Women from Hidden Figures to Global Leaders

Mary was honored to be a featured guest speaker earlier this week at Rise in Strength in Amsterdam. 

The Lord gives the command (word);
The women who proclaim good news are a great army:
Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will divide the spoils!
When you lie down among the sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with glistening gold. (Ps. 68:11-13, NASB) 

As a woman leader, I’m thrilled to be alive today! The 21st century is a breakthrough century for women from being just “hidden figures”* to global leaders. I just returned from Amsterdam yesterday, celebrating with 70 global women leaders from around the world. It was the international Women’s History Month with March 8th celebrated as International Women’s Day. What did we celebrate? We celebrated God's truth about His women: that throughout history, women who proclaim the Good News are a great army, and that the young mom or homemaker “who remains at home will divide the spoils.” In this Psalm, the Lord is mobilizing a vast army of women Gospel proclaimers so the kingdoms of the earth will praise our God (v.32), especially in Africa (Cush in v.31) that now teems with the most Christians (320 million) in the world.

In Amsterdam, we celebrated that the face of the global church is now an African woman!** God’s Word about women is true. Christianity is currently growing the fastest in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, largely due to the significant growth paved by women for the past 200 years. Many of these women were hidden figures or nameless “Bible women.” More than 126 women have served as prime ministers and presidents between 1950 and 2014.*** Today, women lead Fortune 500 companies in many areas of business, academic, and socioeconomic fields. Women leaders tend to model a leadership style ideal for our century because of these innate qualities showing they are: inclusive, participative, empathetic, trustworthy, and relational.

I am inspired that:

“The women leaders come from the world’s largest and smallest countries, the world’s richest and poorest countries, and the world’s most socially and economically advantaged and disadvantaged countries. They come, moreover, from every geographical region, represent all six of the world’s major religions, and lead companies in a wide range of industries. The changing trend toward women’s leadership is a broad-based, worldwide phenomenon.” - Nancy Adler

God is calling His women from the richest to the poorest families, from the most privileged to disadvantaged backgrounds, from everywhere to everywhere, so that we may proclaim His Good News in every sector in every nation—from raising our children at home to governing in the presidential palace.
The word “sheepfolds” (v.13) can be translated as “saddle bags” or “campfire.” This means that while God’s women are on the move with His assignment in rugged terrains, He covers us with wings of glistening gold and silver, a lavish metaphor of God’s extravagant protection. Let the kingdoms of the earth sing praise to our God!

Blessings,
Dr. Mary Ho, DSL

All Nations International, Inc. | International Executive Leader

*So named after Margo Lee Shetterly’s famous book Hidden Figures on NASA women of color.
**Gina Zurlo, Women in World Christianity, 2023.
***Nancy Adler, ‘Shaping History in the 21st Century,’ in "Women as Global Leaders.”

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