Fighting as a Woman

Something amazing happened yesterday. When these things happen in my life, I know that God is especially highlighting what He is speaking to me. I am assured this was not a coincidence, which makes the message that much more powerful!

I have not (yet) read the Lord of the Rings book series. It was months ago that I was first introduced to Eowyn, a beautiful and courageous heroine in the story. Yesterday my mind went back to what I had read in my book Captivating many months earlier: "In the mythic story The Return of the King, Eowyn, battle maiden...disguises herself as a man and rides to war...she rides beautifully, and she handles a sword with deadly skill...her uncle the king is attacked by the leader of the enemy's army, and as he swoops down to finish the king off, Eowyn steps in to block his path...in the battle that follows, the wraith...boasts of an ancient prophecy, proclaiming, 'No living man may hinder me!' And it is here that Eowyn is finally and fully victorious...'But no living man am I! You look upon a woman'...Eowyn removes her helmet and lets her hair fall free. She declares herself 'no man' and fighting as a woman, slays her enemy."

So I re-read this section in my book yesterday, followed by a youtube search for the dramatized scene from the movie based on this Lord of the Rings book. This is what I found; notice that the words were changed a bit but it was still interesting to watch:



So last night I sat down to read one of my current books, and as I read, I had to say to myself "wait a minute...this sounds familiar".

I read: "Envision a cold, gray dawn on a battlefield, bloody and desolate. The ground is littered with the dead and dying. In the midst of this hopeless chaos, there stands a royal daughter. She does not immediately appear out of place, for she has slipped into battle disguised in the armor of a knight. She hoped to somehow make some small contribution, even if it meant only comforting any fallen loved ones. She watched helplessly as her royal guardian was struck down and mortally wounded. She moves toward him, hoping to hold him in her arms as he slips from this earthly life. But before she can reach him, she discovers herself in the midst of an unavoidable confrontation. Positioned in her path is an enemy so terrifying , both he and the wretched beast he rides defy human description."

As I read these words, I knew that I was reading a familiar story. Yes, it sounded just like the one I had just read about and watched earlier that day! Coincidence? No way! God? For sure! Knowing this is God gets our attention that much more doesn't it?

I continued to read, "The beast has come to devour her wounded father. Bravely, she commands the specter and his foul dragon to leave. In response, the evil lord threatens her with endless torment if she does not yield. She refuses to give ground and draws her sword, vowing to do all within her power to hinder the fiends before her. The lord of darkness laughs, mocking her bold stance: 'Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!'

'But no living man am I! You look upon a woman...'

So he might see that what she speaks is true, she removes the cover of her helmet and allows her golden hair to fall free...'Her eyes...were hard...yet tears were on her cheek...suddenly the great beast...leaped into the air. Still she did not blench: a maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair yet terrible. A swift stroke she dealt, skilled and deadly.

This royal daughter defeated the wretched enemy no living man could destroy...this dark lord was caught unaware...he did not know what had been prophesied so many ages ago...that evil would be at odds with the woman. 'And I will put enmity between you and the woman.' (Genesis 3:15)...I find it amazing that though she slipped into battle disguised as a man, a victory for all came when she revealed herself a woman...

When all seemed lost, something dormant in her soul was awakened, and strength was quickened within. I loved this woman who was willing to stand her ground in the face of unspeakable terror and there reveal her womanhood...I loved the imagery of eyes that were fixed, though tears streaked her face...I found a daughter who had disguised herself as a man only to find her victory as a woman...in that moment I was there with her. I began to weep, and my hands trembled as I laid the book aside. I sensed God's holy presence as it filled my bedroom...It was then I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit speak. I do not believe His words or the commission I received were for my ears alone. I believe it is for every daughter of the Most High with ears to hear.

For you truly are not a man, and there are yet battles in the spirit for the sons to fight, and there are yet battles in the spirit for the daughters to fight. Begin to call forth the daughters...to wage the wars only they can win, and to fight the battles as only my daughters can, because truly the enemy fears this revelation more than he fears any woman who fights like a man...

I believe this scene somehow captured the imagery and protocol of royal daughters in battle...on the battlefield they do not come to fight as men but as women."



Powerful! I know that God spoke to me yesterday, and I believe that He wants me to share what He spoke with His other daughters.

How do we fight as women?

