For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus… And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:6, 9-11 (my life verse)
Twelve years ago, a friend of mine took me under her wing. Paulette was a God-fearing woman who loved the Lord, had her priorities in order and was an excellent wife, mother and servant. She was a wedding gift from God. Teaching me about being a loving wife with God in first place, she set a course of teaching me all that she could share. The fruits that have blossomed and fed my family because of her willingness to share have reseeded and developed into a new ministry. Little did she know the fruits of her labor would show up on a blog some twelve years later. I love you Paulette and thank you for loving me and God enough to demonstrate Titus 2:3-5 for me.
Titus 2:3-5 says Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
My family knows that I love to learn about women in the Bible. I have shelves on my bookshelf that are full of nothing but books about women; Christian women, being a wife, being a mother and friend. That's to say nothing of the shelves I have on motherhood. When I began my journey of discovering God's life for me as a wife something inside of me burned with desire to keep digging. Keep pursuing knowledge and wisdom in this area. As a result, I have put together a study that focuses on scripture and what God has to say about this life as a female "man."
"Man" in the Bible can refer to both male and female of all mankind. It was the name God gave all of us hu"man" beings in Genesis (Genesis 5:1-2.) Because God has a lot to say about being a child of God, both male and female, where better to look than the Word of God.
I am currently getting acquainted with the women of the Bible, assisted by "Twelve Extraordinary Women." It is authored by John MacArthur. I happened upon this book in a pile my sister left with me when they left for the missions field during their most recent term.
In the introduction, MacArthur does a fabulous job and references many of the wonderful women God used and spoke of in the Word.
This review says it all, "The introduction itself is worth the price of the book." I agree! http://solofemininity.blogs.com/posts/2006/01/twelve_extraord.html
God uses women to bring glory to Him. He loves women because He created them. He gives them equal access to a personal and intimate relationship with Him. He longs for us to get to know Him. As I learn more about what it is to be a woman of God, I realize just what a privilege it is to serve Him in my very female abilities. Be more like a man? Be treated like a man? No thank you, I am a child in God's Royal Family. I am His Princess. It is with excellence that I should serve Him. My King. My Father. My God.
