It’s International Women’s Day today so I thought I would talk about some of the faithful women I’ve encountered in my travels of faith.

Deborah, judge of Israel
Hannah, mother of Samuel
Mary, the Theotokos (God bearer)
Priscilla, tentmaker with Paul
Lydia, seller of purple dye
Perpetua and Felicitas, martyrs
Macrina, abbess and saint
Clothilde, wife of Clovis and Catholic saint
Julian of Norwich, mystic
Hildegard von Bingen, mystic and musician
Anne Bradstreet, Puritan poetess
Emily Dickinson, poetess
Lou Ellyn Griffin, neighbor of mine who introduced me to Jesus when I was 6
Joan Smith/Kathy Hardin/Laurie Herlich, leaders of the College Group of my church in Santa Cruz
all my female friends who serve in ministry