The Strong Shepherdess

I come from a lineage of strong women and their testimonies of courage are the reason why I'm here.
Great Grandmother Joan was the eldest child of a big family in The Great Depression and when her father died, she had to step up as a provider so her mother could stay home with her siblings. 
After the Second World War was over, she moved to Australia with her husband - they came with hardly anything except hope for the future in a brave new world.
The eldest of her six daughters is my Grannie, she convinced a country boy to give up the sticks and move from Kin-Kin to Brisbane in the 70's, there she raised her four children and worked as a barmaid at my local pub to help my Grandad, a factory worker, make ends meet.
And then her youngest daughter, my mother, spent most of her adult life staring down the Black Dog  - and winning - while putting three girls through school, keeping house and giving advice.
These three women are strong, not perfect. Nobody is.
But they had vision for a better life beyond what they could have dreamed of when they were young.
And that inspires me to do the same for my children one day - to do more than what I think is possible.

The reason why I titled this blog "The Strong Shepherdess" is because that is a role women have played since humankind existed. From an early age we are encouraged to be capable, resilient and look after our own. Whether it be making sure the members of our flock have enough to eat, nursing them when they are sick, ensuring their safety and chasing off wolves.
It can be a messy, heart-breaking job - somebody had to do it. So God made women.  
The Bible and History are filled with strong examples of womanhood that are authentic and not only gives each woman a role, but a calling to test even the strongest traits in her.
Through her husband, Deborah was a respected judge in a time when men had the last word. 
Against the mandates of her station in life and gender, Joan of Arc rode into battle to unite France.
Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first African-American nurse in 1879 despite the fact that she was only expected to perform in service roles because of her race.
Mother Teresa showed us what true love and compassion looks like in the slums of Calcutta.
Mary Mackillop pioneered education for disadvantaged Australian children in the 1800's .
Queen Elizabeth II has devoted her life to serve God and the countries of the Commonwealth in the face of recession and terrorism. And that's not for the faint-hearted!
These women were incredible in the face of adversity - making the most out of the messes that their world and times, threw at them.

Every woman has her own story and circumstances, it's what makes her unique and moulds her to be The Strong Shepherdess God has called her to be.  
What brought to mind these women for this blog was the fact that they had all the odds tipped against them - but that didn't stop them from succeeding in what they did.

Matthew 19:28: But Jesus beheld them and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."