Something to ponder, and please share your thoughts with me:)

Made In God's Image, as a Female Part 5: Interdependent Ezers

This will be my last entry regarding how women uniquely bear the image of their Creator. That is, until God reveals more to me, which I think He will:)

Let's recall the creation of the first man and the first woman together. Genesis 1 reveals to us how God, being a Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, said: Let us make man in our image...and let them rule...over all the earth. So God created man in his own image...male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. When we read on to Genesis 2, we learn a more detailed account of creation: There was no man to work the earth God made until He formed Adam out of the dust of the ground. He put Adam in the garden to care for it. Then God said that it is not good for the man to be alone, and He would make an "Ezer" for the man. So He formed all sorts of animals out of the ground and brought them to the man. Adam named them, but none of them met his needs. None of the animals was the Ezer for Adam. So God caused Adam to sleep, and removed one of his ribs while he slept. That rib God fashioned into a woman, and brought her to the man. Adam finally had what he so desired and called Eve bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh.

In your Bible, the Hebrew word "Ezer" is probably translated as "helper". And I think that translation is fine, as long as we understand just what it means to be a "helper". As women, God made us to be helpers, yes. But what do you think of when you picture your design as a helper? What kind of help are we speaking of?

Did you know that a woman is a helper the same way God is our helper? It is true. Here is another aspect in which God and women share characteristics. Here is another way we bear the image of God. Just as He is an "Ezer", we are an "Ezer". "The word ezer is used only twenty other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance the person being described is God Himself, when you need him to come through for you desperately." (Captivating) Here are some scriptures in which God is said to be our help, or our ezer:

"He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword." (Deut. 33:29b)

"I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Ps. 121:1-2)

"We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help and our shield." (Ps. 33:20)

The following revelations are from the book Ruby Slippers:

An Ezer delivers: "The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." (Exodus 18:4)

An Ezer is a warrior: "Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, And bring him to his people; Let his hands be sufficient for him, And may you be a help against his enemies." (Deut. 33:7)

An Ezer supports: "May He send you help from the sanctuary and support you from Zion." (Psalm 20:2)

Ezer delivers the afflicted and needy: "But I am afflicted and needy; Hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer, O Lord, do not delay." (Psalm 40:5)

Ezer gives hope: "How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God." (Psalm 146:5)

"Woman is Man's Ezer- she is a delivering, warring, supporting, shielding, capable, and vibrant female image bearer of God. What about putting those words in our Bible's margin to refresh our understanding of helper?" (Ruby Slippers)

Now I hope all my readers have a better understanding of a woman's "helper" design. It is a powerful, vital part of her soul. Eve was right there with Adam when God told them to "rule" the earth and "subdue" it. Both man and woman are made for dominion.



"Have you ever wondered why the Cinderella story keeps haunting us?...Why is this notion of a hidden princess (and a prince who comes to find her) so enduring? Is there something in our hearts that is trying to speak to us? Is it just a fantasy, escapism? Or is it something more?...We are reminded of Pascal's metaphor, that our unmet longings and unrequited desires are in fact 'the miseries of a dethroned monarch.' Mankind is like a king or queen in exile, and we cannot be happy until we have recovered our true state. What would you expect the Queen of a kingdom and the beauty of a realm to feel when she wakes to find herself a lundress in a foreign land? A woman's struggle with her sense of worth points to something glorious she was designed to be. The great emptiness we feel points to the great place we were created for. It's true. All those legends and fairy tales of the undiscovered princess and the beauty hidden as a maid are more accurate than we thought. There's a reason girls resonate with them so." (Captivating)

We were created as Ezers, and an Ezer is vital. She is needed.

And we not only are needed, but we like the fact that we are needed. We want to be needed. Somewhere deep down, we know that we were created to fill a need. And thus, most women are very relational, or what can be termed "interdependent" (term taken from Ruby Slippers).

"Because I am interdependent...I desire to be needed by others. Relationships provide the means for me to understand my past, my goals, my character, my work, and my methods, and I emotionally want that." (Ruby Slippers)



Think about the beginning of creation again. Eve was created because it was not good for the man to be alone. She was not only created for another, but she was created from another. All else was created out of the dust of the ground, but not Eve. She was created from another human, the man. This alone reveals something amazing.

"Her first experience and environment was with another. She glided from life with God (he made her while man was asleep, bringing her to him) into a comradeship with Adam. She experienced human interaction soon after her creation. She exists and immediately is known. The first words Eve hears is the language of another loving her back. She awakens to be needed and loved. She lives and is quickly united to another. There are no long hours of naming and waiting and feeling alone." (Ruby Slippers)

Is it no wonder that women are such relational humans then?

