World Changing Women, Day 5

Faithful to the End

Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?"

Psalm 56:3-4

Joan never learned how to read or write as she was born to peasants in France. She was very religious and received her first vision at the age of twelve. When she was seventeen, heavenly voices told her to save France. At that time, English invaders had taken much of the French territory, so Joan left to see the commander of the French troops. When she told him that God had sent her, a young girl, to save France and crown the young French prince as the true king, the commander ignored her. But when Joan predicted they'd lose the next battle, the prediction came true, and the commander changed his mind. A military escort took her to see Prince Charles and talked to him about her visions. She was gifted a horse and armor and with Joan as their leader, they won the next battle and many more. Prince Charles was crowned king Charles VII of France soon after. Eventually Joan was captured and burned at the stake. Her last word spoke before she died was "Jesus!". She was killed at the age of nineteen, but stayed faithful to God until the end.