Today's interview comes from Eunice Osaro- an administrator within the NHS (British healthcare system), mother of one and aspiring counsellor. She also happens to be a very close and personal friend of mine, who I love dearly. Read on as she discusses Anna (her favourite woman of the Bible), how she ties in with her testimony and what we, as modern women of God, can learn from her.
Who is your favourite woman of the Bible and why? What would you say that modern women can learn from her?
I'm not very familiar with the women of the Bible but the one I have recently read up on, that I can identify with, is Anna the prophetess. This is mainly because she was a holy and wise woman who sought God always in the temple night and day, as it was her solace. Her life surrounded prayer as she knew that putting all her energy into communion with God was of great importance.
I identify with Anna because all my life I have ignored my gifts of vision, dreaming and intuition. Prophetess Anna is a confirmation to me that such abilities and gifts are a rarity and beauty but, like everything else, they must be earned- the granting of this blessing takes being devoted to God. She also helps me to realise that with great strength and commitment comes the faithfulness of God, which gives us the ability to conquer and contribute toward the world and ourselves.
Anna’s name means “grace and favour”. I personally believe being a woman of Christ leads to grace from God and one of many definitions of being a woman is to exude gracefulness. With most women from the Bible there has always been favour following them and Anna was a woman who had divine insight into things which were normally hidden from ordinary people. The modern woman can learn from Anna that we, as women, have been blessed with many God-given gifts too. These may not also be the gift of vision or dreaming but- whatever we have been blessed with- we must learn to cultivate and be committed to it, just like Anna. She was also committed in her relationship with God (she was aged 80 something and that was not a barrier!) so, as women of today, we must learn that nothing can stop us but ourselves. We must persevere for, as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.
Please finish the sentence: I am a Christian woman who is…
I am a Christian woman who is after Gods own heart.
Please finish the sentence: I am a Christian woman who is not…
I am not a Christian woman when it suits others.
Any final words of encouragement?
God's love is real, it moves mountains and heals the most broken people. Being a Christian woman is an honour and beauty. Being a Christian, let alone a woman, comes with hardship but we are the "neck" and our role is crucial to the family- which also impacts our society and world. We must also remember that we are Queens in Gods eyes.