Hello everyone, I hope you’re having a lovely morning, afternoon, or evening! I’m a woman. And proudly so. There have been times when I’ve not been so grateful, but I’ve grown in my love for femininity and being a woman over the years. So, I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts and even some mini history crash courses on some amazing women.

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>> 8 Historic Women <<

1 || Boudica (30 AD – 61 AD)

Warrior Queen

Some Quick Facts:

• Led a revolt against the Romans, resulting in the destruction of two Roman settlements.
• She is described as terrifying; tall, with a harsh voice, and fierce eyes.
• She eventually died by poison, not wanting to be taken by the Romans.

Information found at: www.historic-uk.com

2 || Hatshepsut (1478 BC – 1458 BC)

Pharaoh

Some Quick Facts:

• Married her half-brother and became Queen of Egypt, then eventually became Pharaoh, co-ruling with her stepson.
• By her own orders, she is depicted as a male in images, sculptures, etc.
• She is the 3rd woman in the 3,000 years of Ancient Egypt to have the title.

Information found at: www.history.com

3 || Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (August 19th, 1883 – January 10th, 1971)

Fashion Designer

Some Quick Facts:

• She ruled the French “haute couture” for nearly 60 years.
• Her “poor girl” clothing soon attracted rich customers who wanted a break from the populer, luxury styles.
• Her business soon grew to being worth millions by the 20s.

Information found at: www.britannica.com

4 || Artemisia Gentileschi (1593 – 1653)

Painter

Some Quick Facts:

• Due to her past trauma, many of her works show women as their own heroes, in control of themselves, and not as simple objects of the male gaze.
• She became the first known woman to become a member of the Academy of the Arts of Drawing.
• Up until her death, she settled in Naples, Italy and ran a studio.

Information found at: www.nationalgallery.org

5 || The Trung Sisters (unknown – 43 AD)

Military Leaders

Some Quick Facts:

• Their names are Trung Trae and Trung Nhi
• They led a rebellion against Chinese Han-dynasty overlords and eventually held control over 65 citadels.
• They eventually drowned themselves, not wanting to face defeat by the hands of General Ma Yüan.

Information found at: www.britannica.com

6 || Jane Austen (December 16th, 1775 – July 18th, 1817)

Author

Some Quick Facts:

• She was the youngest of seven children, with only one sister.
• Her family was very close and the Austen children were raised in open learning and creativity.
• Around age 13, she began writing her own works and storing them in a journal for the future.

Information found at: www.janeausten.org

7 || Maya Angelou (April 4th, 1928 – May 28th, 2014)

Poet

Some Quick Facts:

• She wrote 36 books, 30 of which being bestsellers.
• Her book, I Know Why The Caged Birds Sing was actually banned due to its taboo topic.
• The United States Mint recently began printing quarters in the American Women Quarters Program and they feature Maya Angelou.

Information found at: www.mayaangelou.com

8 || Josephine Butler (April 13th, 1828 – December 30th, 1906)

Activist

Some Quick Facts:

• Despite having poor education as a child, she eventually became an excellent writer and talented speaker of French and Italian.
• She was converted to Christianity at age 17 and that became a big motivator for her activism.
• She and her husband, George Butler, had a very healthy, loving relationship; not a common thing in the Victorian era.

Information found at: www.josephinebutlerpage.com

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>> Being a Biblical Woman <<

Some of My Favorite Resources

“10 Reasons Why It’s Good to Be a Girl” from Crossway.org

“What Does It Mean that Women Are to Submit to Their Husbands?” from Crossway.org

Flourish: Live Free, Live Loved by Margaret Feinberg

Joy: A Godly Woman’s Adornment by Lydia Brownback

Walking in Grace by Dalene Reyburn

Some Verses To Ponder

psst… “ponder” means to “to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate” (according to Dictionary.com)
Don’t just read over these verses (yes, even Proverbs 31:10-31), meditate upon them, read the surrounding verses, analyze what they mean for you as not only a Godly woman, but a Godly human, made in His image, chosen by Him to be saved by grace alone.

“I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my souls knows it very well.”
PSALM 139:14

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
ROMANS 8:28

“No, in all these thing we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
ROMANS 8:37

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.”
1 JOHN 3:1

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
ISAIAH 41:10

“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’”
ISAIAH 41:13

“Let all that you do be done in love.”
1 CORINTHIANS 16:14

The Woman Who Fears The Lord – Proverbs 31:10-31

“An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
‘Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.’
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.”

