Some stories feel so familiar that we stop truly seeing them. We think we already know how they unfold. Mary Magdalene’s story falls into that category.

For generations, people have remembered Mary Magdalene as a woman marked by sin, rescued by grace and quietly grateful for forgiveness. And that’s accurate. But it seems to me in most retellings her name has carried forgiveness, yes, but also shame instead of courage. A careful reading of the Gospel accounts reveals a different story. 

Mary Magdalene’s story is one built on presence, faithfulness and trust rather than rumor or assumption. Hers is the story of a woman who spoke, acted and shared life-changing messages even in the midst of grief, shame and uncertainty.

Mary Magdalene invites us to look again. 

March is International Women’s Month, so it feels timely to share Mary Magdalene’s story and share special insights we can glean from Mary Magdalene’s life. In this post, I’ll also share the stories of real-life, modern-day Mary Magdalenes who, after encountering and being transformed by Jesus, shared Him with those around them.

Beyond the Suffering—Her Voice Mattered

The Gospels show that Mary Magdalene suffered deeply. Luke 8 records that Jesus freed her from seven demons. 

In this clip from Magdalena: Released From Shame, people reject Mary Magdalene because she was possessed by evil spirits. But Jesus sees her and commands the evil spirits to leave her.

Scripture does not explain the nature of her suffering, only the freedom that followed. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her life. From that moment, Mary followed Him closely. And her faith did not remain abstract. She lived it. 

Luke 8:1–3 records that Mary Magdalene joined a group of women who traveled with Jesus and the disciples, providing financial support and practical care for His ministry. She invested her resources, her time, and her devotion, actively participating in the work of God’s kingdom. Mary Magdalene’s faith expressed itself not only in following Jesus but in sustaining His mission.

Later, as soldiers arrested Jesus, many disciples scattered in fear, even while He endured suffering and death. The cost of following Him felt too high for most. Consider Peter’s adamant denials. Yet, Mary Magdalene stayed. 

Gospel writers place her at the cross, watching the man who changed her life endure the unimaginable. She did not retreat. She remained.

After His death, she followed the others as they laid His body in the tomb, observing the finality of the moment. Love drew her back to the tomb early on the first day of the week, even though hope seemed lost. She expected grief, silence and loss.

Mary arrived at the tomb and found the stone rolled away (Matthew 28:1–2, Mark 16:1–4, Luke 24:1–3). She ran to find Peter and the other disciple, convinced someone had taken the body. 

After telling them, she stayed at the tomb in tears, overwhelmed with grief. She looked inside and saw two angels, one sitting where Jesus’ head had been and the other at His feet, asking why she was weeping. Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognize Him at first. 

In this clip from Magdalena: Released From Shame, Mary Magdalene encounters Jesus.

We see the rest of the story play out in John 20:1-18. Jesus called her by name: “Mary.” 

I think about this moment often because I know how powerful it is to be named and entrusted. 

When I was sixteen, I spent a summer on a mission trip after my junior year of high school, eager to serve and full of ideas. After one day spent helping organize a series of small group presentations at a local high school, a female leader offered me candid feedback. She said it was meant to prepare me for my future. 

She gently shared, “You will likely be intimidating to men,” and encouraged me to present my ideas in ways that made others feel ownership, particularly men in leadership.

My young heart absorbed her quiet, overarching suggestion: that my voice needed to be managed carefully in order to be heard at all, especially in leadership spaces, so it wouldn’t create discomfort or resistance.

I learned how quickly a woman, in an effort not to intimidate, can begin to shrink, to soften her presence and to doubt whether her insight is welcome. 

Mary Magdalene’s story stands in gentle contrast to that experience. Jesus did not silence her or ask her to step back. He called her by name and entrusted her with the most important message ever spoken.

In that one word, her despair gave way to recognition. The One she thought lost stood alive before her. This personal encounter transformed everything. 

Jesus entrusted her with the first message of the resurrection, sending her to share the good news with the other disciples. 

In doing so, He demonstrated that her voice mattered. Mary became the first witness to the risen Christ, earning the title “Apostle to the Apostles.”

This encounter teaches a truth that echoes for every woman today. Jesus sees you personally, calls you by name and equips you to speak, act and share life-changing messages even in the midst of grief, shame or uncertainty.

In this clip from Magdalena: Released From Shame, Mary Magdalene explains to a group of women why Jesus’ death and resurrection are significant to our lives.

What Mary Magdalene’s Story Shows Us

Mary Magdalene’s story offers timeless lessons for women today. She stayed faithful when others fled, showing that consistent presence in the midst of fear or uncertainty carries a profound impact. 

She refused to let her past or others’ assumptions define her, embracing instead the identity Jesus gives: beloved, chosen, and sent. Her courage to witness, carrying the first news of the resurrection despite cultural norms that dismissed women, reminds us that God honors women who step forward boldly with their voice, gifts and influence. 

