3 women, 3 Different Stories of Faith and Courage
As women, we all want to equip ourselves well, to point our children and others in our sphere of influence, to the Lord- right?
As you read through these true stories, ponder on what you can learn from them.
Susanna Wesley
A pastor’s wife, home schooling her 9 children and living on a farm- Susanna’s life was full- bubbly and noisy. But this did not keep her from spending time with the Lord.
As the children played around her, she would pull her apron above her head and spend time in prayer, meditation, studying the Bible and journaling. The children knew that this was their mother's special time with Jesus. Susanna knew she had been chosen for this role!
I chose you and appointed you to bear fruit, fruit that will last.
John 15:16a, NIV
During the week Susanna had an organized lesson plan to feed her children God’s word. In the morning they would each read an Old Testament chapter, a psalm and finish their private prayers before breakfast and school.
In the evening they would pair up and spend time reading a New Testament passage and praying together. On Sunday afternoon’s Susanna prepared and conducted a Sunday school for her 9 children and their friends. The children loved it, word spread and the numbers grew.
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6 NIV
The seed of faith sown by the mother had borne much fruit.
Susanna’s sons John and Charles went on to become servants of the Lord, serving through word and song.
Love Divine all loves excelling
Joy of heaven to earth come down
This is one of the most popular hymns of Charles Wesley, Susanna’s son. He wrote more than 9000 of them.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
-John Wesley
Sulochana Vedhanayagam
Sulochana was a hardworking, conscientious Maths teacher in a Christian school in Madras, South India and loved her work. She would get to work an hour early and sit at her teacher’s desk and pour into her Bible. That was her time with the Lord. She prayed, dedicating her children to her God.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the faith.
3 John 4 NIV
One day much to her despair Sulochana opened the day’s paper to read that her son Ashok had been arrested by the police. He had got into drugs and was smoking heavily. Sulochana kept praying even as her husband and she arranged for Ashok to be taken out on bail.
A family friend said that Ashok would amount to nothing at this rate- that he would not study further, would not get work and would not get married. The next couple of months were a time of leaning heavily on God. It was then that his mother’s prayers, tears and words of love brought Ashok to his senses. He pleaded with God to change him.
God answered a loving mother’s prayer and God made all things new!
From that day a new Ashok emerged. He went on to study Theology, he d work and got married. He now conducts youth camps around the world and his testimony has impacted many and drawn thousands to the Lord.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV
Renuka Susikaran
For Renuka, her family was her world. Supporting her busy husband who was a physician and providing her family healthy meals and keeping a beautiful home were top on her list. After Sudhan and Shoba left for school, she would sit down to read her Bible and pray. She loved the midweek Theology class that Susikaran and she had started attending now. They were now studying the book of Romans.
Renuka made sure she prayed with her children before they went to school. Their family of 4 had their special prayer time each night. She planned that and made sure Shoba practiced her hymns on the piano.
Writing simplified notes for Sudhan’s school work and sitting with him during study times took much of Renuka’s time. When worried about his future she turned it over to God.
Sudhan went on to join medical school much to the joy of his parents. It was then that Renuka was diagnosed with cancer. She died after a hard battle.
God answered this loving mother’s faith filled prayer in His own way in His time!
Yes, this brave, faith filled mother did not get to see her son become an Ophthalmic surgeon, she did not get to see him help many and have his own family. She had prayed a lot for her proud arrogant daughter, but the answer to her prayers Renuka did not get to see. She did not get to see her 4 smart, loving grandchildren but yes, if there was a hall of faith her name would be etched there!
God is not ashamed to be called their God:
They died in faith.
They did not receive the things promised but they saw and greeted them from afar.
They acknowledged that they were strangers here on earth.
Hebrews 11:13-16, paraphrased
Questions to reflect on based on, these godly examples
1. Is there one way in which you can equip yourself as a woman of God, today?
· Could you spend more time reading the Bible? Would you have to wake up early to do that or spend your lunch time at work doing that?
· Could you join an organized Bible study which is an opportunity to read, reflect, discuss and learn? Would having a community of women praying and sharing with you give you the strength you need now?
· Could you maybe journal your prayers?
2. Is there one way in which you can point your children/family/ friends to the Lord?
o Could you start praying with them?
o Could you read them Bible stories? Could you pin down a time you could do it each week/day?
o Could you take them to Sunday School or church every week?