"Man's love is of man's life a thing apart; 'Tis a woman's whole existence." (Byron)

"The interdependence that colors our souls is when our identity emerges from within our intimacy, when we see ourselves as 'me in a relationship' rather than 'me as autonomous'." (Ruby Slippers)

So women tend to be interdependent, relational to their core humans. Looking at the creation of Eve, we can understand why. But is there more to this? Do we reveal something of the character of God through our interdependence? Is this another way we are made in His image?

Remember the Trinity.

God has always been three persons- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They always had each other. Neither was ever one alone. And their identity was always connected with the others in the Godhead.

"Eve is like God in that she knew life in relationship and love; she was never a lone human. Like God, Eve experienced identity with another who was equal to her." (Ruby Slippers)

"As echoes of the Trinity, we are relational to the core..." (Captivating)

"Christianity dignifies interdependence. It is the only religion that offers interdependence in the very nature of God...His identity is forged from his intimacy more than the most interdependent...woman....When women depend on each other, we are smaller pictures of the Trinity...If we ever wonder if our interdependence is essentially weakness, we need only look to God...We are like God when we engage in identity making relationships." (Ruby Slippers)

How else does a woman's relational nature speak to us something of God? What does it reveal?

"Most women define themselves in terms of their relationships, and the quality they deem those relationships have. This is not a weakness in women- it is a glory. A glory that reflects the heart of God. The vast desire and capacity a woman has for intimate relationships tells us of God's vast desire and capacity for intimate relationships." (Captivating)

"We are just small souls compared to God and can only handle a small portion of His soul characteristics. God is 'bigger', so He can handle more good, more love, more intimacy, more choices, more emotions." (Ruby Slippers)

"So God endows woman with certain qualities that are essential to relationship, qualities that speak of God. She is inviting. She is vulnerable. She is tender. She embodies mercy. She is also fierce and fiercely devoted...Our God is a tenderhearted God who yearns for relationship with us. If you have any doubt about that, simply look at the message he sent us in woman." (Captivating)

A woman reveals something of God's nature on earth through her relational gifts. She reveals that God desires relationships with us. God is relational to His core. She also reveals that God has an amazing capacity for relationships, one we cannot fully understand. But through woman, we can get a better picture of it. A woman's soul is often able to enjoy vast relationships- she desires them and has the capacity for vast intimacy. Now, if her soul is just a small picture of God's soul...then, wow. His soul can handle so much more love and intimacy than hers. His desire for relationships is much greater than hers. His capacity for intimacy is much deeper than hers. We cannot even fathom his soul's capacities! But Woman gives us an idea of how God's soul can be with all of us, always, and how He loves us all intimately, not just as "the world".

Here is a wonderful sentence to sum up an Ezer: "We were made to be a part of a great adventure. An adventure that is shared. We do not want the adventure merely for adventure's sake but for what it requires of us for others. We don't want to be alone in it; we want to be in it with others." (Captivating)

Made In God's Image, as a Female Part 4: Vulnerability

In previous blogs, I shared with my readers insights that I have myself learned, regarding how a woman is made in the image of God, uniquely as a female. This entry will be about another aspect women and God share: their vulnerability.

Could a woman's vulnerability reveal God's vulnerability to us? Hmmm....let's look at a few scriptures:

~"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. " (1 Peter 3:7)

A woman is the weaker vessel? What does the word weaker mean? Is that the best word to translate this passage?

The word "weaker" is the Greek word "asthenes"....and that same word is used to describe God Himself!

~"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men." (1 Corinthians 1:25)

The weakness of God?? Yup, it is the same word used to describe a woman's "weakness": asthenes. A woman has "weakness" just as does the God who made her. But is God weak? What does the word "weak" really mean?

We see it used here again:

~"For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God." (2 Corinthians 13:4)

~"And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

"Theologian Dr. Sarah Sumner notes that 'weakness' or asthenes must mean something other than 'inherent inferiority' since God cannot be inferior. She has translated the Greek word asthenes into a more helpful word: 'vulnerability, or a willingness to be responsive'. See how well it works: The vulnerability of God is stronger than men. Jesus was crucified because of vulnerability. Live with your wives...as the more vulnerable vessel...This word connects God with women." (Ruby Slippers by Jonalyn Grace Fincher p. 110)

It is pretty obvious that a woman is physically more vulnerable. She is not as strong as a man. In her book, Jonalyn Fincher raises the question of whether or not the first woman, Eve, was just as strong as Adam before the Fall. Well, this is just my opinion- but I don't think Eve was. I don't think a woman's physical vulnerability is a negative aspect of the Fall. I am of the opnion that God specifically made Eve weaker so that Adam could protect her and sacrifice for her, thereby showing us how God is stronger than us and takes care of and protects us:) I enjoy being physically weaker. I love to see masculine strength in action. I like when men open a door for me, or offer to carry something heavy, etc. It is not that I cannot open my own door, but it is a way to honor me as the "weaker vessel"....a way to show a woman that you intend to be caring and respectful, and not take advantage of her physical vulnerability.

