I realize that this post may offend certain people: Good people, people who I’d probably really get along with otherwise…
But for the record, I am not sorry.
Last week’s post Worthy of Rubies was me, buttoned up in my ‘Sunday’s best’ and smiling pretty. But over the last couple of days a fire has come over me and I can’t keep silent.
You see, I hate when women stand before other women and use their platform to hide behind facades of ideal marriages, perfect specimens of children and strong opinions on the likes of breastfeeding, vaccines, and church politics…
I cringe when the Kim Kardashian’s of the world pose half-naked in an attempt to prove that they’re still sexy, when any ‘real mom’ feels like anything but! When friends on Facebook post statuses like “ …Made 6 loaves of banana bread, ran 12.8 miles, fed the homeless, and saved a cat, and was still able to get home in time to make homemade apricot pork loin and apple crisp for dinner tonight,” while the rest of us are left wondering how we even made it out of our pajamas today?!?
I don’t know when being sexy and domestically superior made us more of a woman, but let me challenge you with what I believe is the #1 misconception of a godly woman…
Years ago, I took a class in bible college that still to this day gets my blood boiling. It was a class called Christian Womanhood.
Three times a week hundreds of college freshman ladies piled into the auditorium, and who if they were anything like me, anticipated by the name of the class ‘Christian Womanhood’ that we would come to understand what it truly meant to become the godly woman the Lord desires for us to be.
Most of the girls attending the class would one day go on to become pastor wives, missionaries, and christian school teachers. Women who would have the potential to impact other women, communities and the World in POWERFUL ways!
And yet, THIS is what we learned…
– How to execute a wedding. Complete with rehearsing a mock wedding in which each of my peers played a ‘part.’ I however, sat in the audience (on the groom’s side if you want to be specific) uninterested, and unapologetic …I mean, seriously?
– The importance of making dinner for our families each night, and pointed out the convenience of using a crock pot. …Yep, it happened.
– Why we must only read the King James Version of the Bible. But I have no notes on that lesson, because unashamedly, I tuned that one out!
It was also in this class that we did an in-depth study of Proverbs 31 in the Bible. Which wasn’t bad per se, but due to all of the above (and the fact that I actually paid for this nonsense of a class!) I don’t think it would surprise anyone to know that still to this day, I have a physical aversion to any of the topics covered in that class, including the beloved Proverbs 31 woman!
Interestingly enough though, my husband came to me last week and asked me to write a devotion for our church on you guessed it – Proverbs 31! And in all honesty I fought it HARD, as if to completely downplay the significance of it in the Bible.
And yet as I pored over the chapter myself, I realized something I had never seen before, something I can assure you was NEVER taught in my class all those years ago:
Who can find a capable wife?… She is energetic and STRONG… She has NO FEAR of winter… She is clothed with STRENGTH…
Proverbs 31:10, 17, 21, 25
The Proverbs 31 woman is a lot of things- domestic and lovely, successful and well-respected, But most repeated, she is STRONG! Not anything like the passive and weak woman we are so often encouraged to be! She has no fear of winter – the difficult times to come – and is most definitely not limited to planning weddings and using crock pots!
It got me thinking go the times I have had to be strong…
When 2 years into my marriage, when we should have been comparing paint swatches for the living room and eating breakfast in bed (or whatever it is that newlyweds do!) but instead we were battling it out in screaming matches and trying to decided what we would do with the house in the event of a divorce.
…When The Lord asked me to forgive my husband, and when even more clearly, I begged God kicking and screaming to let me move on, to give me permission to break ties with the man I was petrified would hurt me once again! But how the Lord never wavered.
How I was furious and shaken, but STRONG enough to choose to please the Lord above all else and embark on a journey to learn to love my husband again. And for the record, I am so incredibly glad I did!
How years later, we faced an unimaginable tragedy in our church while my husband was away at summer camp. How I wanted nothing more then for my husband to walk through the door, so I could immerse myself into the comfort of his arms, allowing myself to freely fall into a heap of tears with the one person who shared my mutual heartache. And how it never happened…
Because upon returning home, my husband made only one request: we not cry. How instead, he wanted to watch the news footage covering the accident over… and… over… and lay on floor and listen to worship music until late into the night. How he needed me there, and how more than anything he needed me to be STRONG!
