Thriving through chaos: Women who changed the world by Faith

We journey through the lives of remarkable women who defied the odds, surmounted overwhelming challenges, and left an indelible mark on history through their unwavering faith. From the courage of Corrie ten Boom amidst the darkness of World War II to the resilience of Sojourner Truth in the fight for freedom, and to the advocacy of Susan B. Anthony for women's rights, these women exemplify the transformative power of faith in the face of adversity. Discover how their stories inspire us to find strength, courage, and hope in our own lives, even amidst the chaos.

References in this episode

The role of faith in unlocking forgiveness and healing

Sojourner Truth’s, Ain’t I a Woman speech

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Music Credit: https://indiefy.me/wanted-carter

Transcript

Welcome to this episode of Messy Can’t Stop Her! I am your host, Judith Kambia Obatusa – JKO.

Last week we shared stories of women in the Bible who did not allow the challenges of life deter them from activating their shield of faith. So, we talked about the story of Esther. We talked about the story of Ruth, and we also talked about Rahab, who was called the town harlot.

We saw how despite their status in life and their challenges, they held onto faith. Today, we're reaching beyond the Bible and coming back to inspire ourselves with the incredible stories of women whose faith have actually shaped our world. So together, we will journey from the Netherlands to the United States to discover how these remarkable women used their beliefs to overcome challenges, fight for justice, and inspire others.

And the whole idea is for us to also be inspired because we can still be those women whose stories inspire others in future.

Corrie ten Boom: A Resilient Faith Amidst Darkness

So let us start our journey. We will begin our journey in the Netherlands in the 20th century, and there we meet Corrie ten Boom. So, Corrie lived through the horrors of World War II, but she was brought up in a family that believed in prayer and the power of the divine. The ten Boom family owned a watch shop and during the German occupation of the Netherlands, the watch shop became a secret haven for Jews who were fleeing Nazi persecution and the atrocities of the Holocaust. When the ten Boom family's activities were exposed, Corrie, along with her father Casper, and sister Betsie were arrested by the Gestapo. So, the Gestapo were the, like, the secret service of the German army. Corrie's journey led her to the infamous Ravensbrück concentration camp, a place that was the largest concentration camp for women and had really mean women.

I was just researching why Ravensbruck was notorious, and I read where somebody said that people were even rewarded for being horrible to others there.

However, The family's deep-rooted faith sustained them during the harrowing experiences that followed, after their arrest.

Despite the deplorable conditions and the loss of her beloved sister Betsie in Ravensbruck, Corrie's faith remained unbroken. So, while in Ravensbrück, when Betsie was alive, Corrie and Betsie shared their faith with others who some became Christians. And when Betsie died, Betsie's unwavering optimism and spiritual strength, even in the face of the adversities that they went through, became a source of inspiration for Corey because it left an indelible mark on Corrie.

Corrie survived Ravensbrück and the war, and she dedicated her life to sharing a message of forgiveness and reconciliation.

 And this is really, really important because I don't know if you've been listening to other episodes, we've talked about power of forgiveness when we're talking about faith and we talked about having this, uh, we're going to have a retreat where we're going to have a forgiveness facilitator to help us deal with the issues of unforgiveness.

Corrie actually wrote a book about the experience of her family called, "The Hiding Place," chronicles how their family defied the Nazis, and it showed the transformative power of faith in the most difficult times.

Corrie survived the war and travelled extensively, spreading the message of God's love and forgiveness.

She eventually became a sought-after speaker, and she continued to share her story of survival, resilience, and the healing power of faith.

In Corrie ten Boom, we can see a woman whose unwavering commitment to her Christian beliefs transcended the horrors of war. Her legacy lives on through the lives she touched and the enduring message of forgiveness she shared. One of her most famous quotes on forgiveness is:

Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.

Corrie's life shows us how faith can sustain us through trials. And not only that, it also helps us extend the healing and reconciliation that we go through. It actually expands the faith that we have on a global scale.

Her story shows us that we can find strength in our faith even in the most difficult times. It also shows us that in the face of unimaginable suffering, we can still extend forgiveness to those that hurt us. 

So I don't know. do you have someone who has hurt you deeply that you're carrying in your mind?

Let Corrie's story encourage you. She went to the concentration camp and she forgave the Nazis. Even some of them she met after the war. We can learn from that. And forgiveness does a whole lot of positive things in our lives as it helps us on our healing journey.

I'll put the link to the episode where we had an interview with the forgiveness facilitator, Deborah Wright, and you can access it and learn a little bit more about how forgiveness can change your life.

Sojourner Truth: A Voice of Faith and Freedom

Next, we travel across the Atlantic to meet Sojourner Truth, a pivotal figure in American history. Sojourner was born into slavery, but her belief in God's love for all played a profound role in shaping her resilience and commitment to fighting for freedom and equality.  

At the age of 46, Sojourner Truth escaped slavery, embarking on a mission to promote abolition and women's rights. Her faith, her Christian faith, guided her advocacy because she believed that her actions were in alignment with God's divine plan. She believed that God created us all equal, and that none of us should be discriminated against. None of us should be in chains, in shackles, being dominated by others.

