Thursday, February 28, 2013

The Biblical Woman


This was a very insightful article that I came across today!! These are truths  I know and believe but I love the way she words it. Also a really good book recommendation on this very topic both for married and single ladies is Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney. 



The Biblical Woman: Married or Single?

A couple weeks ago, I was perusing the bookshelves in the women's section of our local Christian bookstore, looking for a specific book on biblical womanhood. After a good hour of walking around the shelves in circles, I discovered that the topic of biblical womanhood is smack dab in between the section on marriage and the section on parenting. While over in the singles section - where I definitely belong - are books on dating, singleness, and the Christian twist on sex education. No biblical womanhood there. 

I get that it's just the bookstore's organization system, but I can't help but feel it reflects a significant part of the Christian culture mindset: biblical womanhood is for wives and mothers, while single women should focus on staying pure and being content and getting married. It honestly made me want to stomp my foot in protest and yell, "Single girls can be biblical woman too!"

But in truth, I do get it. I don't think it's an accurate interpretation of Scripture, but I can understand the confusion. The description of a "biblical woman" does sound so very . . . married.

In the home . . . raising godly children . . . honoring your husband . . . keeping house . . .


"Urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."
~ Titus 2:3-5 ~

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her . . . She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. [Paraphrase] She: works with wool, cooks and bakes, buys fields, wakes up before dawn, sews things, makes things, speaks with wisdom, helps the poor, cares for her servants, raises her children."
~ Proverbs 31: 10-31 ~

But I'm not married, so where does that leave me?

These descriptions from Scripture, so exalted by the church, are not the only examples of God-honoring womanhood in the Bible. What about Anna? The devout widow, who spent her time praying at the temple and recognized baby Jesus as their prophesied Messiah (Luke 2). Or Dorcas? Who devoted her talent of sewing to help the poor (Acts 9). Or Mary and Martha? The sisters who were Christ's good friends. It seems that one or possibly even both of them were single (John 11). Or Lydia? The wealthy woman who opened her home for the Apostles to hold church (Acts 16). A woman without children who helped her husband disciple new believers and opened their home to Paul (Acts 18).

Marriage is good. Motherhood is good. They are God-honoring, and definitely two of the primary roles in which women are called to be biblical. God created marriage for a great purpose. But He also created singleness for a great purpose. And single women are called to be "biblical" women just as much as married ones are. Biblical womanhood is our standard for any situation in life: single, married, divorced, or widowed. Whatever your marital status, biblical womanhood applies.

So, here are a couple thoughts I have about my "search-for-a-biblical-womanhood-book-in-the-singles'-section" experience.

1. Biblical womanhood is taught throughout Scripture, not just in passages that speak about marriage.Paul's admonition about singleness applies directly to biblical womanhood. In 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, he is advocating singleness because it allows that woman the freedom to be wholly, completely focused on the things of the Lord. She is free to make her relationship with God her only concern - and that is biblical womanhood. However, the married woman has her family's needs to occupy the majority of her time. While the Lord is her first focus, her family is a close second - and that is biblical womanhood. A true, accurate definition of biblical womanhood must encompass the whole of Scripture, not just Proverbs 31 and Titus 2.

2. Biblical womanhood passages are for all women - married or single. Yes, most Old Testament and New Testament passages that speak directly to biblical womanhood do so with the married woman at the fore-front. But it's important to recognize that the truth found in them also applies to single women. Proverbs 31 is a description for King Lemuel from his mother on the characteristics to look for in a wife. The girls he was considering obviously weren't married yet. They were single. Therefore, King Lemuel's mom was advising him to spot and identify qualities that would be evident in a single woman's life - qualities that demonstrated that she was a "biblical" woman - the type of woman who would also be a great wife and mom.

A husband and children are not requirements for biblical womanhood. Sure, they are good things - things God uses to glorify Himself, further His Kingdom, and draw us closer to Him. But God also uses singleness to glorify Himself, further His Kingdom, and draw us closer to Him. God uses different circumstances, situations, and means to bring about this same over-arching goal. Marriage is not a prerequisite for being a biblical woman, nor is it a prerequisite for having a life that pleases God.

Because, in the end, it's not about marriage or singleness. It's about Jesus.

It's about exalting Jesus.

Biblical womanhood is about a woman seeking to honor Jesus by consistently applying Scripture to her daily life, whatever that looks like. It is as simple as that. It applies to all categories. It can be interspersed in every bookstore section relating to women: young, old, single, married, divorced, widowed, whatever.

In whatever state or stage of life you find yourself, Biblical womanhood is your calling. It's not something that's confined to the woman who is specifically looking for marriage and parenting books. It is the glorious reality of living a life that exalts Jesus and lifts His Name high for all to see.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

"Words" Hurt or Heal



Lord may the Words of my mouth and the Meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight!!!! (Psalm 19:14)


Proverbs 18:21 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.








Matthew 15:18 

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.







Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 193 helpful votes

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.







Matthew 12:37 ESV / 186 helpful votes

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”



















Sunday, February 10, 2013

Old With The New



In my college and post college days I have come to fall in love with the old hymns that so many have passed down throughout the ages. From generation to generation these contextual and melodically rich works of art have captured the heart of the church decade after decade. When you encounter a hymn you are not going to have this desire to expound upon to enhance one of these songs. But in light of this I am very impressed with the works of modern song writers who come up with great choruses that fit perfectly together with these ancient hymns. Having that little something to repeat and sing in the middle of the rich verses of these hymns makes them that much more powerful in my opinion. While many of the older generation think its wrong to mess with these hymns, to each their own. I respect the opinions of all! Enjoy this new one from Chris Tomlin and Kari Jobe!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Story Behind The Song (Worth It All)

Week Highlights (Feb 4-9)


Inexhaustible Grace For An Exhausted World I’ve never been more excited about a writing project than I am about my forthcoming book One-Way Love: The Power of Inexhaustible Grace for an Exhausted World(David C. Cook, October 2013). It’s a little more than halfway finished. The manuscript should be complete by the end of March. Here’s the intro just to give you a sense of what the book is about:

Repentance and Conviction  Before any meaningful change will take place in a persons life there has to first be an awareness of sin and a desire for repentance.

The Post-Church Christian  You’ve heard the stats by now: the Millennial generation is leaving the church.

The Cost Of Non-Discipleship (David Platt) I had the great honor of attending a Bible conference at my sisters college in Chicago this past week. It was an amazing time of worship, fellowship and studyin  g the Word under some of the best theologians of this day. This particular sermon was a favorite of the week by far.