Hebrews 11 lists many people whose faith ministered to and blessed generations of people. We asked women who have been active in women’s ministries to tell us about the women in their lives whom God has used to minister to them. Here are their “heroines of the faith” responses.

There have been many whom God has allowed me to receive as a mentor in my faith walk. First of all my mother, Miriam (Sunwall) Erickson, (pictured left) showered her children with much love, many prayers, many letters, and numerous examples of showing Jesus to others. She loved my dad and she loved her Lord and Savior. She could be found in the living room reading her Bible and praying, was a great cook, hostess, talented seamstress, hard worker, great Sunday School promoter and storyteller, with many other talents. We children had to go sixty miles and then several thousand miles away to school but we kept in close contact through letter writing and mostly praying for one another. I was blessed to have a wonderful mother here on earth for twenty-six years! Blessed be her memory!

Margarethe (Erickson) Swanson / Minneapolis, Minnesota

I appreciate Eileen Tjelta, Pastor Tjelta’s wife from Nampa, Idaho. I’ve never seen anyone who was a better complement to her husband and pastor as she. She sets the Gold Standard in my eyes. She is always thinking of ways to help with his ministry and in doing so sets an example for everyone. Always a woman of grace and peace, never seeking her own way, she walks calmly with the Lord.

Zoe Unfried / Portland, Oregon

My hooray is for a lady at our church named Kathy Lyons. She is always doing things and organizing help for those in need here at Community Church of Joy in Sammamish. If you’ve been sick or just had a baby or surgery, she will always make sure meals are coming on a regular basis. She has been a member for over twenty years and taught Sunday school for much of it. She shares her gifts freely, coming early every Sunday to make coffee. Her latest is an idea to provide homemade soup for the ladies’ evening Bible study. It has increased the number of women attending because they can come right after work, without worrying about having time for dinner. We can always count on her, but also need to look out she doesn’t overwork herself. She is a joy to all here.

Kaysi Baron / Sammamish, Washington

As the president of the Western District Women’s Ministry, Rachel Patterson (Grace LBC, Bottineau, North Dakota) always went above and beyond the call to get things done. She loved to do things for others, especially for the pastors’ wives. Addie Mathison, pastor’s wife from Maddock, North Dakota is also a blessing. Addie brings a smile to everyone’s face, especially when she sings “Ode to Lefse!”

Cheryl Unruh / Antler, North Dakota

I admire my mom, JoAnn (Aarhus) Gundersen, for her heart of service and her gift of encouragement. After nursing school she went to Africa for two years to care for the people there. Along with our dad, she raised us seven children, and now has eight grandchildren. We had such a fun childhood! When we were growing up, mom loved to have parties for no special reason, and she still does! Mom entertained people in our home from all over the world. She still loves to entertain and taught all of us children how to do the same. She has been on serving groups at church for years, and uses her nursing skills as a deaconess at Bethel in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Since my dad’s spinal cord injury almost nine years ago, many of us have seen firsthand in mom what it truly means to love one’s husband in the good times and bad, in sickness and in health, without complaining or bitterness. She trusts in the Lord’s daily promises and substance for strength, peace, and joy in all circumstances. She and dad pray for us children and our families and many, many others daily. She has such a gift of encouraging others and accepting them for who they are. I love you, mom! Thank you for living out such a wonderful example for what it is to be a woman after God’s own heart.

Lisa (Gundersen) Salvesen / Cooperstown, North Dakota

One lady from our church was Stella Oyloe. She was the most awesome Bible teacher. She really knew her Bible and could just bring out so much insight from God in one verse. She was a real blessing to me. Another lady from our church was Luella Solheim, better known as “Grandma Lou” to all of the children. She wrote faithfully to Missionary Elayne Aune when she served in Africa. Elayne wrote the most wonderful letters and then Grandma Lou would bring them to our monthly WMF meetings and read them to us. She made her experiences in Africa just come alive for all of us and made us feel like we truly had a part in her ministry. I never have had the pleasure of meeting Elayne, but I certainly have been blessed by her writings. Grandma Lou had a gift of hospitality, a great sense of humor and was a great encourager to all of us younger moms. She raised seven wonderful children of her own and a majority of them are part of our church family.

Sue Patterson / West Union, Iowa

We thank God for Carolyn Thompson (pictured right) and her work with the church youth. She not only picks them up after school but also attends as many of their school/sporting events as she can fit into her schedule. This is in addition to her work with BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). We honor Joan Thompson for her years of cooking for the senior luncheons as well as for her gift of hospitality, opening her home to countless visitors from here and abroad. We appreciate Ruth Larsen (pictured left) and Karen Olsen for the ministry they provide on Wednesday evening – and this is before Ruth goes to choir practice and Karen to the ladies’ Bible Study she leads!

Tess Soholt and Erma L. Hammond / Minneapolis, Minnesota

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(The following were not included in the magazine version of this article)
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God allowed me to have numerous others who have had much influence in my life – Aunt Thelma Erickson, Aunt Alma Thompson, my many other aunts and cousins and friends, special friends- Marilyn Erickson (now my sister-in-law) and her mother, Mildred Trochmann, Margie Gundale, my mother-in-law-Alvina Swanson, Marcia Bridston, Ruth Larson, Penny (Sunwall) Eidem, Phrel Varberg, Marge Gudim, and so many others whom have blessed me by sharing their faith walk and teaching from God in their lives and then sharing that with me. I thank God for all He has given to me. I am richly blessed.

Margarethe (Erickson) Swanson / Minneapolis, Minnesota

I love the way Chris Lauer serves her church in Antler. She consistently does for others with love, a smile, and a hug too. Phyllis Thompson loves to encourage others. She makes a point to sit near the door as people leave church to shake their hand and share a kind word. Arlene Schelling, thank you for your many gifts but especially for your gift of hugs…they are the BEST!! Thank you, Mary Lou Martin for being a wonderful example of a Godly woman. Only God and I know how much you bless my heart.

Cheryl Unruh / Antler, North Dakota

Mother (JoAnn Gundersen) is fantastic! Without complaints, a smile and cheerfulness, she works diligently assisting my dad with activities of daily living. It may be helping dad prepare for a speaking engagement or assisting him onto his John Deere tractor, but no matter what it is, mother does this with great compassion. Her love for dad shown through her actions is a pure example of her love for Christ. Mother may not realize how impacting her role as wife to dad has been on us five daughters.

Julie Gundersen, Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Cheryl Olsen is information coordinator of Women’s Ministries of the CLB (www.wmclb.com).

By Cheryl Olsen

Cheryl Olsen (pictured with her husband Stan) serves as the secretary of Women's Ministries of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. (www.wmclb.com)

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