“… for were earthly comforts permanent, who would look for heavenly?”
At Esther Press, we empower and equip women to courageously stand strong in the truth of who God made them to be. Let us do that for you today by sharing the story of Anne Bradstreet.
“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!” Psalm 31:24
When we think of courage, we often picture dramatic, public acts—the battlefield, the protest, the spotlight. But God often works His courage into much quieter places: into kitchens, nurseries, sickbeds, and journals. Such was the life of Anne Bradstreet, a Puritan woman who showed unwavering courage through her faithfulness, her vulnerability, and her trust in God’s sovereignty.
A Mind Shaped by Faith and Learning
Anne Bradstreet was born in 1612 into a world that had little room for female intellect. But her father, Thomas Dudley, who believed in education provided Anne with a rich, classical upbringing—an unusual gift for a young woman of her time. Though she would later cross the ocean to the primitive Massachusetts Bay Colony, raise eight children, and manage a household under the strict expectations of Puritan society, Anne quietly and courageously exercised her mind—and soul—through the discipline of poetry.
She was a devoted wife and mother, a dutiful daughter, and a keeper of the home. These roles weren’t easy, but she accepted them not with resentment, but with reverence. Anne believed that her daily labor—her quiet service—was part of her faithfulness to the Lord. She didn’t need a stage to be significant. Her courage was in her consistency.
Honesty in Poetry and Pain
But her grit was also found in her honesty. Anne wrote openly about her fears, her doubts, her sickness, her grief. When her house burned down, she penned her struggle with loss. When she lost grandchildren, she wrote her sorrow. In an age when women were expected to be silent—or at least sewing—Anne chose to write. Her words revealed a tender, wrestling heart that always returned to the truth of God’s sovereignty.
Her poems were published in 1650 by her brother-in-law, Rev. John Woodbridge, under the title The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America. Though Anne hadn’t intended for her words to be made public, her voice rang clear. Some criticized her for writing. Yet the book was well-received and even praised in England; it was rumored that the volume found a home in King George III’s library. Through her poetry, Anne explored themes of sin and redemption, frailty of life, death and immortality—not with polished perfection, but with raw humility.
One of her most well-known poems, “Verses upon the Burning of Our House, July 10th, 1666,” shows the core of her faith:
“And when I could no longer look,
I blest His grace that gave and took,
That laid my goods now in the dust.
Yea, so it was, and so ’twas just.
It was his own; it was not mine.
Far be it that I should repine.”
Though her earthly home had burned, Anne held fast to her eternal one. That is courage—to lose what you love and still say like Job, “Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).
A Legacy of Quiet Courage
Anne Bradstreet’s legacy is not in fame or rebellion. It is in the brave, quiet faith of a woman who served her family well, who wrote what was in her heart, and who stood firm on the promises of God. Her story reminds us that courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it looks like a woman holding fast to truth. A soul trusting God even when it hurts.
Sister in Christ, your faithfulness is not small. Your courage is not invisible. God sees every quiet act of obedience, every tear turned into trust, every fear handed over to Him.
Be strong. Let your heart take courage. And wait, like Anne did, on the Lord.
Prayer:
Lord, give me the quiet courage of Anne Bradstreet. Help me to be faithful in the roles You’ve given me. Let me write, speak, and serve with honesty and humility. And when trials come, anchor me in Your sovereignty. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