How impossible it felt (how impossible it would’ve been apart from the Lord!) but how I sought hard to find my strength in Christ, relying on Him wholeheartedly for my comfort so that I could be strong for my husband, so that in return, he could be strong for so many others as their Pastor!
Oh, how my soul longed in those moments, for a woman to have opened up and spoken to me as a college freshman about THAT! To have a woman stand before me, vulnerable about her overwhelming fears and unworthiness, but of God’s immeasurable strength available to us in spite of it!
And so if I could teach a class on christian womanhood, and if all of you reading were my exceptionally lovely students, I would tell you that the most breathtaking picture of a ‘christian woman’ is not merely a sweet, modest, well-spoken, domestic goddess – but the woman whose strength and unshakeable faith lifts up all those around her despite the circumstance or ‘winter’ she has found herself in. (Prov. 31:21)
I’d tell you that no matter how beautiful of a bride you make, that one day your marriage may feel hopeless. And to remember when that day comes, it’s not a direct reflection of the INADEQUACY of you, but the potential GREATNESS of God if we allow Him to restore the broken pieces left of our hearts, and our vows.
That one day, the strong men we marry may need OUR strength to literally and physically pick them up off the floor, and that it won’t be a damn crock pot that will save the day, but the fire deep within us to FIGHT for our marriages and for our husbands to be the godly men that the Lord desires them to be!
Because the truth is, EVERYONE can let us down. But by choosing to find our strength in Christ, there is NOTHING God can’t grant us, and NOTHING He can not restore!
We need only to turn to Him, for He is the only one capable of giving life to our broken hearts and the strength we need to keep holding on.
And it would be as simple as that.
Class is dismissed.
Krista Ortiz 
Yes. Yes. I never went to Bible college, but the high school I attended taught the same sort of thing. We even had a charm class to teach us how to sit and walk and do our make up.
Now, after years of being away from that church’s legalistic teaching (thank You, Jesus), I have learned that the Proverbs 31 woman IS strong. She makes business decisions! She has servants, that’s why her house is immaculate and her kids are fed! She does things in the community that strengthen her husband’s reputation at the city gate.
There are a lot of other things in the Bible that I’ve learned were misconstrued in the teaching/preaching back then. So grateful that God redeems and grows and changes us! And has given me a husband who is that guy described in Colossians and Ephesians who loves me like Christ loves the church.
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amen 🙂
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I was needing to read this post more than anything today. Your words spoke directly to my soul & an overwhelming amount of negativity was lifted off my heart. I can relate to everything you wrote about…especially when it comes to marriage. I recently reached a point in our marriage when I felt I had done everything in my power to make it work…to make it right & I…more than anything, needed God to fill me with the ability to forgive me husband for some wrong doings he has made. I prayed, gave it all to God & like you was begging God for a sign to tell me to just move on. I am so glad his sign to me was to not give up…to slowly but surely forgive & to give it all to him. We are better than we’ve ever been & I thank God for that. In times of weakness…times I just want to give up, he is my safe place. Gods love never fails❤️ Thank you!
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Very well said. Thank you.
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WOw this is a great story to share, the transparancy shared in this article is what amazed me.
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Thank you! I almost can’t believe hearing about this class you took. Thankfully, I have grown up not being ashamed of being a strong and capable woman. Right now, with a very ill husband, it comes in handy as I draw on the strength God has given us to carry on and figure out our new normal. I have seen some amazing examples of strong, Godly women in my life. They are much more than domestically skilled and they don’t hide the hard stuff. Vulnerability makes them even more beautiful.
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As a 28yr old single mother who the Lord has just recently put the man I have been praying for in my life, and marriage is a conversation we’ve already had, I needed to hear that. The only thing that put a real damper on it was the curse word close to the end. Just want to say great way to witness to other Godly women, the whole thing was wonderful and very thought out, but u killed it for me with one word. U could’ve used a million others but chose that one. 😦 sure the Lord really smiled down on this…..I know we are none perfect but we should strive to be more like Christ every day and I’m sure u proof read this before posted it.
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Really???? That one word ruined it for you? I came across this interesting post due to someone’s repost of it on facebook. I, as a guy was actually enjoying this article until I was reading the replies and then was suddenly and sadly reminded that it was the thought process of people like you Rebecca that made me leave my church years ago in the first place. Really??? she took the name of an appliance in vain, and that ruined that wonderful article of testimony and faith for you….Really???
