Lived: 1844 to 1924
Maria Woodworth Etter was barely a teenager when God spoke to her: I heard the voice of Jesus calling me to go out in the highways and hedges and gather in the lost sheep. Still, Maria married a man who did not believe in women in ministry. Five of their six children died young, even as God continually called Maria to preach.
All of the deaths and all of the wrestling with God pushed Maria into the Bible. She read every word, trying to find some meaning for her life. As she read, she saw examples of women-like Mary, Deborah, Esther, Mariam, Hulda Anna, Priscilla and others-being used by God to do unbelievable things.
One day, Maria looked up from the Bible and prayed: Lord, I can’t preach. I don’t know what to say and I don’t have any education. At that instant, God gave her a vision that electrified her life: I thought I would go through a course of study and prepare for the work, thinking the Lord would make my husband and people willing in some way to let me go out and do the work. The dear Savior stood by me one night in a vision and talked to me face to face. Jesus said you can tell people what the Lord has done for your soul; Tell of the glory of God and the Love of Jesus.
Woodworth-Etter did exactly that. At age 35, she began her ministry, preaching, prophesying, and healing the sick. She was famous for falling into spirit induced trances while speaking. She would simply stop moving, and God’s presence would fill the room as people waited for her to come too. Her gift of healing was so incredible that she was twice charged with practicing medicine without a license.
She said-Let us not plead weakness; God will use the weak things of the world to confuse the wise. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God. Should we not honor our high calling and do all we can to save those who sit in the valley and shadow of death?