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Women of the Bible

by Erin Jeffries

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1.
So Many Ways to be a Woman 04:58
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I tried to follow all the rules to be a godly wife I learned to keep a home and humble heart and submissive mind I hid the parts of me that fell outside the lines As I died I poured through passages of sacred words searching for my name I wrestled with the holy one all night till the blessing came I found a face of God I had not met before She opened up a door So many ways to be a woman The table has space to welcome everyone Come as you are Reflecting God’s own heart So many ways to be a human So many ways to be a woman Scholar, singer, artist, ally and more are witnessed in The history of our sisters in the faith, so I’ll begin To rest and rejoice in their stories and in mine And come alive Every gift is beautiful There is need for each and all One body and many parts All together reflecting God’s own heart
2.
Eve 04:08
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Nobody wins when you pass off the blame Everyone sins but I get twice the shame For the apple and the serpent What a fool to have thought it was worth it I’m still aware of my own nakedness Trust me, I wish I could go back again To the garden and scream, “Eve! He is cunning but don’t be deceived!” I feel the warmth of this skin that’s not mine As I wait with my eyes open wide for a sign I feel a movement and mystery inside The dawn of an era, the start of new life As I labor I believe God will rescue the world through my seed Not just evil and the fall God is making me mother of all God has not forgotten me God has not forsaken me God will restore and redeem Scripture: Genesis 1-4:1 Further reading: Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher
3.
Tamar (My Own Hero) 04:34
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You saw me on the outside Invited me in, gave me your blessing But after your second son died You sent me home and started to question Tamar, victim or a curse? I waited but time only made it worse I had hope, but the more I know I know I’ll have to be my own hero So I’m holding my cards to my chest Depending on you brought me this sorrow I’m putting my strength to the test Boldness tonight to buy me tomorrow Tamar, vixen or devout? I’m trusting the truth will soon come out You had hoped I would give up long ago But here I am, my own hero You built a fire for me That’s where I’ll hold your feet I know you so I kept your evidence That proves I’m more than innocent I am righteous Tamar, purposeful and brave Mother of the victor of the grave I have hope, cause the more I know I know I will be my own hero Scripture: Genesis 38, Matthew 1:3
4.
Miriam 03:18
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My mothers told me the story How you watched over me on the Nile Defying the power of Pharaoh Full of courage and faith as a child And look at us now I laugh about how All these years haven’t changed much at all What would I do without you My sister, my friend I wouldn’t be who I am Without you, Miriam You lead the people in telling Of our rescue from slavery A prophet and poet rejoicing In a dance by the banks of the sea Singing, “Sing to the Lord Our strength and our song Who has triumphed gloriously” I won’t forget all you have done I’ll tell your story for all generations to come Champion of life, true to the end Hero of mine, dear Miriam Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10, 15:20-21, Numbers 12, 26:59, Micah 6:4
5.
Delilah 03:52
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I’ll tell the story from the victim’s side How you abused your foreign wife Killed her kin and ran away Cause all you do is brag and rage I took a risk and I got it right Such a big man but not so bright Never saw what I was up to Can’t grasp that I wouldn’t love you Well, I’m not sorry I fought back Sad little Samson met his match I’m not afraid to pry and pester As I rise up and avenge my sister I was upfront when I asked you how To break your strength and tear you down You laughed and lied and led me on Thought you’d always be strong Did you forget your mother’s word? “Samson, your strength is from the Lord” The gift was not a guarantee Of your immortality I never deceived you Our game was more than fair What made you believe A woman wouldn’t cut your hair? Scripture: Judges 14-16 Further Learning: Their Stories, Our Stories - Rose Sallberg Kam
6.
I Will Stay With You (Ruth) 03:47
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I know the pain is all you feel You tell me leave, cause there’s nothing left here You fled an empty land Now you have empty hands And there’s no use fighting I will go where you go You can run away, I will follow Maybe you’re right There’s no morning in sight But I will stay with you I will stay with you I’ll remind you who you are When you forget the sound of your own laughter When you can’t get out of bed I will bring you bread And I won’t rush the healing Slowly I see your glimmer coming back You invite me into the center of your plan And I know now it’s just a matter of time Till I see Naomi smile Scripture: The Book of Ruth Further Learning: The Loyal Love of God episode of The Bible Project Podcast https://tbp.xyz/podloyallove
