8 Ways Christians Can Recognize International Women’s Day
Let me start with a confession: I used to roll my eyes at International Women’s Day. Growing up in a conservative church, I’d hear things like, “We don’t need a worldly holiday to honor women—we do that every Sunday!” But then God wrecked my pride through a conversation with my teenage daughter.
Two years ago, she asked, “Mom, why don’t we ever talk about Women’s Day at church? My public school friends are making posters about women in science, but at youth group, we only talk about Ruth and Esther.” Her question hit me like a gut punch. As a Christian mom raising three girls, I realized: If we don’t actively celebrate the God-given value of women, the world will define it for us.
International Women’s Day (March 8) isn’t about slapping a hashtag on secular feminism. It’s a chance to reclaim the biblical narrative of women’s dignity—from Genesis to the women who funded Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:1-3). Here’s how my family and church community are learning to honor this day in ways that align with our faith.
1. Throw a “Proverbs 31 Potluck” (But Make It Real)
A few years back, I hosted a Women’s Day dinner at my house. I pictured a classy evening discussing Esther’s bravery. Instead, it turned into chaos: burnt casserole, a toddler spilling juice on my couch, and raw conversations about postpartum anxiety and workplace discrimination. It was glorious.
We read Proverbs 31 differently that night. Instead of treating it as a Pinterest-perfect checklist, we talked about the grit behind the poetry. “She gets up while it is still night” (v.15)? Yeah, that’s the single mom working two jobs. “She speaks with wisdom” (v.26)? That’s the grandma mentoring young wives through her divorce recovery.
Try this: Host a potluck where women bring dishes tied to thaeir stories—a soup recipe from a refugee mom, brownies from a foster mom who bakes to cope with stress. Pray over each dish and the woman behind it.
2. Write Letters to the “Quiet Women” in Your Church
My Aunt Margie never taught a Bible study or sang solos. For 40 years, she cleaned the church bathrooms every Saturday. When she died, we found shoeboxes of prayer journals—thousands of names, including mine. She’d prayed for my future husband since I was 12.
International Women’s Day is the perfect time to honor the “hidden” women. Last year, my kids and I wrote thank-you notes to:
- The widow who folds bulletins
- The teen who babysits for free during mom’s group
- The pastor’s wife who’s battling cancer but still sends encouraging texts
Pro tip: Include a Scripture that mirrors their impact. For our church’s elderly pianist, we wrote: “Your music is like David’s harp—it chases away darkness” (1 Samuel 16:23).
3. Talk About the Bible’s “Problem Women” (Yes, Really)
We all love Ruth’s loyalty, but what about Tamar (Genesis 38), who dressed as a prostitute to fight injustice? Or the Samaritan woman (John 4) who had five husbands? I started a Women’s Day tradition with my girls: We study one “messy” biblical woman and ask, “Where do we see God’s grace in her story?”
Last year, we dug into Hagar (Genesis 16). My 14-year-old said, “God saw her when everyone else threw her away. That’s like my friend whose dad left.” We then texted that friend: “You’re seen by El Roi—the God Who Sees.”
Discussion hack: Use secular pop culture as a bridge. Compare Tamar to Hunger Games’ Katniss—both used radical means to protect their families.