Sojourner was born Isabella Baumfree, but she adopted the name Sojourner Truth, to signify her life’s mission as a traveling advocate for truth and justice.

So a person could be born into penury and it could be Financial penury. It could even be moral penury. Well, we can decide to change. We can choose to live a different life. So if you're listening to me and your life isn't how you want it to be, the first step to change is decision. Sojourner made a decision and she changed her name.

So if you've been labeled by others, you can change that label. And the first person who matters in the change is you.

Central to Sojourner Truth's message was the notion that God's love extended to all, regardless of race, gender or status. Her famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech, which she delivered at the Women's Rights Convention in 1851, challenged prevailing notions of femininity and highlighted the intersectionality of her identity as both a woman and a Black person.

And we all have these intersections in our lives. If you take a moment, you could see your intersection, it could be the intersection of race and gender. It could be social status and health. There are many intersections.

Sojourner Truth's commitment to justice was not only grounded in her faith but also in her unwavering belief that she was an instrument of God's will. 

So regardless of your current situation, regardless of the troubles in your life, you can still be an instrument of God's will. What do you believe about yourself? Do you believe that this trouble is happening to you and that's all you are? You are not your troubles, you are just going through them for a reason and a season.

You can still be an instrument of God's will, if you are willing.

Sojourner Truth's legacy endures through her contributions to the abolitionist movement, her commitment to women's rights, and her embodiment of faith as a force for justice. 

Sojourner’s life reflects the intersection of faith and activism and is an inspiration for us to stand for truth and justice wherever we find ourselves. It does not matter your status, doesn't matter what you're going through, wherever you find yourself, you can be an agent for change.

Even in the face of adversity, faith can be a powerful catalyst for transformation and societal change. And that's, that's something that we need to take a moment to think about. Faith is grounding. Faith is an anchor, not just in life's storms, but even in creating change.

Susan B. Anthony: Faith-Fueled Advocate for Equality

Our final stop on today’s journey brings us to Susan B. Anthony, a pioneer in the fight for women's rights and champion of women's suffrage – meaning, the right for women to vote. Deeply rooted in her Quaker faith, Susan believed that all people deserved equal rights, regardless of gender. 

Quakers believe that everyone is capable of experiencing God directly, within themselves and in their relationships with others and the world around us, and they are committed to equality, peace, simplicity and truth.

Born in 1820 into a Quaker family committed to social reform, Susan's upbringing laid the groundwork for the life she lived dedicated to justice and equality. 

Her Quaker faith, characterized by its emphasis on equality and social activism, profoundly influenced the way she saw the world. The Quaker belief in the "Inner Light" — the divine spark within each individual — And this belief in the inner light, fueled Susan's conviction that all people, regardless of gender, were equal in the eyes of God.

Susan's faith in the inherent dignity of every individual and her unwavering belief in justice propelled her into the forefront of the monumental struggle for women's right to vote.

When she was fighting this fight, she faced ridicule and opposition, but she held firm to her conviction that women, too, were endowed with inalienable rights. Her famous declaration, "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand," reflects her commitment to empowering women to claim their rightful place in society.

And today, women who are empowered, raise empowered families and do great things. All these women that we've been talking about. They are all empowered. And empowerment isn't something that someone always has to give to you, you can be empowered from within you just like the Quakers believe.

Susan's advocacy extended beyond suffrage, encompassing issues such as labor rights and temperance. Her faith-driven determination to address societal inequities underscores the transformative power of aligning one's convictions with action.

Women were finally given the right to vote with the passing of the 19th amendment in 1920, 14 years after Susan's death. 

Susan’s unwavering dedication to justice, equality, and the power of faith was what drove her activism. And this challenges us to consider how our own faith can propel us toward meaningful action in the pursuit of a more just and equitable world.

Are you a woman of faith? If you say yes, then you know that you too can change your world. You too can be involved in your community. You too can speak up for those who have no voice.

Corrie, Sojourner and Susan are just a few examples of the countless women whose faith has transformed the world. Their stories remind us that faith is more than just belief; it is a powerful force that can inspire us to overcome challenges, advocate for change, and leave a lasting impact even after we are gone.

Next week, we will be looking at how separation can help us build the faith to thrive through chaos.

When we looked at all these women, we saw some of them, their faith came from their upbringing. But when they became adults, they had to choose to continue in that faith. So where are you now? Are you in a place of turmoil? How can separation help you build your faith so that you are able to thrive through chaos? That will be what we'll be talking about next week.

But till then, I want to remind you that if a woman who lost her loved ones and many years of her life in a concentration camp can forgive, you too can learn to forgive those who have caused you trauma. Like I said before, I'm going to link my most recent episode on forgiveness in the show notes.

If a woman who was born a slave, can become someone who saves others from slavery, you too can save others from the troubles you have experienced or are experiencing. If a woman can fight for good and not live to see it happen, you too can be selfless and fight for others even when you don’t benefit from it. When you do this, messy won’t stop you.

Thank you so much for listening, see you next time.