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I agree with Joe. Taking a legalistic approach can be so damaging which is exactly why Jesus scorned the Pharisees all the time. God looks at the heart, Not outward appearance (even when it comes to the “appearance” of swear words). The heart of the statement was so pure, true, and encouraging. She used the “d” word simply to add emphasis to her point that our cooking ability pales in importance to loving people well. She did not use it as a curse at all.
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Rebecca has a right to her opinion. As do you, Joe. And as do I. I agree with you, Rebecca, that a woman who is explaining (even representing) godliness could have chosen a nicer word… and it was off-putting. I am sure that she did proofread it. And I think that she chose it because it kind of coincided with her entire message: that there is more to being a godly woman than just plain perfectionism. I feel that we should try to include as much holiness in our character as possible. So, I’d have selected another word. I do agree with Joe that at least the name used in vain was that of a crockpot. So, perhaps the offense was minor.. But we have a right to state our opinions, don’t we? 🙂
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Joe. Amen!
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Well. you know “perfect” wives like she was hearing about in that sham of a class she was taking don’t even think those words. This just goes to prove the writer’s point. Great article. She is a much better testimony than those that pretend to be perfect. She ministers to the “regular” wife, you know the imperfect one.
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I understand where you are coming from, but don’t let a strong word “ruin” it for you. Take a look at the original translations of the apostle Paul’s writings. He is notorious for using strong language to get his point across. We MUST be careful not to become legalistic!
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One word that ruined it for you huh, Rebecca? Getting to “real” for you? Wow! Can you say “legalistic”?? And I just love the syrupy mask you used to hide your very thinly veiled criticism… “we should strive to be more like Christ every day and I’m sure u proof read this before posted it.” Nice… Personally I am glad she said that. One of her points was, after all, spiritual transparency and realism vs religious phoniness… One has to wonder if words like these slip out from your mouth from time to time but you’re very careful not to let anyone know about it. Remember that God sees and hears EVERYTHING we say and do…
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Get over yourself, Rebecca. You will never survive a marriage with such a judgmental attitude. If you are uncomfortable saying or doing something then dont. However, do not infringe on the rights of others. Their conscience is theirs. God is ablr to convict someones heart if he wants to. He doesnt need your help. If you cant be an encourager just say nothing at all. Time to lighten up sweetheart.
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Sue Rowe, do you realise you are telling Rebecca not to infringe on other people’s rights while infringing on her right to freedom of speech at the same time? And criticizing her jugemental attitude while not only judging her at the same time but telling her that her marriage will not last with her current attitude?
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Yeah, well, that one word gave the post life. Real life. Who of us doesn’t say “damn” or “dammit” in our minds, if not our mouths, when everything has gone to shish-kabob. See what I did there? Just not the same affect. In fact, it weakens the point. Life is hard a lot of the time. So, Krista, thank you for NOT censoring yourself there. By doing so, you made an already great post that much better! Now, I’m going to go clean out the damn crockpot…after I tell my wife to read this!
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Thank you Matt for understanding my heart and for making me laugh so hard that my husband thought something was wrong with me! Haha! 🙂
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I’m with you… I won’t share it because of that one word. I’m not sure why that was necessary…..
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Yes, Crystal…it kept me from reposting it too. It’s true in the quietness of our home we may let some words slip when frustrated…but these words are in our mind because we hear them over and over again, that they seem to be programmed in there ready to slip out whether you want it too or not. We need to curb the spread of swearing and using God’s name in vain…as well as the F word that offends me greatly, by eliminating, wherever we can, reposting things that are offensive. The bible tells us what to think on: Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure…think on these things. If we fill our minds on these things we won’t make room for the objectionable.
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I agree!
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So many mean-spirited comments…and all in the name of “sticking up for” the use of a cuss word! What more can be said? Ladies, someone is winning this battle, and it’s not Godly women! This is the ramification of not editing to edify…completely avoidable on the part of the author…was it worth it?
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Oh that the worst word I ever use would be “damn.” Unfortunately, I am human, and at times, my emotions get the better of me.
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I agree with Rebecca, I was disappointed when I read that one word, or surprised really, other than that very good article/
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Agree Rebecca.
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While I disagree that the use of “damn” ruins the whole article, I also strongly feel that reacting to Rebecca with harsh words is inappropriate and extremely ungodly. If we feel that she is commenting in an unloving way, the ONE thing we shouldn’t do is figuratively smack her in the face about it and respond without love.
