Dear friends,

This month we are celebrating with women all over the world as part of International Women’s Day. The theme for 2017 International Women’s Day is “Be Bold for Change.”

I started to think of the women in the Bible who were bold for change. Women who lived for God and served his people with their gifts and deeds. One woman who comes to mind is Deborah the prophetess–judge we find in the book of Judges (4:1-24).

Deborah is the only woman judge mentioned in the Bible. She told Barak that the Lord God of Israel commanded him to lead an attack against the forces of the king. Barak was hesitant to obey the Lord, but Deborah boldly reminded him of God’s promise. Deborah was a woman who was bold for change.

What does it take for us to be women who are bold for change? Are we willing to be a voice for the women who have no voice? Are we willing to fight for change for women who are mistreated and abandoned in some parts of our world today? To pray and seek our God for wisdom and strength and to stand up for those who are silenced and abused?

Each woman is created in God’s image. Let us stand together as we pray for courage to be bold for change. To be women who can say we believe in God and we know that he is the God of miracles. May we be women who believe that God sees what is happening to our sisters who are marginalized. Women who offer our time, talents, or resources to help change communities, villages, cities, and countries for Jesus.

Today, as you gather to pray, join with the prayers of women all over the world who are praying together to be bold for change. Where do you need more courage? Who is God calling you to speak to so they are reminded of God’s promises for their lives today?

You are his daughters, called to pray and be bold for change in the hearts of women all over the world. My heart aches with yours as we are bold for the gospel in the hope that many hearts are united with the heart of God through his Son, Jesus.