Stories of Modern-day Mary Magdalenes

The stories I’ll share below are from secure countries. For this reason, they’ve been carefully edited to remove specific location names that could endanger ministry leaders in the area or hinder their work. The women’s stories came to us by way of prayer letters from a ministry worker in Central Asia.

I encourage you to pay special attention to how God used an ordinary woman to share the gospel and multiply it. All it took was one step, past shame and toward faithfulness.

The accidental revival on a train

A ministry volunteer’s wife was traveling by train— we’ll call her Zarina. Before boarding, Zarina was watching the JESUS film on her tablet, but it seemed to freeze or shut down, so she put it in her bag. After settling in and falling asleep, the tablet started playing the film again from inside her bag. 

The surrounding passengers heard the sound. An elderly man said, “Daughter, something is speaking in your bag. Take it out! It sounds like it’s saying something good.”

Zarina explained it was a film about Jesus Christ, took out the tablet, and played it for them. She also showed her fellow passengers various films from the Jesus Film Project library of resources for the rest of the journey. 

By the end of the train ride, a 71-year-old grandmother repented and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior! Not only did this grandmother go to the church address given to her, but she also brought her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law. She is now attending church and is eager to be baptized.

A church planted

A male volunteer was moved by God to share the gospel with an elderly woman at a market. We’ll call her Altyn. Altyn was very open, listened to the gospel, and wrote down the website for watching the JESUS film. She then traveled to her home village. 

Four months later, the elderly woman contacted the volunteer, saying, “Please come to my village. I don’t know how to run a church.” It turns out Altyn had shared the gospel with the women in her village, and now nine women had repented and accepted Jesus!

Answering Altyn’s request, the volunteer went immediately to the village to teach the women how to hold services, read the Bible and worship. With great hunger, they downloaded Bibles onto their phones. They had been meeting, reading the Bible and learning how to worship through YouTube videos.

Six months later, the volunteer took a second trip to the village. When he arrived, the gathering had grown to over 15 women. But since their husbands were against their newfound faith, the women gathered secretly. The volunteer was able to attend one of their meetings. During the meeting, the husband of the woman hosting the meeting came home. Realizing what was happening, he became angry, saying that someone (mainly the volunteer) was “spoiling” the wives of the men in the community. Sadly, the husband attacked and badly beat the male volunteer, leaving his face and eyes swollen. 

The volunteer chose not to report the attack to the police. The man’s wife, sensing the injustice, challenged her husband to rethink his actions. The volunteer suggested they all watch the JESUS film together, including the husband (his attacker), this time. 

The next day, after having watched the film, the woman’s husband returned in tears, asking the volunteer for forgiveness. He was deeply moved by the realization that Jesus was innocent but died for us. The volunteer was innocent, yet he had beaten him. The woman’s husband repented and indicated a decision to follow Jesus Christ! His sister-in-law also repented and came to know Jesus.

This man, who had never liked to work, found a job in the capital city and now attends a local church there. A house church is now firmly established in the village.

Following Her Example

Mary Magdalene’s voice mattered to Jesus, and it still matters today, as did the voice of the women in the stories I shared above. As I think about Mary Magdalene’s example, I want to encourage you to lean in to what lessons we can learn from her. 

• Follow her example by seeking intimate encounters with God that clarify your calling. 
• Invest in ways that serve His mission. 
• Bring encouragement, hope and truth to the people around you. 
• Persevere in prayer and worship, even in seasons of uncertainty.
• Faith lived through action, courage, devotion and steadfast prayer changes lives. Mary’s story reminds every woman that her faith matters, her voice matters, and her presence can leave a lasting legacy.

Ways to Watch and Hear Mary Magdalene’s Story

It’s clear Mary Magdalene’s story has the power to resonate with many of us today. You can experience Mary Magdalene’s story in a fresh, cinematic way through the film Magdalena: Released From Shame from Jesus Film Project. Watching her journey unfold on screen has brought many women courage, a sense of devotion to Jesus and life transformation. 

I encourage you to revisit Mary Magdalene’s story in the Bible, especially if it’s been a while. Try using the her.BIBLE verses linked in the blog above. her.BIBLE is an audio Bible in diverse, comforting voices, showing God’s love and how deeply He honors the voices of His daughters. 

her.BIBLE is also excited to announce that the first books of her.BIBLE Español are now available! 

Fatigue, responsibilities, and the pace of daily life can make opening the Bible difficult for women, but now they can hear God in a fresh, personal way … in Spanish! her.BIBLE now helps Spanish-speaking women listen to the Word of God in a warm, close and comforting sister’s voice, allowing His Word to accompany them as they work, rest or walk. 

Listen at herbible.es.

Today, the Magdalena: Released From Shame film and her.BIBLE invite you not only to witness Mary Magdalene’s story, but to step into it, recognizing how Jesus still calls, heals and sends ordinary people to share His extraordinary love.