We are completely allowed to have a discussion about the use of a curse word, aren’t we? She didn’t come out condemning Krista for her use of the word. Instead, she is sincerely concerned about the godliness of using the word, and if we are Christ followers our responsibility is listening to what she has to say, and responding, whether in agreement or disagreement. But this isn’t about shaming someone for something that they said, and it’s definitely not about making a judgment about her complete character and using derogatory phrases like “sweetheart” and “get over yourself.”
Also, we are called to do more than encourage… the body of Christ isn’t just supposed to tell everyone, “Wow, great job.” We are also here to grow together and challenge each other and strive for righteousness together. We accept constructive criticism with humility, and use discernment to determine if we need to change something or not. God forbid someone brings to light an issue that may need discussion that makes people uncomfortable and feel like they need to change. They will be labeled as hateful and judgmental and legalistic.
Again, not saying I agree with Rebecca, because I don’t. But there was a much, much more loving way to respond to her.
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Wow I agree Briana..beautifully put!
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Why is that a bad word? Doesn’t society give words power? Did someone tell us to think that word was bad? Did everyone when they were born inherently just know that word was evil? If you are the type to say “suffering suck-a-tash” when someone cuts you off while driving, how are you any better than the person who says “d*** ” (I only censored it, as to not offend anyone)? Jesus told us not to say anything out of anger and hate, but to bless people.
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As a writer myself, I have purposely included “hell” and “damn” because it’s lead people to Christ. Being transparent and using normal words (she did drop an f bomb for goodness sakes) leads people to see Christianity as something other than what it’s known for: ignorance and judgement. If the whole post was ruined because of one word, I would look at your heart very closely. I applaud her. Using that word created the emphasis she needed, and got the attention of atheist women who shied away from the legalism of the church. You can care about your outward appearance, and I’ll care about actually leading people to Christ.
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Did NOT drop an F bomb. Sorry, my phone sucks
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I agree rebecca. I do love this article, however the cuss word shouldve definately been left out. We as christians should be set apart. Where there is light there is no darkness.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Non christians watch every move christians make & every word we say. Thats why the majority of people say they dont go to church bc of hypocrites..
Joe you are not in church because you choose not to go. You just find excuses to not go. Its nobody elses fault that you do not go to church. Its yours and only yours. There are many churches out there. So if something happened at one church that you do not agree with then find another church. If all christians decided to quit church every single time someone said something that hurt our feelings or did something we dont agree with then ever single church would BE CLOSED DOWN. Ive heard excuses like; its too cold so i quit, or its too hot, or the music is too loud. Do you think Jesus didnt have problems with people when he walked the earth? Of course he did, but he didnt give up. Thank God he didnt Bc if he wouldve gave up we would all go straight TO HELL!!!!
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Don’t let what others say discourage you! I won’t share because of that word also. It was great until that point! I have been married for 22 years and am 40 years old, and I have never used that word. I am not a perfect person, but I see no reason to use fowl language. Best to you in your marriage
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I agree Rebecca. The crock pot is sent to hell? Ehhh. Unnecessary 😑
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This is fabulous. You are so right, I can’t hardly handle it! It’s so exciting when womanhood is something to embrace and something to own. Something that takes great strength and extreme patience. Being a woman isn’t about cooking well, or cleaning regularly. It’s about beauty coming straight from the Savior. Thanks for sharing!
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I have to agree with Rebecca. Great and real but why the cuss word? But thank you for your honesty. The message was what women need to hear. We MUST stand up and be strong for our families and draw our strength from God. We all know that behind every great man is a strong woman holding him up! And yes, I want to be that Proverbs 31 woman! I’m not there yet, but I’m sure trying!
