Deborah was a prophetess and a judge, and in both roles she spoke the word of God. God can raise up stones to do his work, and if he needed a man to do it, he could raise up a man. But in this case he chose to work through a woman, showing that there is no theological reason that God can't use a woman to speak on his behalf, or to have a woman lead his people. See Women who spoke the word of God

Without the writings of Luke, we would not know about the miraculous conception of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; the story of the prophetess Anna; the virgin Mary's song of praise; and of the women disciples who accompanied Jesus in his travels and helped support his ministry. Luke has a special interest in women. Only he tells us of the prominence of women in Christ's ministry. See Luke's legacy to women

Miriam’s courage, faith and ability to think and take decisive action, even as a youth, help us understand why God chose her, along with her brothers, Moses and Aaron, to lead Israel out of Egypt. According to Josephus, Miriam and Hur were the grandparents of Bezalel, the chief craftsman and builder of the tabernacle. One of their sons founded the town of Bethlehem. See Miriam: first lady of the Exodus

When King David was near death, David’s son Adonijah tried to have himself crowned king. Seeing the danger, the prophet Nathan, the same man God used to confront David with his sin, knew where to turn — Bathsheba. He had great respect for this woman. See Bathsheba: mother and queen

For thousands of years, God-fearing women have looked to the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 as their ideal. This poem was traditionally recited in the Jewish home every week on the eve of the Sabbath. But what about today’s woman? Of what value can this ancient poem be to the diverse, complex life-styles of contemporary women? It is more relevant than you might at first expect. Click here for Proverbs 31: Portrait of a godly woman. One of our most-often-recommended articles.