“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth 1:16 (NIV)

Every night, I read a Bible story to my daughter, Norah. One evening several years ago, I was searching for one with a brave woman of God. I chose Ruth, whom I have always admired. Because of her courage to follow God, He chose Ruth above all others of her generation to join the line of Christ.

So — in the hope of inspiring my 4-year-old — I read Ruth’s story.

If you’re not familiar with her story, the entire book is only four chapters in the Old Testament. I can’t help but think how Ruth is to be commended for her bravery and remarkable faith.

Ruth was also victorious. It’s difficult to imagine journeying to an unknown land with no promise for your future — except the guarantee of destitution as a foreign widow, the lowest rung of society.

Still, Ruth depicts a beautiful example of strength and bravery to leave everything familiar and trust in Yahweh: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16).

God commends Ruth for her faith and courage, orchestrating events that ultimately include her in the lineage of King David, as his great-grandmother. (Matthew 1:15)

The connection between David’s and Ruth’s stories made me ask: What are we teaching our daughters through our Bible stories?

We want our daughters to grow up strong and brave, but are we depicting strong and brave women in Scripture?

We want our daughters to follow their God-given passions and vocations, but is our secular culture leading the way in providing passionate and gutsy role models like Disney’s Anna from Frozen or Moana?

While I affirm the many examples of brave female heroines in secular culture, strong women already exist in Scripture! They’re faith-filled adventurers who take risks to unleash the Kingdom of God. They are disciples, evangelists, prophets, moms, philanthropists, business people, and political and spiritual leaders.

Here are a few of the Bible heroines my daughter and I have been enjoying when we read from our children’s Bible in the evenings:

• Miriam. A prophet credited in Micah 6:4 (written centuries later) as leading the nation of Israel along with her brothers, Moses and Aaron. (Exodus 15:20-21)

• Deborah. Called by God as a prophet and leader of the Israelite nation, she delivered the people from their enemies and brought peace to the land. (See Judges chapters 4-5)

• Tabitha. A disciple whom Peter raised from the dead, she championed the plight of the poor. (Acts 9:36-43)

• Priscilla. A teacher in the early Church, she and her husband Aquila started house churches on two continents and instructed some of the foremost teachers of the emerging church. (Acts 18:1-18)

And there are many more!

So when I read Bible stories to my daughter, we celebrate together the many brave and adventurous women in Scripture — some who have led nations, rescued their people from genocide, ministered in their generation and walked with Christ!

Lord, thank You for creating our daughters and sons in Your image. Help us to follow in the footsteps of the brave individuals shown in Scripture and live boldly — without fear — and empower us by Your Spirit to rise up and live with faith and courage to unleash Your Kingdom on Earth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Acts 2:17-18, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” (NIV)

Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

Help children discover called and courageous women in the Bible with A Brave Big Sister: A Bible Story About Miriam, part of the Called and Courageous Girls children’s series. Or watch the video trailer for the book here.

CONNECT:

Visit Called and Courageous Girls for more information on the series.

Enter to WIN a copy of A Brave Big Sister: A Bible Story About Miriam by Rachel Spier Weaver and Anna Haggard. In celebration of this book, Harvest House is giving away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and email notifications to each one by Monday, December 4, 2017.}

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

How can you encourage children in your life to live out their God-given passions and callings?

Who’s one woman of the Bible who inspires you, and why? How can you share the story of this biblical heroine with children in your sphere of influence — your own, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, neighbors, in your church?

© 2017 by Rachel Spier Weaver. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Harvest House Publishers for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.

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