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Reblogged this on dennishasty and commented:
An interesting and thoughtful read…
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Yes. It is that conception of “Biblical womanhood” which has caused certain issues in our life to go on far longer than they neded to, because I believed that to talk about our problems to anyone other than my husband would be “gossip” or “slander” and unfitting. The trouble is that what works for one family many not for another; the issues and situations vary from family to family. Our God is gracious and compassionate, and that frees me to help my family in the way we need, which others may not understand. And I am comforted by remembering that “to his own master he [we] stands or falls. And [S]HE WILL STAND, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”
P.S. I do love my crock pot though :p
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I truly enjoyed this. These are my thoughts exactly. Granted, I’m not a wife but I am a mother. Sometimes I feel like Godly women hide behind this ideal and are stifled because of it. I am the total opposite. I refuse to have people believe that as soon as you accept the Lord you become this perfect person. I have flaws, I’m not this perfect mother or person. I feel like because Christians put up this smoke screen of perfection it’s hard to attract non believers. They feel as if they need to change themselves or become better before coming to Christ. We need to be real. We have flaws just like everyone else. We’re battling just like they are. The difference between believers and non believer is His Grace.
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Amen and amen. Thank you for voicing what I think too many Christian women struggle with. I’m incredibly weary of “strong woman” being a taboo phrase to describe a Christian woman. It’s not about being a crazy man-hating feminist…it’s about recognizing that strength AS A CHRISTIAN WOMAN is a good thing and esteemed by the Lord. By the way…LOVED the line about it not being about a damn crockpot. Made me laugh and cry at the same time!
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🙂
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Thank you!!! Well said!
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Great post but…the grammar. So many issues! Sigh.
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The grammar??? Are you seriously bringing that up??? I guess some people just have to be full of themselves… Forget about that this is one of the most transparent and real articles written by a Godly woman in a very long time… Let’s just focus on the grammar and on “cuss” word. Cause that’s how the pharisees would do it! UGH!
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Grammar? As long as she is communicating her thoughts and we are understanding them, then the mission is accomplished. Save the grammar issues for academic papers and formal publications. (And I’m an English writing professor who has given many a student papers that bleed with red ink.) Stick to the subject of the blog to make your own comments credible.
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So many good points and yes, all ring true (especially for me)! Thank you so much for this enjoyable read! Still I offer a word of caution…we must be careful to not take away from our sisters who are meek and mild…the good bakers and soap makers…the women who seem to effortlessly do so many things well…and for heaven’s sake, the wedding planners…I have 3 daughters and someday a wedding planner may be God’s greatest gift to me! 🙂 God created each of us uniquely and gifted us to be individuals who approach life in our own special ways. We are strongest when we are supporting each other. As for using strong language, that’s a trend I am seeing more and more as we Christians get “real” and “edgy”. It’s not cool. Jesus is our cool factor.
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Well said!
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Amen!
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Amen sister, you summed it up perfectly! Well done.
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Krista,
Some of us are cut from the same cloth. I am so honored to read your notes here. I was a senior pastor alongside my husband for over 20 years and I am still traveling and ministering in churches. I love sharing the same concepts you have here. The Prov 31 woman had servants too. I could get a lot more done if I had a few helpers! LOL. keep up the good work. Keep preaching the truth. No marriage is perfect. I made the mistake of thinking that “love covers a multitude of sins” which is the Word but I used it to cover our imperfections. Not realizing that the ugly truth helps more people learn how to bring Christ into our messes and TRUELY heal, correct, give wisdom and direction or just bring His Love which NEVER FAILS. I THINK WE SHOULD Have A women’s conference together called, “the good, the bad, and the ugly”. Love your boldness and courage
Pamela Hanamoto
9259678867
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I really needed to read this. Just another way God is working in my life.
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I have to admit that I’ve posted statuses like that! But here’s the deal, I keep it real. Yes, one day I may tell the world, truthfully, that I baked bread, made a 4 star dinner, did the shopping, and even stopped to save a baby deer. (Yes, that really all happened one day). On those days I feel like superwoman and love to shout my successes from the rooftops! But the next day I may very well be moaning about sleepless nights with cranky babies and I’ll proudly tell the world that I won’t be taking off my pjs. Unless its to swap one baby-puke covered set for a fresh one.
When people crow about their days where they’re accomplishing awesome things, it’s probably because they’re just as surprised as you are that they pulled it off! On the days I make it out of my pjs, I certainly feel like I’ve put on a superhero cape, and a little encouragement from my friends is just the fuel I need to do it again the next day!
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God is not real, and a mother should be allowed to feel sexy. Get over yourselves.
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Refreshing to read that someone “gets it”!!! Enjoyed EVERY word and relate to many “seasons” of this woman’s experience! I celebrate with my husband 25 years of marriage tomorrow with many of those years being in the ministry in some way! Those years have been very hard at times and God has used every bit of it to mold me into the image of His son! I can say with conviction that God’s grace is sufficient in every need!! We need to focus on the calling He has given us to be about the Father’s business and strive to sit at Jesus’ feet, not being a slave to our crockpots!
