Plenty of thankful women in the Bible

Last week, this column focused on men in the Bible who were thankful. So this week, let us focus on women of the Bible who were thankful.

Their stories give us encouragement because we can see God in their lives and recognize him as the author of all blessings.

The accounts of their lives are examples to us that God works out the biggest events and the smallest details of our lives.

• Eve was no doubt thankful when she had another child after her son Abel had been murdered by her other son Cain.

• Noah's wife was thankful that Noah had listened to God and all her family was saved from the devastating flood.

• Sarah was thankful that God blessed her and Abraham with a child when they were both past child bearing age.

• Shiprah and Puah were midwives in Egypt who believed in God and, as a result, decided to refuse to obey the order of Pharaoh to kill all the Hebrew boy babies. No doubt their faith in God resulted in thankfulness for new life, even at the risk of their own lives.

• Jochebed was thankful that her son Moses was protected in the basket in the Nile.

• Miriam, Moses' sister, was thankful that she told the daughter of Pharaoh about Jochebed to nurse Moses. As a result, Pharaoh's daughter asked Jochebed to move into the palace to nurse and raise Moses. Then Jochebed was thankful that Moses had been saved.

• Rahab was thankful that God working through the Israelite spies made a way for her to escape Jericho.

• Hannah was thankful that God granted her prayer after many years and gave her a son.

• Abigail was thankful that even though she was married to a fool, her preparedness saved his life and hers and she was able to bless David and his troops.

• Esther was thankful that God used her to save the Hebrew people.

• Elizabeth, like Sarah, was thankful that after all those years of being childless, she conceived and bore the forerunner of Christ. When all practical and medical knowledge thought it impossible, she still had a child in her old age.

• Mary was thankful that she was chosen to be the mother of the Son of God.

• The widow in the temple was so thankful that she gave all she had - which was just two mites. Jesus honored her gift above all others.

• Mary Magdalene was thankful that Jesus saved her and delivered her from a life of sin.

• The woman at the well was thankful that Jesus even recognized her as a person, stopped to talk to her and tell her about the Living Water.

• The crippled woman, who had been crippled for 18 years, was thankful that Jesus noticed her and healed her.

• Peter's mother-in-law was thankful that Jesus raised her from death to life while in Capernaum.

• Chloe was concerned about the teaching in the Corinthian church and brought it to Paul's attention. As a result, Chloe no doubt was thankful that Paul addressed these problems in his letter to the Corinthian church.

• Lydia of Philippi was thankful that she encountered Paul by the riverbank and received his message and her life was changed.

• Priscilla was thankful to be part of the support ministry for Paul. As a result, she no doubt saw many of the fruits of her husband Aquilla and she laboring together with Paul.

• Phoebe, who Biblical scholars contend was a deaconess, was thankful that she was able to assist Paul in his effort.

• Eunice and Lois were thankful that they knew the Lord, and they could pass on to young Timothy the knowledge of the Lord.

• Nympha was thankful that she could offer her home for the church to meet in Laodicea.

• Dorcas was a woman who did good things for everyone in her town and, when she died, the people were so thankful when Peter raised her back to life. And Dorcas was thankful to be alive again.

Many readers face difficult situations each day. All these women faced difficult situations, but God blessed them in different ways.

A never-changing God is ready to bless you today.

Judy Brandon writes about faith for The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact her at: [email protected]