When I reflect on Women’s History month, the women who were part of the suffrage movement and fought for our right to vote immediately come to mind. It’s probably because watching the movie Iron Jawed Angels left such a deep impression on me. It’s hard to imagine what those women went through to gain the right to vote for women. Alice Paul, Lucy Burns and other women continued the work that Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady and Lucy Stone started to gain women’s right to vote. They sacrificed their time, their comfort, their resources and worked together to persevere through extreme hardship and opposition. They endured imprisonment and being force-fed during a hunger strike. Thanks to their dedication, the 19th amendment was ratified in 1920—131 years after the first election.

When women work together in collaboration while leaning on their faith, amazing things are possible. Just take a look at a couple of stories of women in the Bible who worked together to encourage and support one another for a greater cause.

1. Ruth and Naomi: Ruth sacrificed the comfort of remaining in her own land near her family, where common sense might have said she had much better chances of finding another husband, to go to a land she did not know, where she would be seen as a foreigner, so she could support her mother-in-law Naomi. God blessed Ruth’s work and brought her to Boaz who became her husband. Ruth is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus Christ.
2. Women who followed Jesus: While we don’t know the names of all of the women who followed Jesus, it’s clear that they worked together, learned together and encouraged each other when things were especially hard. Luke 24:10 names some of the women who went to the tomb on the third day after the crucifixion of Jesus to tend to the body. Those women included Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, along with others. Those women were instrumental in the work of spreading the gospel.

As a well-known African proverb states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12 tells us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: […] Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

At 4word, we understand the power of women working together guided by their faith to combine their skills and ideas, and support and encourage one another. I have personally experienced the power of releasing our own agenda, seeking the Lord, and partnering with like-minded women in our mission. The merging of Polished and 4word that happened at the start of this year is a powerful example.

What makes this collaborative partnership work is the fact that our highest priority is what God wants and what will serve women best. It is free of any hint of competition. God’s will comes first, so we hold our individual ideas loosely so we can identify creative solutions that are better than anything any one person can come up with.

As we celebrate the women who have made a difference in history, let’s take the opportunity to learn from them. How can we commit ourselves, our time, and our energy to working together to make a difference for other women and the next generation?

Here are some thoughts:

1. Build relationships: We need to invest in other women, especially those who are working on similar goals, who are open to learning and supporting one another. As you get to know each other, build trust, and share what you’re all passionate about, opportunities to work together will surface. (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12)
2. Prioritize the goal: It’s not about any one person’s status, agenda, or ideas. When you are focused on the ultimate goal of making a difference for others, you will be more open to a diversity of ideas that lead to better solutions than one person could come up with on her own. (Philippians 3:13-14)
3. Communicate openly: We are all human. We have expectations, triggers, and vulnerabilities we may not even realize ourselves. It’s in working with others that those vulnerabilities surface and can be addressed. Pray for one another and commit to seeing others the way God sees them. Make it a priority to discuss needs and expectations in advance as much as possible, debriefing when needed with lots of grace. (Ephesians 4:15, 29)
4. Stay the course: The enemy does not want us to succeed. There will be spiritual battles to fight. Don’t give the enemy the upper hand. Remember, we are not fighting flesh and blood but the dark powers in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12). The good news is the One in us is greater than the one in the world (1 John 4:4). We need to trust God, seek His will, and turn to Him for wisdom, discernment and strength. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

No one person or organization is capable of the level of impact that working together can achieve or that the world needs. We must hold our own agendas loosely and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit in each relationship, endeavor, and project. As we work together to collaborate, combine our skills, encourage and support one another with Christ at the center, there’s no telling what God can accomplish through us (Ephesians 3:20).

To God be the glory!

Catherine Gates is a speaker, writer, and leader in the faith and work movement. She is passionate about helping people achieve more of their God-given potential with confidence by integrating faith into every area of life. Her career journey has been diverse and circuitous, ranging from software consulting, to project management, marketing and sales, and leadership training, to nonprofit leadership. She has been helping people integrate their faith and work since 2013.

Catherine is the author of The Confidence Cornerstone: A Woman’s Guide to Fearless Leadership. She has contributed to several faith-and-work Bible studies, numerous YouVersion reading plans, and books from other authors including the iWork4Him and sheWorks4Him publications. Catherine is on the steering committee for the National Faith & Work Association (NFWA.org) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Christian Leadership.