Unnamed Women of the Bible: When God Knows Your Name
Series Introduction – inspired by Sandy of our “Characters Study Group”
The Bible is filled with names—some we’ve known since childhood, others we struggle to pronounce. Names like Abraham, Esther, Moses, David, Ruth, and Mary stand tall in the stories we cherish. But tucked between these towering figures are countless others—men and women whose names were never recorded, whose faces were never described, but whose encounters with God were so sacred, so powerful, that the Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve their stories for eternity.
In this series, we focus on the women whose names we do not know, but whose lives changed forever the moment they crossed paths with the Living God. They are simply known by their circumstances: the woman caught in adultery, the woman with the issue of blood, the Samaritan woman at the well. We know them by their need, their brokenness, their faith, and their encounter with grace. But Heaven knows them differently—by their redemption, by their worship, by the names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
These women represent more than a historical account. They represent the unseen, the unheard, and the unnamed in our world today. They show us that God does not wait for us to be famous or flawless before He meets us. Instead, He enters into our brokenness, writes in our dirt, sits by our wells, receives our tears, and draws out faith from places we never knew existed.
We live in a time obsessed with recognition. Followers, likes, titles, and resumes define our value in the eyes of others. But God sees through all of that. He doesn’t look at the number of people who know your name. He looks at the condition of your heart. He sees the woman weeping in shame. The mother holding her last crust of bread. The widow dropping two tiny coins into the temple treasury. The outcast reaching through the crowd for just a touch. And He calls them—He calls you—by name.
What You’ll Discover in This Series
- How Jesus responds to sin, shame, sickness, and social rejection
- How faith rises from the ashes of desperation
- How God dignifies the overlooked and writes His story through them
- How your own story—no matter how hidden or hurting—can be rewritten by grace
Each post will offer verse-by-verse exposition, theological reflection, life application, and a space to reflect on your own journey with God. You’ll walk away knowing these women, not for their anonymity—but for their faith, their freedom, and their place in God’s redemptive plan.
Series Overview (please use hyperlinks below to connect to specific devotions)
- Part 1: The Woman Caught in Adultery – When Grace Writes in the Dirt (John 8:1–11)
- Part 2: The Woman with the Issue of Blood – A Touch of Faith (Mark 5:25–34)
- Part 3: The Woman at the Well – When Thirst Meets Living Water (John 4:1–42)
- Part 4: The Widow with Two Mites – Giving All (Luke 21:1–4)
- Part 5: The Widow of Zarephath – A Jar, a Crust, and a Miracle (1 Kings 17:8–16)
- Part 6: The Canaanite Woman – When Faith Crosses Borders (Matthew 15:21–28)
- Part 7: The Sinful Woman Who Anointed Jesus’ Feet – Love That Flows From Forgiveness (Luke 7:36–50)
Why This Series Matters
This series is more than a study. It’s an invitation to see yourself in Scripture—not as an outsider, not as a bystander, but as someone who is seen, known, and loved by God. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, labeled by your past, or silenced by your pain—this series is for you.
These women may have been unnamed by man, but they were never unknown to God. And neither are you.
Prayer to Begin the Journey
Lord, thank You for writing eternal stories through those the world has forgotten. Help me hear You calling my name, even when others only see my labels. Let this journey through Scripture reveal the beauty of grace, the strength of faith, and the hope You give to the brokenhearted. Amen. Barry