During this International Women’s Month, I like to focus on some of the admirable women of history. So many women are strong prayer warriors and women of determination — it is difficult to choose just a few examples. But for the sake of this blog post’s length, I’ll focus on just three examples.
Abigail. One of my favorite Bible characters. Her story takes up only a few paragraphs in scripture, but her influence affected multiple generations of Jews.
Abigail was the wife of an abusive man (Nabal), yet she ran her household with dignity and perseverance. During a time in history when women had no rights, Abigail stayed in the marriage until God took out the abuser. Yay, God!
The warrior king-to-be, David, had been insulted by Nabal, so he planned vengeance. But Abigail gathered her resources, fixed her hair, changed her clothes, then rode to David and confronted him with the truth. She reminded him how a true leader should act, preventing the bloodshed and destruction of household and property.
Abigail was smart, resourceful, beautiful, and intuitive. David became her new husband. I’ll bet every time he thought about Abigail, he was grateful for her courage.
Eliza Hamilton. Before she became a hip-hop star in a modern Broadway hit (smile), Eliza was married to Alexander who greatly influenced the birth and reconstruction of the U.S.A. While Alexander was writing the Federalist Papers, supporting General George Washington, and becoming Secretary of the Treasury — Eliza was being influential behind the scenes.
She birthed and raised their eight children (eight!), ran the household while Alexander was away, and endured public disgrace when Alexander betrayed their marriage covenant and had an affair.
It was after Alexander’s death that Eliza used her creative gifts to make an impact. She co-founded New York City’s first private orphanage and helped hundreds of widows through the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows and Small Children. Eliza founded the Hamilton Free School and donated the land to help educate thousands of children. She also financially supported the funding of the Washington Monument.
Considered one of America’s first female philanthropists, Eliza quietly and humbly followed the scripture passage of James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress….” (NIV).
Joni Eareckson-Tada. Joni is a modern admirable woman who has flipped her personal tragedy into a worldwide ministry. Paralyzed at the age of 17, Joni endured a long and painful recovery. But she never walked again or was able even to brush her own hair.
She learned to paint by holding the brush in her teeth. Composed and sang songs of praise to God. Founded a ministry that sends wheelchairs all over the world. Speaks in a variety of venues each year. Is considered an evangelical author and a key figure providing hope to the disabled community.
Although Joni is married, she relies on a team of caregivers for each day, each meal, each event. She cannot even turn herself over in bed. When she lies there in pain, she must wait for the next caregiver to arrive and help her. Does she complain? No. This is her normal life. She spends the time reciting Bible verses that give her hope and strength.
When I heard Joni speak at a local church, I already knew her story. But I was most impressed with the joy that radiated from her mangled yet beautiful body. The toxins of an earthly life have all been removed by the lessons of pain. No bitterness resides in that face or that voice. She literally glows with the glory of God. I admire her perseverance through the years.
Each of these women have added to our world’s history and to the story of our lives. They are only three of the amazing women who deserve to have their voices heard, their names known, and their stories revered. And most of us can name at least one woman who has made an impact in our lives: a relative, a teacher, a writer, a politician, a minister.
So who is yours? Who is the woman who made a difference for you?
©2026 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
Image Attribution: geralt / Pixabay
Read a modern-day version of Abigail’s story in No Visible Scars.
My valuing of women can be identified in various ways. From a professional perspective, my outlook is associated with the field of education. Over 70% of America’s teachers are women. A book I wrote over five years ago is The Teacher as Somebody: Skills that Make Teaching a True Profession. An underlying admonition throughout the book is that how schools are managed and governed must be inclusive of the opinions and skills of ALL the teachers. Collectively and individually.
I’m so glad you value women, Stu. My experience as a teacher was the numbers of females in the classrooms, but only men in the high administrative and leadership positions. Fortunately, that has been changing.