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>> 8 Historic Biblical Women <<

1 || Jael (Judges)

Wife of Heber the Kenite

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Jael invited Sisera, a general of an opposing army, into her tent, extended hospitality, then drove a tent peg into his skull while he slept. Many argue that she was not a hero at all, that she broke many cultural norms, etc. However, in the next chapter, she is praised and blessed by a song, and Sisera was an enemy, so although his death was brutal, it led to victory for God’s people.

information found at: www.fruitfullyliving.com

2 || Ruth (Ruth)

Wife of Mahlon, then Boaz; in the geneology of Jesus

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Ruth (and her sister-in-law, Orpah) lost her husband and was left with her mother-in-law, Naomi. She stuck by Naomi’s side, returned to Naomi’s homeland, and committed her life to God. Eventually, she went out to a field to glean, but there met Boaz, who welcomed her. They married, and Ruth conceived and bore Obed, the grandfather of King David (the line of Jesus).

3 || Miriam (Exodus)

Prophetess; Sister of Moses and Aaron

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Miriam was the first woman in Christian history to be a prophetess. She helped save her little brother, Moses, when she was younger, then later led the Israelites in praise toward God alongside her brothers.

4 || Deborah (Judges)

Prophetess; Judge; Wife of Lappidoth

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Deborah is the only female judge mentioned in the Bible. She assisted and encouraged Barak, an army general, to trust in the Lord and to go fight. She led with determination to release Israel from the hand of Canaan and return their worship to the one true God.

5 || Queen Esther (Esther)

Queen of Persia and Medes; Daughter of Abihail; Cousin of Mordecai

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Esther was a Jewish queen in a foreign land. She kept her identity as a Jew secret so she could stand up for her people, eventually saving them from annihilation due to her high status. She also warned the king of a plan to assassination plan against him and risked her life multiple times for the sake of God’s people.

6 || Rahab (Joshua)

Prostitute (formerly); Mother of Boaz; in the geneology of Jesus

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Rahab opened up her home to these foreigners, blatantly lied to the king, and risked her life to help shelter Israelite spies Joshua and Caleb. She listened to their word of warning, tied a scarlet cord to her window, and survived the destruction of Jericho to later become the mother of Boaz, joining the line of Jesus.

7 || Lydia (Acts)

Merchant

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Lydia was a successful merchant in Europe. She heard of Paul and what he taught, came to faith, then spread the word to the rest of her household. They were all baptized, and Lydia hosted Paul and his company in her home after they had been persecuted and imprisoned. Lydia was the first documented European to convert to Christianity.

8 || Phoebe (Romans)

Deaconess, Patron of Paul and Other Christian Missionaries

A SUMMARY OF HER STORY
Phoebe was an early contributor to the church in Cenchrae, financially and as a servant. She is described by Paul as a patron and servant, and many believe that she was a deaconess at this church. As a patron, she supported not only Paul but other Christians doing missionary work as well.

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>> Some Quotes I Like <<

“Females are the most beautiful, gorgeous creatures in the whole world. And I think that we are gorgeous no matter what size we are.”
ALICIA KEYS

“You don’t have to play masculine to be a strong woman.”
MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD

“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.”
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

“I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femaleness and my femininity. And I want to be respected in all of my femaleness because I deserve to be.”
CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
OPRAH WINFREY

“We need women who are so strong they can be gentle, so educated they can be humble, so fierce they can be compassionate, so passionate they can be rational, and so disciplined they can be free.”
KAVITA RAMDAS

“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls.”
AUDREY HEPBURN

“I just love bossy women. I could be around them all day. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind learning.”
AMY POEHLER

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>> Words From Friends <<

I asked some of my galfriends for Bible verses, quotes, pieces of advice, etc. that make them appreciate being a woman and/or has made them stronger.
P.S. feel free to share any of your thoughts in the comments!

“There is beauty and respect in being feminine or ‘delicate.’ You don’t have to be a girlboss tomboy or try to ‘be a man’ to be respected and move up in the world.”

“Being a woman is a huge gift from God. We have such unique qualities and attributes that God specifically designed for women that are impossible to overlook. He has created us with such purpose and intention! It’s so beautiful to think about!
“One resource that has helped me hugely in my walk with God, as a woman, is Girl Defined. They have a YouTube channel and multiple books, and other resources that help women grow to fully become a godly woman and how God designed women to be. I think their outlook on womanhood is very biblical and true.
“Also, my mom has been the main woman in my life to show me how to be a godly woman. She has raised me and taught me various valuable lessons that made me the woman I am today.
“Being a woman is so precious, and I believe that as women, we should take pride in these qualities that make us women, not to become better than men or equal to them, but special and strong in our own way, the way our Lord and Savior designed us to be—helpers and caregivers and so many more beautiful roles!”

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There you go! I hope you found this post encouraging and/or inspiring. If you have any other thoughts or pieces of advice, feel free to drop them in the comments below!
What is your favorite way to enjoy your femininity?
What’s your favorite devotional or article to read about being a Godly woman?
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day or night. Keep on inspiring others and giving yourself some love!

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>> every day holds something enchanting <<

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