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Sounds to me like you heard just the topic you needed to in class. Because of that…you have just shared with all of us, your heart. You may not have done that if circumstances had been different. You see, if you don’t walk through the fire, you can’t tell anyone else how it feels. What a wonderful description of a Godly Woman you just gave us. I loved it! May God bless you abundantly and may you continue to help us along the way. Blessings!!!!
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Great words!
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As a wife, mom, and grandmother, not to mention a pastor’s wife, this article has been refreshing for me. I’m so glad you have come to that place of being real, vulnerable, and dependent upon our Lord. People see through all the other facades. How can we expect them to be honest with God if we aren’t honest with them? The rub comes when our honesty actually exposes the sin and problems that people hide in their own lives. You can expect some backlash but that’s okay. That’s where we usually have to go to come to a place of honesty with God. We all kick and scream. It just manifests in different ways.
I have to have a little chuckle about the ‘damn’. What is damning is gossip, chatter, and speaking words of discouragement. I would challenge one to ask the Lord about edgy words. He’ll let us know. 😉
Thanks for sharing what can’t be learned in the classroom!
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You have no idea how much I needed this right now. Thank you for being “real”!
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Great post!
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Love this so much
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Strength comes in many ways. If you want an excellent book about strong women in the bible, I highly recommend Mothers, Lovers, Priests, Prophets, and Kings: What the Old Testament Tells Us About God and Ourselves by Mary Katharine Deeley. A second book by her is Remembering God: Resting in the Midst of Life.
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I made a comment earlier but you know what, after reading this again and again I feel this post is quite critical of women who are striving to be this Proverbs 31 woman. Not to mention the one curse word was inappropriate, and no I’m not being “legalistic” the Bible is very clear when it comes to what you allow to come out of your mouth. (See Ephesians 5:4.) Will we as women be the perfect Proverbs 31 woman, no, not at all, but we should strive to be that person. There is much more to Proverbs 31 than to just be strong, so much more.
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I ran across this post from a friend on Facebook, and as a single guy who usually doesn’t read blogs, enjoyed it. Then I got to the comments, and am stunned. I actually had to re-read the post to find the ‘curse’ word. To some that may be because my heart is callused, or I am too worldly. In reality it was likely because I chose to focus on the message, not on one word. God meets us where we are…broken, hopeless, lost and sinners. He spent his time on earth with those that are shunned from most modern churches. He did not care what they looked like, how they acted, how they smelled or how they spoke. He looked at their heart….nothing more and nothing less.
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Yes, He looks at the heart but as Christians we are to lay the old man on the alter and live as a new creation in Christ that means looking and sounding different then the world setting ourselves apart. When we use a curse word as a Christian how are we different then the world?
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The worst part of this article is self-righteous commenters, such as yourself.
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If pointing a person to the truth of the Word of God is self-righteous then self-righteous she us.
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I agree with you!! Don’t let others comments discourage you.
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GOD BLESS YOU! We’re going through a horrendous trials which make our other trials seem trivial to say the least!!! I was SOOO disciyred & beaten down with depression & I prayed for God to give me strength because now my husband needs me to be strong for the both of us. He’s been so strong for the longest time & he’s depended on Christ for that but now he needs me to see Christ’s strength in me to help him through this 🙂 GOD BLESS YOU SWEETIE!!!
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Priceless!!!
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Awesome I totally agree! Thanks for writing this 🙂
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I absolutely loved this! I am one of the most imperfect Jesus Girls ever!!!! I, too have had marriage issues and I have recently lost my 17 year old son. My Crock Pot is dusty and is hardly ever looked at. Most days, we are lucky to have Taco Bell. And, that does not make me a bad Christian woman. This spoke volumes to me as I have felt like I have been failing my family during my grief. Thank you for being so transparent!!!! Love it!
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Thank you for being honest & open. I have like you been to hell & back as I put it. My pastor husband & 11year old son were killed by a drunk. My daughter & I were hurt. Two Sundays later I sat at my place at the piano, and have been there ever since!! God is my rock, comforter, husband, provider , yes no way was I ready for that, but God is GOOD!!!
