Women of the Word: Living on Mission for the Kingdom of God
When you think about your life, how do you make it meaningful? What theme do you want your story to share throughout all of its changing chapters and seasons? Maybe you’re building a career, cultivating relationships, raising children, caring for aging parents, serving in your church or navigating a time of change. Or maybe you’re juggling a combination of those kinds of circumstances.
Kelly Chesnut, spiritual development officer at Wycliffe USA, knows that we were made for more than what this earthly life offers. There are only two things that last forever: God’s Word and people. When those two meet, the impact doesn’t just touch one moment in time — it can ripple across generations.
Right now, millions around the world are still waiting to encounter God’s Word in a language and format they clearly understand. They’re not just waiting for someone to tell them about God; they’re waiting to meet Him personally.
So the question becomes: How can you make a difference?
The Influence of Women on Mission
Throughout history, God has called women to courageously move His mission forward. Sometimes that calling is lived out quietly, in unseen prayers whispered in the dark. Sometimes it’s lived out boldly, in leading a community, advocating for the vulnerable or stepping into global work that changes lives.
That influence may begin at your kitchen table, in your workplace, in your neighborhood or across the world. Lydia worked with purple cloth (Acts 16). Deborah was a prophetess of God and a judge of the nation of Israel (Judges 4-5). Wherever your influence happens, and no matter its scale, it matters.
When women come together through loving the Word, living the Word and sharing the Word, they become a mighty force for the Kingdom of God. And you can be one of those women. Whether your “yes” is whispered in a season of small beginnings or declared boldly on a global stage, God will use it to bring His light to people who need it most.
Stories of Women Living the Word
The influence of women on mission for the Kingdom of God isn’t just an idea; it’s something tangible, far-reaching and essential. We’ve seen it lived out in powerful ways. Across cultures, decades and circumstances, women have said yes to God and stepped into the unique callings He’s placed on their lives.
Here are just a few women who followed God’s call with a passion to see His Word transform lives and shape eternity.
Faye Edgerton’s Vision for the Navajo People
In the high deserts of the American Southwest, a gray-haired woman could often be found walking briskly toward a traditional Navajo dwelling or driving her Volkswagen across the reservation. That woman, Faye Edgerton, had once served in Korea — and there she learned a truth she could never forget: Faith flourishes when people have the Bible in their own language.
Determined to give the Navajo people that same gift, she spent decades mastering their complex language and leading the translation of the Navajo New Testament. Because she persevered, people can encounter God personally in the words of Scripture.
Florrie Hansen and Eunice Pike: Pioneers Who Broke Barriers
In 1936, two young single women packed their bags and headed to a remote mountain village in Mexico at a time when sending women alone into such regions was unheard of. Florrie Hansen and Eunice Pike resolved to translate the Bible into the Mazatec language, no matter the cost.
Their courage and skill not only resulted in the first Mazatec New Testament but also challenged the limitations many once placed on women’s roles in missions. Their work opened doors for generations of women who would follow in their footsteps.
Read Florrie and Eunice’s story →
Jacqueline Huggins’ Unexpected Calling
Once intent on disproving the Bible’s credibility, Jacqueline Huggins found herself face-to-face with the living God through a late-night encounter with Scripture. That moment transformed her from “anti-evangelist” to passionate Bible translator.
Years later, she made history as the first African American woman to complete a New Testament translation for the Kagayanen people of the Philippines. Her journey is a powerful reminder that God can transform a life through His Word and then use that life to help bring Scripture to even more people around the world.
Cecilia Legani’s Return Home for Bible Translation
For over 20 years, Cecilia Legani served in ministry across the world — from New Zealand to Peru — never imagining that God would call her back to the Solomon Islands for her most personal mission yet. When she returned home, it wasn’t to rest; it was to help lead Bible translation in her own community.
Today Cecilia works alongside local churches to translate and record Scripture in the languages of her island, ensuring her people can encounter God’s Word in a language that touches their hearts.
Brittany Fancher’s Business With a Mission
After surviving breast cancer at just 27, Brittany Fancher prayed a bold prayer: “God, if You’re going to leave me here, use me.” Out of that prayer came a candle-making company and a decision to dedicate her business entirely to God’s purposes.
As Brittany sells candles at local markets, she displays a sign that says 10% of her profits are given to Bible translation. Every candle sold not only fills a home with light and fragrance but also helps bring the light of God’s Word to people still waiting for it. Customers leave with more than a product; they leave with a glimpse of God’s global mission.
What It Looks Like to Be a Woman of the Word
Reading these stories, it’s clear there’s no single path to living as a woman of the Word. For some, like Faye or Cecilia, it means moving to another community and helping translate Scripture.
For others, like Brittany, it means using a small business to fund Bible translation. And for women like Florrie, Eunice and Jacqueline, it means breaking barriers, leading with courage and opening doors for future generations.
These are just a handful of examples of what God can do through women who live by His Word and for His glory. Being a woman of the Word doesn’t always mean packing your bags for another country or joining a translation team. It can look like:
- Starting each day with Scripture. Let God’s truth guide your thoughts, words and actions.
- Praying with purpose. Intercede for your family, your church, your community and those still waiting for the Bible in their language.
- Living out your faith where you are. See your home, workplace, school or neighborhood as a mission field.
- Using what’s in your hands. Your skills, resources, time and personal story are all tools for God’s Kingdom.
- Investing in others. Encourage a younger Christian, walk alongside someone in need or share your testimony with someone who needs hope.
- Engaging in God’s global mission. Pray, give or advocate for Bible translation so more people can experience the life-changing power of God’s Word.
No matter your season of life, God has uniquely equipped you to love His Word, live it boldly and share it with the world around you.
Your Invitation
You were created on purpose, for a purpose. Your influence, whether it reaches one person or thousands, can have an eternal impact.
There’s a place for you in this community of women who love God’s Word, live it boldly and share it wherever He leads them.
Say “yes” to living on mission. Be a woman of the Word.
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