But our physical vulnerability is not how we bear God's image. First off, God does not have a body. Secondly, if He did, He would not by vulnerable in it. Our body symbolizes how our souls are vulnerable though. "German religious philosopher Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz did research on the anthropology of the sexes, and found that 'our body is the bearer and expression of something interior....the observation of the body serves as a principle of the female soul and mind." (Ruby Slippers)

So a woman's body is an outward representation of her soul. And it is in her soul where she bears God's image. Two poems just came to my mind, and here are a few words from each:

Angel: And she is much softer. Her body, her hair... God: Aaahhh, the softness is part of the fascination. Angel: Her body dents in and out! God: I call these curves. They are part of the softness. Angel: Can she feel? God: Oh yes! She feels deeply: joy, love, sorrow.
A different poem:

The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft Lord." "She is soft", the Lord agreed, "But I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."
The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model..." "That's not a leak," the Lord corrected, "That's a tear!" "What's the tear for?" the angel asked. The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her lonliness, her grief and her pride."

These beautiful poems reveal how a woman's outer softness symbolizes her inner softness- her vulnerability.

"God made a woman's body, not out of a clay mold, but out of a piece of living flesh. Woman's original material was more vulnerable than man's; she was made out of living cells. Vulnerability requires that we have places that are tender, places we can be affected, touched..." (Ruby Slippers, p. 112)

"Dr. Jerry Root, a...friend...shared how he saw his wife's tears as an emotional act of vulnerability, no less sexy than her breasts and no less alluring than her invitation to bed." (Ruby Slippers, p. 115)

"The root of 'vulnerable' means 'to wound'...God "made the woman with an open wound in her body"...sex...turns the most vulnerable parts of us into the tools for recreation, delight, pleasure, beginnings. It is a picture of what we want to do with our souls...the way a woman opens herself to a man, proving that her physical vulnerability is also strength...When a woman is vulnerable, she glorifies God in sharing her weaknesses. She marries honesty and transparency in her soul, and in doing so, images God. Vulnerable women are Godlike." (Ruby Slippers)

"Softness is key to a woman. Not weakness-softenss. Tenderness." (Captivating)

"A woman who is full of tender mercy and soft vulnerability is a powerful, lovely woman." (Captivating)

So in our vulnerability we image God. That is powerful. Those tender places, the tears, the openess all were given to us by our Maker as a way to show the world what He is like.

"Offering a tender vulnerability can only be done by an incredibly strong woman, a woman rooted in Christ Jesus who knows whose she is and therefore knows who she is." (Captivating)

Lastly, I want to comment on this scripture: 1 Cor. 12:22-23a

²² No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³ And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor..."

Again, the word weaker in the above scripture is the same word we discussed earlier.

A woman's vulnerability is necessary. God put femininity in this world because it was needed. The world needs a woman's vulnerability. Husbands are told to "dwell with their wives with understanding, giving honor to them as the weaker vessels". God wants men to understand their wives' vulnerability, and not treat them harshly or belittle them for their sensitive souls, but rather honor them as a more vulnerable vessel should be honored, treated tenderly and cared for gently.

"When we feel criticized or hurt, it doesn't help to hear people say, 'Stop being so sensitive.' You might as well tell me to turn off my soul, to deaden part of my natural femininity...To tell a woman to toughen up...is like clipping the wings of a bird. You never get to see the full plummage in her wingspan or watch her soar and plummet in freedom. A woman's sensitivity can be a mark of vulnerable strength." (Ruby Slippers)

God is vulnerable and has therefore put this trait in Woman. She reveals God's softness to the world and that should be honored.

Made In God's Image, as a Female Part 3: A Life Giver

In my two previous blog entries regarding how women bear the image of God on earth, I spoke of their beauty, mystery and desire to be pursued. In this post I will share a few other insights that I have been given, mainly through the books Captivating and Ruby Slippers (see in the side bar). Let's look at the first woman ever created- Eve- to better understand our feminine design and purpose on earth.

