And She Shall Be Called "Woman" (Introduction)

I have missed you! Have you missed me? Notice how the statement was first then the question? There has to be some kind of rule in formal debate that gives this tactic a name; I call it coercion! So, I have been thinking about a lot of different things to blog about this week but nothing has totally settled with me until now. My best ideas ALWAYS come to me in the shower. I don’t know why but if I had someone taking dictation I could have been famous for all of the world’s problems I have solved while intoxicated by the heavy fragrance of Redken and Dove! Moving along, I have the opportunity on a daily basis through my job and through friendships to have interaction with a lot of women. Not to mention that I am one and am raising one as we speak! It is no secret that I have a passion for women to know the Lord. It is amazing to me that no matter how different our circumstances are that we can still relate on the level of being women. Do you know what I mean? There are just some things that are inherent to being a woman. No matter the color of your skin, your age, your weight, marital status, kids, no kids, education, background, heritage...there are some things that make for level ground with all of us. We all know what it is to want someone to think we are beautiful. We all know what it is to feel desire, love, hurt, betrayal, hopelessness, joy and fear and we all know how those things feel encased in this body known as “woman”.

It almost brings tears to your eyes when you ponder it for a while. The fact that we can relate in many ways that we don’t even realize. We are so prone to see the things that divide us rather than the things that make us the same. This has spurred me on to write a series of blog posts about things that are common denominators for us as women living in 21st century western culture. You may be able to only identify with one or two, maybe more, but my hope is that we can come to a place where we find healing and direction from the Word of Truth in our struggles. I don’t know about you but I hate to feel controlled by something or to feel that a stronghold has gotten the best of me. I can see a glimpse and feel the pull of what God has created me to be and I want it! And even though “now I see in a mirror dimly”, the essence is there. The light that is the Holy Spirit in me pulls me to fight against the strongholds and oppression, “the sin that so easily entangles” and I am zealous for wholeness in Christ!

This is a good place for a disclaimer: Please know the reality that this is not heaven and earth is not our home. We are sojourners and pilgrims that belong to another land. We are also fallen creatures embodied in flesh that will rebel against our Creator until we see Him face to face and are glorified, perfect and sinless. I am not proposing that these posts will bring us a utopia or eradicate all sin from our lives. I still struggle with every single one of these sins from time to time. The difference is the “turnaround time” is much faster the closer I get to the Lord and the more I expose myself to His renewing Word. The difference between a believer and an unbeliever is their “turnaround time” (my phraseology). Believers are quick to repent and turn from their sin. Unbelievers aren’t. Knowing this, I am constantly assessing my own life and asking the Lord to reveal sin so that I might not become comfortable with it, make friends with it and let it become “full grown”. Because “sin when it is full grown brings forth death” (James 1: 15b).

So, if I have peaked your interest you might be wondering about specific topics. Initially, we will deal with the sword..I mean the tongue. Yes, that wonderful thing that tends to give us so much trouble as women! “We all stumble in many ways. But if anyone does not stumble in what she says, she is a perfect woman, able also to bridle her whole body” (James 3:2). The word “bridle” is an equestrian term however, I tend to think more along the lines of mules...like “stubborn as a mule”. That’s me! Anyway, the list that I have so far is not exhaustive or conclusive but I have tried to look first at my own life and then the lives of women around me. I also tried to focus on issues that are not age specific although a few of them may be. I can only write from my perspective and my life experiences are admittedly less than some women my age and certainly less than women who are older than me. However, I do know that the things that are inherent within us as women can be united under the incomparable, changeless, ageless Word of God. No matter what separates us, this unites us! There isn’t a single thing that you or I will ever encounter in our lives that the Word cannot speak into and over with absolute truth!

“The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces through to the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow and is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

“All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for reproof, correction, instruction and training in righteousness” (2Tim 3:16).

So we are going to take our “stuff” to the Lord through His word and get some truth over what ails us! I am so excited aren’t you? This will be an incredible journey and I am excited to see what He reveals to us about Himself to change us forever!