A Tale of Heroic Women

📖 Exodus 1:15–2:10, KJV

There’s something truly sacred about motherhood. ❤️ Maybe that’s why we feel such a strong urge to show appreciation to moms—because deep down, we know they’re doing something eternal.

Think about it: when God created man and woman in Genesis, His very first command to them was to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). That wasn’t just a call to start a family—it was a divine invitation to join Him in the miracle of life. And every time a woman says “yes” to that calling—whether by birth, by adoption, or by standing in the gap for a child—she’s stepping into something holy.

Let me tell you about a few women who did just that.

👩🏽‍⚕️

The Midwives Who Stood Up to a King

Exodus 1:15–22

The story opens with two unsung heroes: Shiphrah and Puah, Hebrew midwives living under Pharaoh’s oppressive rule. The king was nervous. The Hebrew people were multiplying fast, and fear pushed him to dark places. So he ordered these women to kill any newborn Hebrew boy during delivery.

Can you imagine the pressure? 😨 Pharaoh wasn’t just some bossy bureaucrat—he was the most powerful man in the world. But these women feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. 🙏🏽

They refused.

Instead of obeying a wicked law, they protected the babies. Because they believed each child bore the image of God(Genesis 1:26). Even though they weren’t the mothers, they took responsibility for the next generation.

And get this: when Pharaoh noticed the baby boys were still showing up, he confronted them. The midwives gave him a clever answer about how fast Hebrew women gave birth—and whether that was true or not, God saw their hearts.

Scripture says “God dealt well with the midwives” and even “made them houses” (v. 20–21). Many scholars believe this means He gave them families of their own. Either way, God blessed them richly for defending life. 🙌🏼

👪

Parents Who Chose Faith Over Fear

Exodus 2:1–4

In the next chapter, we meet a brave couple: Amram and Jochebed. With two kids already—Aaron and Miriam—they decided to have another baby… right in the middle of Pharaoh’s crackdown.

That’s gutsy. 💪

They could’ve said, “This isn’t the right time.” They could’ve played it safe. But instead, they obeyed God’s command to multiply—even though the world around them was full of danger. 🌍

When their baby boy (you and I know him as Moses) was born, Jochebed hid him for three months. Eventually, when she couldn’t hide him anymore, she came up with a radical plan: she made a tiny waterproof basket, placed her baby inside, and set it afloat on the Nile River. 🧺🌊

It wasn’t random. Egyptians viewed the Nile as sacred—maybe Jochebed hoped someone would find her baby and show mercy. Whatever her plan, her daughter Miriam followed the basket closely, watching and waiting. 👀💗

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A Princess, a Sister, and a Mother’s Second Chance

Exodus 2:5–10

Enter Pharaoh’s daughter.

She comes down to the Nile to bathe, sees the basket among the reeds, and sends a servant to fetch it. When she opens it, she sees the crying baby—and something stirs in her heart. She doesn’t harden. She has compassion. 💕

Even though she knows he’s a Hebrew child, she chooses love over law.

At that moment, Miriam speaks up—this brave young girl standing near a royal figure! 😳 She offers to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby, and Pharaoh’s daughter agrees.

And who does Miriam bring? Jochebed. 🥹

Can you picture her face when she realizes she’ll get to care for her baby again? Not only that, but she’ll be paid to do it! God gave her more than just her son—He gave her time, safety, and provision.

That child, Moses, would grow up to be the very man God used to deliver His people from slavery. And it all started with a few women who chose faith over fear and compassion over comfort.

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Bringing It Home: The Sacred Role of Women Today

This story isn’t just ancient history—it speaks to women of every generation:

👩‍🍼 1.

Women who protect children they didn’t birth

Like Shiphrah and Puah, many women I know have stepped in to protect, teach, and love children who weren’t biologically theirs. Foster moms, teachers, children’s workers, aunts, mentors—your role is sacred. Every life matters, because every child is made in the image of God. 🧒🏽👶🏼

👩‍👧‍👦 2.

Mothers raising kids in challenging times

Parenting has never been easy, but today’s world presents its own set of fears and pressures. To every mom who chooses faith, who sacrifices daily, who prays and parents with purpose—thank you. 💐 Your courage echoes Jochebed’s. You’re not just raising kids—you’re shaping the future.

💞 3.

Women who show compassion to the next generation

You may not have children of your own, but your influence matters. Maybe you’re a big sister like Miriam. Maybe you lead in our children’s ministry or dream of fostering or adopting. Whatever your path, your heart for the next generation reflects the compassion of Pharaoh’s daughter—and that matters deeply to God.

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A Final Word of Thanks

Motherhood and womanhood are more than roles—they’re callings. Sacred, costly, beautiful callings.

So today, we pause to say thank you:

• To every woman who said “yes” to protecting life 🛡️
• To every mother who nurtures a child in faith 🌱
• To every woman who loves with a heart like God’s 💖

You may never know this side of heaven what your sacrifice means. But rest assured, just like those women in Exodus, God sees.

And only time will tell what the lives you’ve touched will go on to do in His great plan. 🌍✨