I'm delighted to welcome Linda back to Sunnybank Secrets! She's a delightful author with quite a few novels. I hope you will check out the novels she's highlighting today!
Courageous
Women Throughout History
The
women of the past were brave and spirited ladies who knew what they
wanted in life and wanted to make a difference.
In the late 1700s, Abigail Adams,
the wife of John Adams, was the first woman to stand up for women’s
rights but America wasn’t ready for equality at that time.
There
were many who spoke out on women’s rights. Elizabeth Stanton was
one of them. She said that women should have the right to vote and
receive an equal education. She had received higher education at Troy
Seminary in New York and felt all women deserved the right to be
educated.
When
she gave lectures on the subject, it was frowned upon. A pastoral
letter from a minister in Massachusetts said a woman who speaks
publicly is “unwomanly and unchristian.” The pastor also
mentioned that it would “threaten the female character with
widespread and permanent injury.” Was this how the men really felt
back then? Why were women being held
back? Even though it was not proper,
women still gave their opinions.
Elizabeth
was also an abolitionist and fought adamantly against slavery,
prejudice, and inequality but it was not readily accepted. When
Elizabeth Stanton went with her husband to a convention in England
that was against slavery, she tried to give her opinion but was put
down and told that women were not permitted to give speeches. It was
solely a man’s place to speak publicly.
Frederick
Douglass, who was a public speaker, author, and statesman, said:
“When the true history of the antislavery cause shall be written,
women will occupy a large space in its pages; for the cause of the
slave has been peculiarly a woman’s cause.”
Susan
B. Anthony was another who fought for equal rights. When she defied
the laws and voted illegally on November 5, 1872, in a presidential
election, she was arrested and fined $100. But she refused to pay it.
She said, “Resistance
to tyranny is obedience to God.”
She was angry
when she heard the politicians say that women wouldn’t understand
politics, so there was no need to have them vote. It was up to the
men to decide what was best.
These
courageous women were an important
part of history during this time period and made a difference.
Did you know the first four states
to give women the right to vote were Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and
Idaho? It did not take long until women began running for office in
each of these states.
Do
you have some courageous ancestors that were an influence on you? I
had a great grandmother who stood up for her rights and would not
allow anyone to intimidate her. She was told by a group of men that
if she denounced her religion then they would not burn down her home.
The leader of the mob was a large burly man and she had every right
to be frightened. But Martha would not give in to fear. She was a
devout Christian and would not deny her Faith. With strength and
courage, she stomped her foot and said: “You may burn it and be
damned.”
I
had another great-grandmother who was an influence on my life. When
she saw some thieves stealing her grapes, she knew they would not be
afraid of her if she tried to chase them off. An idea came to her.
Frances put on
her husband’s cavalry uniform, tucked her hair inside his hat, and
grasped his sword from its scabbard. Bravely marching outside onto
the porch, she brandished the weapon in a threatening manner and
demanded in a loud voice “Leave or perish!” I’m sure she smiled
inside when she saw them take off like scared rabbits. And maybe she
was quaking in her shoes just a little from the experience?
All
of us have challenges in our lives. Sometimes we wonder if we are the
only ones who are experiencing difficulties. Have
you ever felt that each trial you have endured was so difficult that
you wondered where the “light at the end of the tunnel” was? Many
times we don’t bother talking to anyone about it or asking for
help. But we are not alone in our grief. Others have walked the same
path.
It
touched my heart when I read about another great grandmother’s
experience, which was written by her daughter. Her
courage and difficulties touched my heart.
Hannah
and her husband came here to America in the mid-1800s for a better
life. On the ship from England, Hannah’s one-year-old daughter
became very ill, which resulted in deafness. One year after arriving
in America, Hannah gave birth to a baby boy but she was not meant to
have him long. He died six weeks later. A year later, the sheriff
came to her door and announced that her husband had been murdered on
the streets of St. Louis, Missouri. Realizing she had to make a
living for her children, Hannah took a job as a maid at the largest
hotel in St. Louis, hoping to earn enough money to move on.
What
a courageous woman! Would I have been that brave if I were Hannah?
Would I have turned around and headed back to my family in England?
Her family volunteered to pay her passage if she returned. But she
chose to stay instead.
“No
matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges
or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish.
There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if
only we will see and appreciate it.” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf
This
was Hannah’s attitude as she tried to search for the “light at
the end of the tunnel.” How many times do we search for that light,
wondering where it is and hoping that our trials will soon end? Is
God watching over us? Is He there when we need some comfort? In our
darkest moment, does He know how we feel? I believe He does.
Five
years later, Hannah earned enough money to board a riverboat and head
northward, far away from St. Louis. That was when she met a wonderful
man who fell in love with her.
My
great-grandmothers were an example to me. If I were in their shoes, I
wonder if I would have had that much courage. After reading their
biographies, I took their stories and created a series of novellas
called Women of Courage.
Hannah was the inspiration for the
first novella. Using her experiences, I created a historical romance
called The Light at the End of
the Tunnel.
In
The Light at
the End of the Tunnel,
Hannah is a young single mother who has had some hardships since
arriving in America. But the trials in her life only make her
stronger. Wanting to be independent, she opens a hot chocolate shop.
At first, it’s a struggle. But she will not give up.
In
A Lady of
Refinement,
Serenity is an educated young woman from Wales. After arriving in
America, she decides to teach adults how to read and write.
She is
determined to help the citizens learn the enjoyment of reading. One
of her favorite books is Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. No one seems to
measure up to this valiant knight until Jonathan comes along.
In
A Mississippi
Sunset,
Laura gives lectures regularly, encouraging
women to fight for their beliefs
and be heard. Equality
is her message. But
she soon finds out that women
who speak publicly are looked down upon and criticized, saying it is
unwomanly and unchristian to speak publicly. But she has
faith in God and knows He will help her in the cause for justice.
Here's a link to a video that Linda created to share about her books. Check it out!
https://vimeo.com/721762655
Connect with Linda here:
Learn about your heritage at FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org
Thanks for joining Linda and me today!
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