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wow Sharon I am sorry to hear of your loss. I am glad you have God in your corner, you are one strong lady
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Perfect!
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Praise God for woman like you. I could not agree with you more. I am a Christian and and have experienced many trials. In Sunday school just last week I spoke of how people who claim to have a relationship with Christ who really don’t can make true loving and giving Christians have a bad name. How sad. Thank you for sharing.
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Amen! Thank you for being authentic and real in a world that would rather live in make believe!
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Perfect article! Inspiring and true! Don’t change a thing, and that includes the so-called curse word. Others think they are “holier” than others by choosing other words. They believe that by saying darn instead it sets them apart…..it’s a facade and is a perfect example of the “holier than thou” mentality that turns so many people off from living what is truly a Christian, God loving and God-fearing life. Kudos to you for being real and honest.
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I was reading your article but stopped short when there was a curse word. The Bible tells us in James, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” What you’re saying is powerful and good but what purpose did that curse word serve? Please consider your language when writing for other believers. Our language and our actions are what set us apart from the world but what difference is there when we speak the same language as non believer’s?
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If a single word is enough to turn you away from a powerful message, you don’t deserve to hear it. Damn, was that too mean?
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Nicely said!
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Damn exclamation informal
1. expressing anger, surprise, or frustration.
“Damn! I completely forgot!”
synonyms: darn, damn it, dammit, drat, shoot, blast, doggone (it), hell, rats More
adjectiveinformal
adjective: damn
1.used for emphasis, esp. to express anger or frustration.
“turn that damn thing off!”
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Reblogged this on Coffee with a Splash of Truth and commented:
There is so much truth to this!
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I couldn’t agree more with this article. I WAS married to a Pentecostal preacher and the stereotype was to be silent, weak, and just to sit behind and be a show piece. Neatless to say, that didn’t last. I will never air peoples dirty laundry including mine…..but I will say that we are no longer married. He is a good man and father, but I am a stronger, wiser and more effective prayer warrior now than ever! Is that the answer for all….no. It was for us, and I believe what satan meant to tear us down and destroy us, GOD used to bring us up and make us stronger and better vessels for him!!!
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Naomi, I was married only a few months to a pastor…in that time I found out he had a 20 year addiction to porn and was having cybersex and or regular sex with up to 5 differnet women a day and he had life insurance policies on my children from a previous marriage…I don’t feel that God was calling me to stay with that man…he is still a pastor and the church knows of some of his discretions and I cant believe they leave him in a leadership role, only to hurt his next victim
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I am youth pastor and I have a strong woman as a wife. I also attended one of those legalistic Bible colleges. What you said about what a husband who serves God needs from his wife is spot on. I struggle with depression as I see all sorts of problems in peoples lives, and worse people I love. It builds up sometimes and I can’t take it all. My wife has ministered to me so many times when I was weak. I am never afraid to take on any task with her by my side. It is her strength that I have always loved about her. I thank God for her and I loved this post!
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wow. I think I love you. awesome post.
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I believe I wrote this article and I just don’t remember it…well except for the curse word. LOL I just threw that in there because everyone else was complaining about it. Really, I am a PK and now a PW and I completely agree with you. If people heard more about the trials we go through and how we overcome them then they’d think they could be Christians too! If all people see are the fake smiles, perfect Sunday clothes, and perfect children we have (hahaha-as if I’ve ever had any of these) then they won’t see what the mercy and grace of Jesus has done for us! Oh and BTW, my name is Krista. Again, did I write this? My daughter shared your post with me because she said it sounded like something I could have wrote.
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Reblogged this on Broken, Blessed, & Renamed.
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This is beautiful and exactly what my soul needed in this “winter” … thank you!
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Thank you so much for writing this. You touchéd my heart. I often need to hear things about “real” women. I thank you for this direction. This honesty. God’s word.
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As a married Atheist with many Christian friends from college, I often read articles they share on Facebook about being a godly woman and/or wife. Sometimes I find them to be hypocritical or self-righteous, and others I find to be honest contributions of women attempting to follow their religion. I enjoyed this one, but the comments section once again reaffirms my confusion/distaste/what-the-heck-is-wrong-with-you regard toward many who adhere to the Christian theology. I continue to shake my head in disbelief at the high horse on which so many “godly” women continue to ride. Bravo to the author for an honest assessment.
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The comments regarding the use of the word “damn” remind me of why I stopped going to church.
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