Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................................... 25 January 1 ‘Another Year is Dawning’ (Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-1879) ................................................................................... 26 Women in the New Testament January 2 Woman of the Word (Mary, 1st century) .................................................................................................................... 28 January 3 First Two Women to Know Jesus as Lord (Elizabeth and Anna, 1st century) .......................................................................................... 29 January 4 Spreading the Good News of Jesus (Samaritan woman, 1st century) ............................................................................................. 30 January 5 Tale of Two Sisters (Mary and Martha, 1st century) ...............................................................................................31 January 6 First to See the Risen Lord (Mary Magdalene, 1st century) ................................................................................................32 January 7 First European Convert (Lydia, 1st century) .....................................................................................................................33 January 8 Aquila’s Wife and Fellow Worker with Paul (Priscilla, 1st century) ............................................................................................................... 34 January 9 Phoebe and Paul’s Roman Friends (1st century) .................................................................................................................................35 Women in the Early Church January 10 Lady with Imperial Connections (Domitilla, 1st century) ............................................................................................................ 38 January 11 Bold Witness for Christ (Blandina, d. 2 June 177) ...........................................................................................................39 January 12 ‘I am a Christian’ (Perpetua, d. 7 March 203) ...................................................................................................... 40 January 13 Living and Dying for Jesus (Agatha, d. 251) ...........................................................................................................................41 January 14 Passing on a Godly Heritage (Nonna, 239? – 374) ...................................................................................................................42 January 15 First Christian Queen (Helena, c. 250 – c. 330) ............................................................................................................43 January 16 Faithful to Death (Agnes, 291-304) ........................................................................................................................ 44 HHer-story_365er-story_365 ddevotions_thirdevotions_third ccorrection.inddorrection.indd 5 44/11/2016/11/2016 110:51:590:51:59 AAMM January 17 Th ree Sisters Standing Bold for the Scriptures (Agape, Chionia, and Irene, d. 5 April 304) .......................................................................... 45 Women in Late Antiquity January 18 Using the Classics to Proclaim Christ (Faltonia Proba, c. 306 – c. 353) ..............................................................................................48 January 19 Faithful to Mother’s Prayers (Monica, c. 333-387) ................................................................................................................. 49 January 20 Early ‘Bible Society’ in Rome (Marcella, 325-410) ................................................................................................................... 50 January 21 Lover of Scripture (Paula, 347-404) .........................................................................................................................51 January 22 First Hospital in Europe (Fabiola, ? – 399) .........................................................................................................................52 January 23 Travels to the Holy Land, 381-384 (Egeria, 4th century) ..................................................................................................................53 January 24 What Women Th ese Christians Have! (Anthusa, 4th century) .............................................................................................................. 54 January 25 From Riches to Rags (Olympias, 368-408) ..................................................................................................................55 January 26 Generational Faithfulness (Macrina the Younger, 4th century) ....................................................................................... 56 Women in the Early Middle Ages January 27 Christian Queen among Barbarians (Clothilde, 474-545) .................................................................................................................. 58 January 28 From Turmoil to Peace (Radegund, c. 518-587) .............................................................................................................59 January 29 First Christian Queen in England (Bertha, 539 – c. 612) ................................................................................................................ 60 January 30 From Slavery to the Th rone (Bathildis, c. 631-680) ................................................................................................................61 January 31 Abbess of Whitby (Hilda, 614-680) .........................................................................................................................62 February 1 Wifely Prayers and a King’s Conversion (Ethelberga, d. 647) ....................................................................................................................63 February 2 First English Female Author (Walburga, c. 710-777) ............................................................................................................. 64 February 3 Dedicated to God (Leoba, c. 710-782) .................................................................................................................... 65 HHer-story_365er-story_365 ddevotions_thirdevotions_third ccorrection.inddorrection.indd 6 44/11/2016/11/2016 110:51:590:51:59 AAMM February 4 Wise Words from a Loving Mother (Dhuoda, mid-9th century) ......................................................................................................66 February 5 First Christian Playwright (Hrotsvit, c. 935-1000) ..............................................................................................................67 February 6 Pearl of Scotland (Margaret of Scotland, 1045-1092) .........................................................................................68 February 7 Laying up Treasures in Heaven (Elizabeth of Hungary, 1207-1231) ........................................................................................ 69 Women in the Late Middle Ages February 8 Good Queen Anne (Anne of Bohemia, c. 1367-1394) ............................................................................................ 72 February 9 Treasuring the Scriptures (Lollard women, 14th – 15th centuries) .................................................................................73 February 10 Beloved of God (Joan Broughton, c. 1414-1494) ................................................................................................74 February 11 Mother Faithful in Teaching her Children (widow Smith, martyred 4 April 1519) ...................................................................................75 Women of the Reformation February 12 Caring for a Beggar (Ursula Cotta, d. 1511?) .............................................................................................................78 February 13 Martin Luther’s Rib (Katherine Luther, 1499-1552) ................................................................................................79 February 14 Boldly Defending the Scriptures (Argula von Grumbach, 1492 – c. 1554) ................................................................................80 February 15 ‘Church Mother’ (Katherine Zell, 1497/98 – 1562) ............................................................................................81 February 16 First Woman Protestant Hymn Writer (Elisabeth Cruciger, c. 1500-1535) ..........................................................................................82 February 17 Fourteen-page Marriage Proposal! (Anna Bullinger, c. 1504-1564) ............................................................................................... 83 February 18 Refuge for the Persecuted (Anna Bullinger, c. 1504-1564) ............................................................................................... 84 February 19 Sister of the King (Marguerite of Navarre, 1492-1549) .......................................................................................85 February 20 Protector of the Faith (Marguerite of Navarre, 1492-1549) .......................................................................................86 February 21 Artist’s Friend (Vittoria Colonna, 1490-1547) ................................................................................................87 HHer-story_365er-story_365 ddevotions_thirdevotions_third ccorrection.inddorrection.indd 7 44/11/2016/11/2016