"My prayers were answered!"This happy new mother must have thought as she cuddled her newborn son in her arms. The first woman chosen is Hannah; Hannah in the Bible, never gave up even when she thought God would never answer her.

The prayers uttered for so long seemed to be unheard yet God had a plan. I Sam 1-2 tells the story of Hannah’s persistence and in the end her prayers were answered. She had a baby boy; we know him as Samuel. Hannah’s character is to be admired for her constant praying helping us learn to never give up on what we truly wish for in our heart of hearts! Ask and ye shall receive right? Sometimes yes others not so much but God answered Hannah.

 

"I felt worthless, yet He forgive me!" This was what may have been this woman’s recollections when telling others what the Lord had done for her. This grateful woman is our second woman is; who has no name. You know the women who poured priceless perfume on Jesus feet? Well, it was her. I know there are two others but this one because she showed courage and faith. Luke 7:37-50 tells of her coming to humble herself and ask for forgiveness for the sin she’d committed. You wonder what went through her mind when Jesus said, ”Go in peace, your faith has saved you. Your sins are forgiven you.”This woman must have leapt out the room in thankfulness. She had been forgiven! She was not only been forgiven but she had been given a second chance. Her character is to be admired for her grateful, humble heart and the ability to be forgiven.

 

Also read John 8:1-11 about the woman caught in adultery. They likely felt the same when Jesus gave them a another chance to set it right. This woman may have had a bit worse but the way Jesus replied after he put the Pharisee in their place and it was just her and the Lord, what did he say he said,"Go and sin no more."Jesus judges and punishes sin but He also gives the sinner the chance to change what he has done; time after time. She too must have went away a brand new woman. Like Jesus spoke to us and we were changed from then on(read Romans12:1) this woman was also changed.This woman is to be admired also for her humility and is a true example from a woman's point of view how Jesus forgave us and gave us a new way to live.

 

"Your God, will be my God." This was Ruth’s loyal words when she begged to stay with Naomi. We see this unique woman as our third woman as example. Submissive, yet

persistent Ruth with her quest to follow Naomi making Naomi’s God

her own God too. Talk about a change of heart and life. She was a Moabite. They worshiped false gods. Now she not it embraced Naomi but her God. God became Ruth's God as well. And today and we find Ruth in the very linage of Christ Himself. Talk about leaving a legacy behind. The book of Ruth tells of one woman who chose to follow help her mother in law and was blessed with a husband. Ruth’s character is to be admired for her loyalty.

 

"I had only a little flour, yet he made a feast out of it! Praise the Lord’s name! " This widow may retold her  have neighbors. We see now the fourth woman, the Zaraphath widow who was willing to feed God’s anointed, Elijah with only what she had. God provided what was needed for her to feed him with. II Kings 17: 8-16 tell of a widow’s willing heart, full of faith. The Zaraphath widow, is to be admired for her willing heart, blind faith even when she didn’t have much to offer.

 

 I am nothing to be chosen of why me? This is the fifth woman’s possible thoughts when an angle came to young Mary’s side. Yes I am talking of Mary our Lord’s own Mother. Luke 2, Matthew 1, and parts of Mark talk of Mary and Christ birth very briefly but I know Mary had a lot of faith to follow through with this absurd thing she just heard from a man sent from God himself. Mary’s character is to be admired for

her strong faith in what seemed impossible.  

 

"Suppose, you were sent to the   palace for such a time as this." Mordecai told her when she questioned going before the King to save her people. The sixth woman is, if you haven’t guessed, the lovely

Queen Esther. In the book of Esther tells of a young woman’s quest to save her people. She shows her unselfish character when willing to risk her life for her people. ”And if I perish, I perish.” That was her words when going before the King. Esther's character is to be admired for her wisdom, bravery and beauty.

 

"She is always sitting at the feet of Jesus. " People often say when they talk of this woman. The seventh woman is Mary of Bethany. In Luke 10:38-39 tells how was constantly at the feet of Jesus. Always listening intently to the Teachers words, drinking them in. In John 12 tells us of Mary and her hungry heart for the Lord in this story she came and anointed the feet of Jesus with priceless ointment. Her character is to be admired, because she shows us how to humbly worship God and she also shows how Jesus is worth the expense of giving something costly for. I also am reminded of the alabaster box read Matthew 26:7 for details of the story)

 

 I am sorry my Lord, for my husband’s foolishness". Abigail, the eighth woman kneels in apology to David for her husband foolish refusal when David was hiding from Saul and asked for some simple hospitality 1 Sam 25:13-35 tells how Abigail quickly, and wisely gathers food and asked humbly for an apology before David and his men. Ironically, in the end Nabal dies. because of his foolishness and Abigail becomes the wife of David. Abigail’s character is to be admired for her quick hasty wisdom in behalf of her foolish husband.

 

Oh, how I wish I hadn’t chosen to eat the apple. Eve, the ninth woman named must have thought many times decades later. The first mother of all, sinned in the garden and was separated from God because of it, yet she was known for not ot disobeying God and eating the fruit she was able to walk in a perfect garden with God and be blessed with being the very first mother on earth. Genesis 2-4 tells Eve’s story. This beautiful sad story teaches everyone a lesson that sin

must be punished. Eve's character is to be admired for her lesson in

choices and to go on even though she sinned greatly she kept

going and learned from her mistakes. 

 

How am to believe I am going to have a baby? I am too old. Sarah, the tenth woman must have thought this when she heard of her pregnancy at 91 years old. In Genesis 21 tells us of Isaac and

his miraculous birth and how Sarah learned never to doubt God and

with man having a baby at 91 seems ridiculous and physically unheard of but with God anything can happen; and it did. Sarah’s character is to be admired for her learning never doubt what God can do and the faith in knowing he can do anything.

 

"Praise the Lord for he has helped us defeat the enemy". Deborah, the eleventh woman must have sang. In Judges 4 tells of her story. She was a wonderful example of godly leadership and standing up for what is right she was encouraged Barak as he led these men out and defeated Sisera and delivered them all from the Canaanites. She showed awesome encouragement, leadership. I admire Deborah, for her character of womanly godly leadership, stepping when no one else would.

 

 "I will go." This was the twelfth woman’s willing reply. Rebekah was willing to go to a far land to be wife to a husband she didn’t know. Yet she trusted God and her parents and her own judgment and willingness to go. as well to follow the Lord’s leading and in the end and was blessed with the responsibility of helping to prolong Abraham’s seed. 

 

In Genesis 24:15-56 tells of Rebekah was sought for and brought, as a wife for Isaac and it says she was a comfort to Isaac in his mother’s death. Kind of sweet if you think about it. 

 

I admire Rebekah’s character for her willingness and servant’s heart to go far beyond the normal and was blessed with being the mother of the first set of twins mentioned in Bible. She, like these other woman mentioned above left a legacy behind even if they didn't really know it.

 

Let Your Legacy Live On Ladies.