By Pastor Dave Holland
“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’… But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.” — Luke 23:46, 49
Luke’s Gospel repeatedly highlights the faithfulness of women. More than any other gospel writer, Luke shows how women were consistently devoted to Jesus—from Galilee to Golgotha. I relate deeply to this. I came to Christ in a church founded by a woman—Aimee Semple McPherson. Though she passed before I was born, her legacy raised up many men and women in ministry, including me.
Early on, I learned Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile… neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Women have always had a powerful place in God’s story—and especially in the life and ministry of Jesus.
Women didn’t just cheer from the sidelines. They followed, served, gave and endured. They traveled with Jesus, supported His ministry financially, and even cared for His physical needs. And when the road got hardest—when the crowds disappeared and the cross loomed—they stayed.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, not only birthed the Son of God, but gave us the “Magnificat,” a prophetic song that still echoes today. Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels more than most of the apostles. Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, helped fund Jesus’ ministry. Salome, the mother of James and John, was present at key moments. So, were Mary of Bethany and her sister Martha—both women of deep faith and connection to Jesus.
Some would say to women, “Stay home, be quiet and tend the children.” Yet, there were many women of various social standings who were out on the road with Christ and his disciples. They would have slept beside the road as Jesus and the disciples did. How awkward was that?
These women didn’t retreat when things got messy. They followed Jesus to the cross. They were present at His death, helped care for His body, and returned to His tomb when others hid in fear. In fact, women were the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection. That’s no small detail.
Where were Peter, James and John? Hiding. If you wanted to find them, you’d need a woman to point the way.
I’ve experienced firsthand the quiet strength and bold faith of women in ministry. When I first felt the call to serve God, it was a missionary who preached the sermon that broke my heart open. I stepped forward to the altar, unsure but hopeful. And then came Sister Conger—a woman who began weeping and wailing beside me. At first, I was annoyed. But when I looked closer, I realized: she was crying for me.
No one had ever done that before. Her prayers shattered my pride. They were the kind of prayers that birth callings, mends hearts, changes lives. I wouldn’t be in ministry today without her and the many women who prayed for me.
Behind so many pulpits, churches and callings are women. Faithful, unseen, powerful women—serving, sacrificing and crying out to God. Jesus saw them. He valued them. And He invited them to walk alongside Him.
And we would do well to do the same.
Dave Holland pastored churches for thirty-eight years before retiring in Destin, Florida. This devotional is from his book, “Extraordinary Jesus.” You can get a copy of his books from his website, DaveHolland.org, or at Amazon.com. Pastor Dave is available to preach and teach at churches and conferences. Contact him at DavidvHolland54@gmail.com.
