My love of the women in the scriptures began with a simple composition notebook.
Motivated by a desire to prove that women weren’t left out of the scriptures I read through the scriptures and wrote down any scripture that mentioned women– women with names, women with no names, groups of women, parables about women, symbolism that was female (like charity and wisdom), references to women’s bodies ( like wombs, breast, and menstruation) and even female animals. By the time I was finished I had filled TWO notebooks with references to scriptures about women and discovered over 600 women, about half of whom had names! I was hooked.
Once I discovered the women, the scriptures came alive for me in a very personal and female way. I began to see myself in the scriptures.The people, the stories and the messages became REAL. It changed my life. I would love for you to have a similar experience with the scriptures. So I have a simple challenge that will help you get started.
If after finishing this challenge your appetite for women in the scriptures is whetted I’d challenge you to read through the entire Old Testament or New Testament and mark all the women and references about women you find. Then do The Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine and Covenants. It is a delightful and eye opening way to study the scriptures!
You can also sign up for my newsletter and get a coupon code for a FREE study guide, which will help you delve deeper into the women’s stories.
I know that by embarking on this challenge you will find women, stories, and eternal truths that you didn’t even know existed. They will literally jump out at you from the pages. These women’s stories will answer some of the deepest questions of your soul and helped you discover what you are capable of. They will give you power when you need it the most.
Mostly, I hope that by opening your scriptures and studying them you will be able to see and feel how much God loves ALL His children– male and female.
i am taking the challenge!!! i am so impressed by your study, dedication, and wisdom. Youa re an awesome example of what a woman of God is like and I want to be more like that. Thanks for issuing this challenge, this will give me some guidelines as what to do with my personal scripture study, which has really been lacking over the years. I think I'll start with the Old Testament, sicne that is the book we are also studying for Sunday School in 2010. Thanks for being such a great example!!!
I'll take this challenge! Not sure if it'll be full or half, but it'll be something! Thanks, Heather!
Great Idea. Thanks for motivating me to read the Old and New Testament. I love looking for the notes to women. I grabbed your button.
I have grabbed your button and I am on for the challenge! Not sure how far I'll get but I am going to try. 🙂 I might even write about it on my blog and encourage others to do it as well. I also appreciate your comment on my blog. (When I wrote about stumbling on yours :)….) I really appreciate your blog and all of your wisdom. I can't wait to study more about all of these women in the scriptures.
I'm in!
I've really enjoyed all your insights into women in the scriptures and am tagging you for a high 5 meme. You can see details on my blog http://theprudentwoman.blogspot.com
I just found your blog this morning and can not wait to delve into the archives. I'm so impressed with what I've seen so far. Thank you!!
What a fabulous idea! I struggle with reading the scriptures and applying what I Read to my life. I look forward to reading with this idea in mind and learning new things.
Count me in for the half challenge (at least).
Just found your blog this week through your post on MMB. I love this challenge so I will be taking it. I'm going to start with the half challenge and maybe move my way through the whole challenge..thank you so much for all the new insights into women in the scriptures.
I am so glad that I found your site. There is so much to learn from the amazing and faithful women in the scriptures and it is something that I am passionate about. Thanks for your wonderful insite and a form to share our thoughts. 🙂
Ooh, I am starting a little bit late, but I would like to take this challenge! I am going to have to take this on once my big service boot camp wraps up in about another week…come on over and see me! Perhaps you'll want to join in on my Service Boot Camp Giveaway http://beinglds.blogspot.com
Also, I am following you!
I'm just now learning about the challenge, and I'm taking it, too! The Full Challenge! I want to be more in tune with the Spirit and closer to the Lord, and I'd love to be part of this.
Sounds amazing! I think I'll start with the half challenge, and am sure it'll probably turn into a full challenge once I get going, like you said.
I wanted to leave a comment here and say that I am doing the challenge. I'm staring with the Book of Mormon, and then I'll see where things go from there!
I am jumping in on your challenge. I am excited and I wish that I had found this earlier.
Thank you for this amazing blog….It has really inspired me to look for women in the scriptures. This is an exciting challenge!
I just found your blog… and this post has me giggling with excitement! 😀 THANK YOU! This is just the thing I need!!! 😀
I'm taking the challenge! I'm also a home birthing mama, doula, and a home-schooler as well. I've often been impressed by the reality of these women's lives – they are just like us!
In a way I've already started to take this challenge by reading the books of proverbs, in which "She" is mentioned a lot. I love it. That was my Half challenge, I am ready to take the full challenge and actually keep a record in my journal.
Thank you so much for your site. Its truly an inspiration.
I am taking the challenge. I have already on my own, without even reading your site have done the half challenge. Now I will do the full challenge, I want to be strengthened by the female voice in the scriptures. I want to strengthen the female voice we all to often take for granted and ignore.
I love this site. It is truly an inspiration.
Heatherlady- I stopped by to get information to write up a little review of your site and bonus! I went home with your button. Thanks for the inspiration. It is a lovely Idea and I am taking your challenge.
Darcee Yates
http://www.flyingwithmiamormon.com
Thank you for this site. I heard of some woman I've never heard of before, and I thought inknew many of them! Please check out our website sistersatthewell.org. It is happening in several wards across the US.
Also during womans conference at BYU I will have an art show in th HFAC of obscure women from the old testament. I will be giving gallery talks and I would love to meet you.
Sallie Poet
It's never too late to take a challenge. I love the idea. There are women in the scriptures I've already felt I could relate to or have learned from. Can't wait for more and even in more depth learning. Great inspired idea.
I love this especially in relation to the focus the church has placed on learning more about what it means to be Daughter's in our Heavenly Father's Kingdom! We have such an important work to do, something we cannot forget.
Over in Oxfordshire, UK, I am blogging on a different 'fabulous female' each day through Lent 2012 – currently on day 34 of 40 and have learnt so much about how Jesus treated women. Thanks for this great blog.
I was just thinking about doing this yesterday and saw this idea on facebook. I'm doing this. Thanks for the challenge!
I love this idea! I'm going to start right now!
I love this idea. It actually occurred to me on my own, after reading a talk by Sis. Hinckley where she discussed Captain Moroni's wife and I was totally amazed at what she had gleaned from the scriptures. I just started doing this this week with the Book of Mormon and it is incredible how it has changed my scripture study and inspired me!! I am so excited to see other people are doing this too!
I am excited to take this challenge. I also wrote about it on my blog. Thank you for sharing your ideas. Also, I greatly appreciated the post about infertility. You have a wonderful perspective and I'm glad that you're sharing.
I've been looking for a new way to study the scriptures, I'm excited about this!
I am taking the challenge this year. I am in the Old Testament right now (Numbers) so I am just going to start where I am and get as far as I can. I will try to get all through the standard works and back to the place I am starting.