Women as Life-Givers

The first woman was named Eve, which means "life-giver". What do you think of when you consider a woman giving life? Probably the first thought that comes to your mind is giving birth. Indeed, women have been blessed with such beautiful and powerful abilities to foster life. A woman conceives and nurtures the life within her own body. She is then the one to actually birth a new soul into this world. Think of the word woman- womb man. She has something no man does: a womb. Not only that but she also has breasts with which to continue to nurture the life she has birthed, both through nourishing the body of the babe and comforting the infant's soul.

It is amazing that God describes Himself to be like a mother:

"You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth." (Deut. 32:18)

"He will say, 'I have long been silent; yes, I have restrained myself. But now, like a woman in labor, I will cry and groan and pant." (Isa. 42:14)

"For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance...as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you..." (Isa. 66:11-13)

"Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!" (Isa. 49:15)

"But we proved gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children." (1 Thess. 2:7)

Through the book, Ruby Slippers, I learned that the first time God promised to make Abram fruitful, he identified Himself as El Shaddai. Also, Isaac blessed Jacob with El Shaddai's blessing to make him fruitful. If you look at the word "Shaddai", the root of it- "shad"- means "female breast" or "the breasted one".

Looking at all the above scriptures, we can see how God compares Himself to a woman laboring, birthing and nursing a babe. Through that comparison, we learn how God cares for us spiritually, but also how a woman bears God's image- and not just in the physical aspects of birthing and nursing, since God does not have a body. No, a woman's soul is made to offer life, that is why Eve means "life-giver".

"We are life-givers by design. God Himself fashioned us to be life-givers. It is a great urge within each one of us to nourish and nurture life around us...Radical feminist Gloria Steinem called the impulse in women...to nurture and care for- a "compassion disease"...As life-giving women, we are uniquely designed to to enrich the lives of those around us. We can bring warmth, love, nurture, and grace...Women committed to developing and expressing the life-giving aspect of their natures- who embrace the value of their drive to nurture and nourish life around them- are compassionate, caring, thoughtful and creative." (Lifegiving: Discovering Secrets to a Beautiful Life)

A woman is a life-giver to her core, not just in her ability to nurture, birth and nourish humans. Women who do not have children still have the life-giving trait of God stamped upon their souls. There are many ways in which women nurture others around them...many ways in which women promote life in others. Jonalyn Fincher, in her book Ruby Slippers, termed this life-giving characteristic of many women "cultivation". She shares that women cultivate in various ways- caring for, feeding, warming, comforting people, beautifying a space. A woman may reveal her cultivating, life-giving, nature through hospitality. But the point is to build other people up. She quoted Edith Stein: "The woman's soul is...fashioned as a shelter in which other souls may unfold." We tend to people. Actually, that root "tend" shows up in other aspects of femininity, such as attention and tenderness. In Ephesians 6, husbands are admonished to cherish their wives. The word "cherish" means to foster with tender care, to treat with tenderness, to treat in a manner to encourage growth-by protection and attendance. Women are generally naturally inclined to give tenderness and attention to others, and that is precisely what they desire to be given back.

Here is one last thought to meditate on: Adam was formed out of the dust of the ground, and then put in the garden. But Eve was fashioned in the garden. She awoke in a place full of beauty and life.

In my next entries, I will continue showing how women uniquely bear the image of God through their vulnerability, interdependence, and "ezer" purpose on earth.

Inspiration

This is a photo of "Eowyn" from the Lord of the Rings' "Return of the King."

Man, I really love this photo...it has really inspired me as I continue to lose weight. I believe, without a doubt, that inner beauty is so much more important! So much! If you are not beautiful inside, any figure or makeup or fashion will leave a woman lacking in beauty.

That said...

Wow. I want to look like this. No, of course, not exactly like her. I am me, and I am glad for that. I do not want to be her...but I do desire to be the ideal me! And I was once that weight...I can have that figure again:) It just takes a lot of hard work! But I am determined to get there again.

