Life has happened fast and furious lately, but I can’t let International Women’s Day (March 8) pass me by. Here’s to all the unsung heroines:
Mothers out in the trenches, slogging it out with diapers, and the same dinner, bath, and bedtime story routine every night. Day in and day out.
Sisters and friends who come alongside to listen and encourage.
Wives who choose to see the best in their husbands and cheer them on.
Grandmothers who invest in a younger generation.
Postal workers, graphic designers, teachers, engineers, and sales representatives who strive to do the best they can and work faithfully day after day.
You’re out there making a difference in your corner of the world, and you deserve a standing ovation. If I could I’d give you a hug and a big bouquet of flowers.
Today, I want to ask you, dear reader, to share with us about a woman who inspires you. It might be somebody famous like Mother Theresa, or it might be an unsung heroine, unknown to the rest of us.
I’ll go first: my mother-in-law, Ofelia Cruz, inspires me because she didn’t give up when her husband died, leaving her at age 37 with four boys to raise alone. A stay-at-home mom suddenly faced with the task of providing for her family, Ofelia had the guts to write a letter to the president of El Salvador and ask him for a job. It worked! She got a job, and all four of her sons went on to graduate from college. Still going strong at age 89, she enlivens us all with her wit and wisdom.
So now it’s your turn to write the rest of this post. Leave a comment to share with the rest of us about a woman who inspires you.
Photo Credit: Shigemi.J (Creative Commons)
Faith Spilling Over... Into Everyday Life 
March 7, 2014 at 11:56 am
Helen Tisdale is the most beautiful, strong, and inspiring woman in my life. She’s my Mommy. It’s embarrassing as a grown woman to call her Mommy, but my three brothers and I have never made the transition to calling her Mom, Momma or Mother; even though it would be a much more ‘adult’ name for her. She is a nurturer, an encourager, and a believer in each of her children. When one of my brothers was hospitalized due to a life threatening accident she was by his side from beginning to end. She had a faith that not one other person in my life had. As doctors and nurses probed her with questions they inevitably asked how old my brother was. My mom always answered with “He will be 43 in June.” One nurse asked her why she didn’t say “He is 42.” My mom said because you don’t believe that he will have another birthday. I do.
What faith and strength!
She was the only person in my brother’s life who believed that he would live and he did live. The rest of us were grieving and praying and trying to believe, but preparing to let go. Not Helen Tisdale. She knew that her prayers would be answered.
She is an inspiration to me and I strive to love with her kind of love. Mommy love.
March 7, 2014 at 3:39 pm
Wow, Jana! What a story. Your “mommy” is a special lady. Awesome. Thanks so much for sharing this.
March 7, 2014 at 4:17 pm
There are so many women who inspire me! Eleanor Roosevelt, Oprah, Mother Teresa, Audrey Hepburn, Helen Keller. I have a picture of Susan B. Anthony on my Pinterest board, lying in the street where she was being beaten for trying to vote.
I didn’t even know about International Women’s Day, so thanks for sharing! This is a wonderful way to spread the stories of strong, good women.
March 7, 2014 at 8:06 pm
That’s a great list of women you have there, Deborah.
March 7, 2014 at 8:52 pm
What a wonderful idea, Betsy. One of my most important heroes is Elizabeth, a Kenyan woman with a beautiful face and smile, a woman who loves and serves God, a woman who has fought her way through life’s many, many problems, and has never given up. I wrote a little bit about her in my memoir, but her story is so much bigger than what I shared. The timing of your blog post is interesting because I’ve been meaning to put more of Elizabeth’s story into writing. I’ve been putting it off because my emotions are so intense. Do you ever get “tongue-tied” when trying to write about something super-emotional? I do—a lot. Perhaps your blog post will help me get started. Many thanks.
Linda
March 8, 2014 at 6:47 am
I was happy to read a bit about your friend in Kenya, Linda. God’s blessings on your endeavors to write about her.
March 8, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Oh my, so many to choose from! Just thinking about all the women who are, or have been, an inspiration to me helps me to see how important it is to sow into the lives of others! Thank you, Betsy.