7.
Bathsheba 04:47
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You saw me bathing on my roof, where I was supposed to be You left your mission and your men, took me secretly Did you think this through? You made a mess then made it worse to shield you from the truth Oh, but everybody knows whose child is growing in my womb You might think I’d like being queen, but You stole my body Destroyed my family And I know I’ll be blamed for your sin But let the record show I wanted none of this None of this History repeats and so I shouldn’t be surprised Your son has raped your daughter while you chose to close your eyes And of course, it gets worse Brother kills his brother, and you mourn but you won’t save As they follow in the footsteps of the legacy you gave Do you understand you are the man? Your poetry is beautiful, you’re after God’s own heart Oh but all I want is solace and my life not torn apart Is that such an ask? How long, how long O God, how long? You’re lying on your deathbed and I see the future fast You won’t make a move to save my life unless I act So this time you won’t hide You gave me a promise that our son would take the throne Maybe he will stop this bloodshed, do the work you left undone Maybe he will honor me Scripture: 2 Samuel 11-14 Psalm 13:1 1 Kings 1:11-52
8.
Absalom (Tamar's Grief) 04:20
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Absalom, Absalom You play the hero and you take the throne Absalom, did you know? Did you know? Did you tell him, “Go ahead Pull our sister into bed Take whatever you want, like me”? Now you tell me to quiet down Did you hear me crying out? Does my suffering mean anything? I’m less a sister than a pawn You can trade without a thought Knowing there’ll be no reckoning Tamar’s grief will justify Why your rival had to die So Absalom can become king My namesake is my inheritance Righteous and her own defense Her same blood is running through my veins So you won’t guilt me into gratitude I’ve seen you bragging on the roof You’re no different, you just play a longer game Don’t you know your end will be the same Absalom, Absalom Now by your glory caught in an oak Absalom, did you know? Did you know? Scripture: 2 Samuel 13-18, especially 13, 16:15-23, 18:9-15
9.
Magnificat (Mary's Song) 03:32
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My soul magnifies the Lord My soul magnifies the Lord My soul magnifies the Lord Both now and forevermore You have lifted up The lowly and oppressed These are who you bless And call your own And you scatter out The powerful and proud Pull all the princes down Off their thrones You have satisfied The hungry and the poor With the bounty of your store Of goodness And you send away The wealthy and the rich For them, your only gift Is emptiness You are faithful You’re my helper You have done great things for me I rejoice as I remember All your promises to me Scripture: Luke 1:46-55, 11:27-28 Resources: Ben Wildflower has a powerful print of Mary singing her song https://benwildflower.com/
10.
Stumbling Block 02:27
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You call me a stumbling block Brother, you got the sermon wrong If you can’t help but lust for me Pluck out your eye so your eye won’t see You talk about modesty Pass off the blame to me But if you can’t keep your hand to yourself Cut off your hand, throw it straight to hell I appreciate the power you assign to me But it’s finally time you own your own responsibility You call me a stumbling block Brother, you got the sermon wrong Scripture: Matthew 5:27-30, 18:6
11.
At The Well 03:55
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Like Anna in the temple I am here at Gerizim Hoping for Messiah And I wonder if you’re him? You tell me my whole story Who I am and what I’ve done And you break down divisions So I can come Worship fully in spirit and in truth You see me and now I see you You see me and now I see you Like Hagar in the desert I am thirsty and believe The very God who saw her Is now here with me And as we share our water I drink deeply and I sigh Knowing now at last I am satisfied, and I This story, this gift I receive and regive And I run to tell I’ve met our Messiah at the well Scripture: John 4:1-42, Luke 2:36-38, Genesis 16, 21:8-21
12.
Sin No More 03:36
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My sin, oh my sin, it haunts me every day Within my bones I feel a heavy weight There’s no good in hiding, yet I am afraid You bid me come Go and sin no more None here may cast a stone I won’t highlight your darkness Nor sin ignore So go and sin no more Forgiveness is foreign, I dare not believe That judgement has ended, and I’m free to leave So I punish myself till you take the stone from me And repeat Go and sin no more None here may cast a stone This is no cheap forgiveness I the burden bore So go and sin no more Now my singing and my laughter Keep on growing and getting louder What a marvel, what a mystery What a joy Go and sin no more None here may cast a stone Each daily reminder Sweeter than before Go and sin no more Go and sin no more Scripture: John 8:3-11
13.