Oh, and I also love the dress (not that I'd wear one out and about- imagine the looks I'd receive LOL!) and the loooong beautiful hair! (((Sigh)))

Strength and Beauty

My husband's mother sent us an online gift card for Wal-Mart. We really did not buy much for the children for Christmas, so this was a nice opportunity to purchase a couple more things for them. As I was browsing the online toys- first the ones in the girl category and then the ones in the boy category- I noticed something interesting: the "dolls". Actually, for boys they are not even called dolls, they are called "Action Figures". And that is part of what I noticed. All the "action figures" for boys were just that, dolls meant to be played with actively. They included guns or swords and were basically made for fighting. The dolls for girls were nothing of the sort! No, these dolls were primarily about fashion and beauty...clothes to change, long hair to brush, etc. Here is the doll I chose for Sarah and the "action figure" I chose for Peter:





Seeing this reminded me of the following comparison taken from the book Captivating:

"Stasi and I just spent a weekend together in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which boasts the third largest gathering of art galleries in the world...Toward the afternoon of our second day, Stasi asked me, "Have you seen one painting of a naked man?" The point was startling. After days of looking at maybe a thousand pieces of art, we had not seen one painting devoted to the beauty of the naked masculine form...However, the beauty of Woman was celebrated everywhere, hundreds of times over in paintings and sculptures. There is a reason for this.



For one thing, men look ridiculous lying on a bed buck naked, half-covered with a sheet. It doesn't fit the essence of masculinity. Something in you wants to say, "Get up already and get a job...Get to work." For Adam is captured best in motion, doing something. His essence is strength in action...On the other hand...Eve just does not look right...chopping a tree down...Eve speaks something differently to the world than Adam does. Through her beauty."


Women bear the image of God, as do men, but they bear His image as a woman. We reveal things to the world about God, such as the fact that He is a relational God Whose primary importance is relationship and that He is a God Who has a heart for romance. He is a God that, like a woman, yearns for us to seek Him and pursue Him, to desire Him and delight in Him. But most of all, women reveal to the world the mystery of God, and the beauty of God.

My Girls

I made the above collage of my daughters. I feel so honored and privileged to be the mother of three girls (don't worry- I adore my son too; in fact, my bond with him is probably strongest). I am looking forward to watching my little girls become beautiful ladies...they will be women who are confident and embrace femininity.

I would write more, and plan to do so, but I have not been feeling too hot- my sinuses are acting up it seems. It is difficult for me to write when I am not feeling well. But for now, I'll leave you all with my little online scrapbook page:)

Feminism, Femininity and Sarah Palin

I am a member of "Team Sarah" which is a coalition of women (men also welcomed) dedicated to advancing the values that Sarah Palin represents in the political process. A while back, the following quote was posted there: "If Governor Sarah Palin's historic candidacy proved anything, it is that women can meet these challenges without sacrificing their femininity. And thanks to Gov. Palin's leadership, there are more women in this battle than ever before. The very women whom the woman's movement had convinced were invisible now know their power."

Recently, Marjorie Dannenfelser wrote a great article (Weekly Standard: 12/15/2008, Volume 014, Issue 13) of which the following is quoted from: "Palin operates in a grievance-free environment. She likes being a woman...She gives every appearance of loving her role as a wife and mother of a bunch of kids. She lives as if she believes in the natural complementarity of men and women, rather than the supposed enmity and competition of the sexes depicted as universal by left feminism...She is feminine and she is confident...This confidence is what gets under the skin of the old-guard feminists the most. How could she? She takes her femininity and pro-life position and strides confidently right through those doors they feel they opened...Finally, after all these years, we see a confident, successful, feminine woman no more afraid of barriers than the hardest-core liberal feminist."

The above two quotes inspired me to create a video montage of Sarah Palin in her feminine glory!



Sarah is an example of a strong woman with a soft heart. She has remained a woman with a compassionate and tender heart; a wife with a beautiful love for her husband; and a mother who cherishes her children and all children. At the same time, she is filled with courage to fight for the truth, walk in the integrity of her convictions, and work hard.

One thing that has inspired me most about her is that she has not neglected any part of her beautiful womanhood: her faith in God, Who is her guide in life; her character, which is one of courage, integrity, compassion, honesty and grace; her intelligence, which she has obviously cultivated; and her physical health/appearance as she runs and keeps herself in shape.

The first feminists were against abortion. They believed women should have the rights a man has, but they also believed a human soul in his mother's womb has rights.

Well, us christian women believe the same. I am sure all of my readers believe that a woman has the same God given rights as a man. (I am not speaking now of husbands and wives and the beautiful gift of submission). I am speaking of men and women in general.

Yet, we also recognize that an infant inside of a woman is also a human with rights. This is the type of women we are: pro-woman but also pro-life. Sarah Palin has been a long time member of a group called "Feminists for Life", a group that believes in a woman's rights but also in the rights of the unborn.

I am part of this group of women that are pro-God, pro-family, pro-America, pro-woman (as in equal rights) and ALSO pro-life!!! A group of women who CELEBRATE our femininity!