “the sinful woman” is very misleading. In this story, she is portrayed as the devoted-to-Jesus woman, the forgiven-by-Jesus woman, the living-portrait-of-love-sacrifice-and-bold-faith woman.

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Mary of Bethany

We might say Martha brought in the importance of right doing in her service to the Lord, and in right thinking as Jesus’ developed her faith in knowing the truth about His divinity.

Now enter Mary, who said few words, but whose passion and practice made a deep and lasting impact on Jesus’ heart and…

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Martha

I think the way Martha would have liked to be remembered was as a woman of bold faith and blessed service, who was able to leave the conventions of her old life and enter into the grace and freedom Jesus offers

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Anna the Prophet

How long have you been waiting for the longing you have been praying about to be fulfilled? A longing you have felt certain God has invited you to pray about, that you feel certain God has indicated will be fulfilled?

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The Virgin Mary

In each succeeding story, a picture emerges of a woman of great faith, spiritual wisdom, a scriptural scholar in her own right, one who believed in the power, provision, and promise of Almighty God.

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Elizabeth

In one of the more remarkable moments in the Christian Testament, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and God could not have been more fully present in that amazing moment.

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Broken, Searching, Trusted, Powerful

I decided to start “listening” to the voices and stories of the women within scripture’s pages from a woman’s point of view, for we know God created woman with good intent. To woman God gave the power to bring forth life, to be strength, courage, and a powerful rescue to the people of earth. Adam…

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Deborah

What does it mean to be a Biblical woman, a woman of God, a woman who fulfills the calling of God in her life? For Deborah it meant having political, juridical, and spiritual authority, leading the whole people of God.

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Eve, Part II

Women have been rightfully restored to the blessing and commission God has given to all humanity. Let us now reflect that truth, and live as equals in the liberty of love Jesus holds out to us.  

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Eve, Part I

Eve’s story is perhaps the most iconic for all women, as she is the first of us, the one from whom all of us have come, and her story becomes, in a certain sense, the source of our stories as well.

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Jezebel

Who was the original Jezebel? This 20 minute presentation traces her history as a Phoenician princess nearly three thousand years ago who became one of the most powerful queens found in the Bible.

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Mary of Magdala

In this twenty minute talk, we’ll first follow Mary through the years she was a student and supporter of Jesus, then we will spend most of our time in the Garden with Mary at Christ’s empty tomb, and end with a deeper understanding of ourselves as members of the Body of Christ.

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Wife of Job

When I first taught the book of Job, I was squarely on one side of this question. But, over the years, learning Hebrew, reading a wider selection of scholarly works, my positioned has been changed, and I share all that research in this twenty minute talk.

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Sarah

Sarah’s character and faith were going to be put through several severe tests over the course of her marriage, trials that would include long years of travel, homelessness, risk to her life and to her honor, turmoil in her home, even internal soul-searching.

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Puah and Shiphrah

We don’t often talk about the story of Puah and Shiphrah, though their story is one of courage and mettle, standing together against forces of evil seeking to destroy a nation. (a twenty minute tale)

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Esther

Listen in as we learn through Esther that true beauty is found in a humble spirit, that God’s deliverance, though sure, involves taking risks of faith, and that the Lord is faithful to keep to keep God’s covenant with God’s people

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Rahab

Listen to a story of unshakeable faith, knowing fear is the enemy of faith, and that God redeems the stories of every person who puts their faith in God through Christ!

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Lydia

through Lydia we learn that mature faith accepts God’s crossing up of conventions–I first heard that taught in a BSF class, years ago, and I was struck with the simple wisdom in that statement.

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Hagar

Hagar realized God had “seen” her, the Lord knew her just as she was, understood her with great compassion in her inmost depths and all that concerned her.

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Rebekah

Ultimately, though Rebekah paid dearly for the way she fought for fulfillment of God’s promises, she held steady as a woman of faith. Far more than Isaac, it was Rebekah who believed God and desired God’s will as well as God’s promises and covenant.

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Leah

Broken by life’s traumas, calamities, and tragedies, and just when you’re at your lowest, it seems…there you go, right over the edge, and into the dumpster.

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Wife of Lot

What we do reveals who we are and what we truly believe. What pulls you backward? What pulls you forward? Which seems stronger? What does what you say and do reveal about who you truly are and what you truly believe? How can God’s mercy triumph in your life?

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Bathsheba

Was Bathsheba a seductress? Was she innocent? Was this an affair or a rape? Or neither, since the mores of that time were different than our own today? And what did God think of all this–the man identified as one after God’s own heart, and the woman identified as a little lamb?

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Is the Bible Trustworthy?

Does the Bible accurately represent what God has said and done, and how God thinks and feels, who God is?

It is a foundational question, since everything we know about God apart from God as powerful creator, comes from the Bible.

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About Me

My passion for the Bible began when I was eight or nine years old, somewhere in there, when on occasion my dad would take me to synagogue, where he sang. I remember watching the men in synagogue pray the words of scripture, murmuring and weeping, lovingly touching and kissing the Torah, and I wished I could read what they were reading.

Imagine, then, my wonder when I was given a Bible of my own! Read more

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