Mary & Martha 02:32
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Mary, you clear your agenda for me We talk about Torah and theology You pour out your grief, honest and raw And anoint me savior of all Mary, Mary, you are my friend I don’t want our time together to end You are curious and your passion is true I’m so glad that I’m friends with you And I’m glad you have Martha with you Martha, you welcome in me in like a king Careful to make sure I have all I need You take up my offer to carry your pain And declare me Messiah by name Martha, Martha, you are my friend How it breaks my heart to see you distressed Your faith is strong, your love is true I’m so glad that I’m friends with you And I’m glad you have Mary with you Two sisters so dear to my heart So different and both such a part Of the Kingdom of God, my hands and my feet I’m so glad that you’re both friends with me You are both my family Mary and Martha, you are my friends Scripture: Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44, John 12:1-3
14.
Joanna 03:29
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I think about Joanna Far braver than me I came to you in secret She followed openly I can’t afford a falling out If my fellow leaders find my doubt Yet I think about Joanna She left her status in Herod’s court She used her wealth to serve you, Lord She gave up comfort, she became poor And Joanna knew you more I think about Joanna With you at the cross Joseph and I discreetly Buried you in the rock She saw where your body laid She rose to find an empty grave I think about Joanna Bolding bringing the gospel news To scared disciples in the upper room Into Rome, and prison, too Joanna loved you I suppose my own story shows That you welcome in the frail and fumbling Still, I regret my hesitation meant That I wasn’t there to witness greater things Joanna has tasted and seen I think about Joanna And she makes me think of you Scripture: Luke 8:1-3, 24:1-11, Romans 16:7, John 3:1-2, 19:38-39 Further Reading: Bauckham, Richard (2002). Gospel women: studies of the named women in the gospels. W.B. Eerdman
15.
Greater Things 03:34
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I’ve been living a life of luxury Through Herod’s taxation and greed But I see the Kingdom come in You And wealth cannot cure my disease So I come in humility You give me a choice I’m gladly accepting It’s difficult yet easy You give me greater things You give me greater things Nobody thought we’d be a threat Just regular womenfolk So we spread the news You conquered death Now they arrest us both We share in your suffering I’ve seen heaven breaking in As you heal the sick and forgive sin The hungry are fed and the dead rise up To the outcast and lonely, You say come And all who come are satisfied You are the well that won’t run dry Your broken body, bread of life The pearl of greatest price Scripture: Luke 8:1-3, 24:1-11, Romans 16:7 Further Reading: Bauckham, Richard (2002). Gospel women: studies of the named women in the gospels. W.B. Eerdmans
16.
After Artemis 03:15
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After Artemis All of your life you’ve been leading Artemis taught you all Now that you’ve met our Messiah Your heart hears a better call Taste and see Don’t rush ahead my sister It’s still too soon to lead First you must learn the Gospel There’s room at our Savior’s feet Don’t be ashamed of your newness We all begin as Eve She didn’t know the whole story How could she not be deceived? And taste and see You are not evil Just overly eager There’s room in the pulpit for you But first there’s some learning to do Scripture: 1 Timothy 2 Further Learning: Article: Women’s Service in the Church: The Biblical Basis by N.T. Wright ( http://ntwrightpage.com/2016/07/12/womens-service-in-the-church-the-biblical-basis/ ) Chapter 4 “Should Women Be Ordained?” in Surprised by Scripture by N.T. Wright Podcast: 3/17/2016 Episode of In All Things Charity podcast, https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-sp95w-534ff2d
17.
Preach (Phoebe) 02:27
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I was not always a believer But now nothing’s gonna separate Me from the love of our savior Or the family of faith I love my church and I love my roles Preacher, patron and friend I know this journey might take a toll But I’m up for the challenge Yeah, Paul, I will go to Rome And preach the good news like I do at home God in His grace gave this gift to me So come hell or high waters, I’m gonna preach Let’s go over this one more time Your letter is long and complex I wanna understand every line So I can help the Romans make sense That everybody everywhere falls And God is saving us all Don’t you get lost in the weeds too much Focus on the central stuff God’s unending love Scripture: Romans 8:38-39, 12:6-8, 16:1-2 Further Reading: What Can We Say about Phoebe? By Jeffrey D. Miller Phoebe as an Example of Female Ministry Exercised in the Early Church by V.K. McCarty

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released January 27, 2022

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Erin Jeffries Nashville, Tennessee

Songs about family, faith and being human.

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