Purpose Driven Women
At Hallelujah Farm, we are inspired by people. We are inspired by historical figures, faith leaders, modern heroes, our families and friends, our guests. And, many, many of those people are women. We know it to be true that women can do anything. We know it to be true that women bring life into this world; they make change and breed hope. So, with our great respect for women of all walks of life and in light of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, we wanted to share six incredible women who have led their lives with purpose and focus.
Corrie Ten Boom, along with members of her family, worked throughout the Holocaust to hide Jewish people in the Netherlands during Nazi occupation. She was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church and was determined to support Jewish people on her faith-based belief that all humans are equal to God. Despite the obvious danger to herself, her family, and community, she and members of the resistance hid Jews in their homes and businesses. She was arrested by the Gestapo and was sent to prison and later to a concentration camp. Both her father and sister, who had been arrested with her, died while imprisoned. Despite the trauma of this experience, Ten Boom went on to write The Hiding Place, the story of her work during WW2, and travel the world sharing the wisdom she gained during this time.
Born into slavery and freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Ida B. Wells defied all societal norms and expectations by becoming a distinguished activist and journalist. She faced the challenge of raising her siblings after their parents’ death. Despite the death of her parents, being thrown out of college, and intense racism of the time and place, Wells remained strong and determined. She wrote and spoke out about the lynchings of Black people, racial discrimination, and women’s rights. She traveled around the country and internationally bringing attention to the issues she saw and faced as a Black woman.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s story is one that has become well known through books and films about her impressive life. She worked through raising children, caring for an ill husband, and fighting her way into the realm of legal work where women were not welcomed. These challenges did nothing to slow Ginsberg down on her path to success. Her battle for women’s rights and her own career was been marked by the creativity and determination so many people have come to know and love about the “Notorious RBG.”
Stacey Abrams, the founder of Fair Fight Action (a foundation fighting voter suppression), is making an enormous impact on American politics. She and her organization are credited with registering voters and supporting voter turnout in Georgia and other battleground states that turned the tide of the 2020 presidential election. After losing her bid in the 2018 gubernatorial election in Georgia, Abrams committed herself to fight against voter suppression, the reason many believe she lost the race. Although she has been encouraged to run for senate, she chose to instead continue her work in making sure that all voters’ voices are heard.
Rev. Shannon MacVean-Brown is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. At her own insistence, she and her mother started attending the Episcopal church connected with her school when she was four years old. As a child, she wanted to be a priest and describes not realizing there were any gender barriers to this goal. After working in with various forms of art, she decided to follow her calling into the priesthood. In September of 2019, she was ordained and consecrated as the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont.
Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic woman named to the United States Supreme Court. With her love of mystery stories like Nancy Drew as a child, she watched and read enough to realize for a young age that she wanted to go to college and become a lawyer. This was no small goal for her — her family was not wealthy, her father died when she was only nine years old, her mother worked a lot to support their family, and Sotomayor was ofter raised by her grandmother. Despite the poverty and norms around her family, Sotomayor’s mother placed a great deal of emphasis on her children’s education. With her family’s support and own academic skill, she went to Princeton on a full scholarship. After working as a prosecutor and in private law practice, she was named a judge in 1991, eventually to be nominated to the US Supreme Court in 2009.
All of these women share the commonality that they stayed focused on their purpose, some from the time they were children, and brought their goals to fruition. We all know women and know of women who inspire us. Some become famous and well-known for their accomplishments and some are admired by those who have the privilege of being in their lives. Take this as a reminder to share your gratitude with the women in your life and remember that you, in turn, are likely an inspiration to someone too.
