Miss George was a strong woman. I met her almost the first day I became the Pastor of a small Baptist Church in Southampton nearly 50 years ago. A formidable presence and utterly committed into the life of the local church she was present for every Sunday meeting, prayer meeting and Bible Study. She was also the secretary of the Women's Fellowship, a group of senior ladies within the church whose main activity was a midweek devotional meeting. We were young, my wife only in her early 20s but wanting to be a good Pastor's wife she quickly joined up with the Fellowship Committee to discuss their forthcoming program. Miss George said they should pray together for a new President for the Ladies Fellowship and in the course of leading in prayer herself cried out, 'Lord please put it into the heart of Mrs Hosier to become our new President.' Whether or not it was the Lord my wife duly accepted the post although probably being some 50 years younger than most of the members.
A few years later we had 2 young lady lodgers staying with us who were hopeful and perhaps slightly anxious to meet a man that each could marry. They also attended a prayer meeting just after I had announced that we would be moving to another church. With my imminent departure, this time Miss George's prayer was a fervent petition,' Lord, send us a man, send us a man.' Our lodgers assured us they had responded with very enthusiastic 'Amens'. I'm glad to report that all 3 had their prayers answered! I heard some years later that Miss George received the news of terminal cancer with a calm spirit and died well, in confident faith.
At our second church in Whitstable in Kent we soon met the extraordinary Miss Hancock. The daughter of a Kentish Miller, Miss Hancock was a little lady well short of 5 feet high but mighty in God. Already in her 80s when we met her but present at every meeting with a hand cupped around her ear to assist her to hear with increasing deafness and busy and active still in serving the church. This dear lady who had clearly led a very simple life, never travelling and a lifelong resident in Kent told me how, when she had gone through a very hard patch in her life, she one day received a vision and saw Christ walking towards her. To hear this from a lady who lived in such humble circumstances was profoundly moving. I really looked forward to the day when I would take her funeral, and what a celebration it would be of this little lady who had lived so faithfully and steadfastly for Christ. I never did as we moved on again after 10 years and Miss Hancock was still alive and still attending every meeting. She finally died aged 103!
We hear a great deal today about strong women - I've known some and they've impacted my life for God.