Voices of the True Woman Movement (Chapter 3)

 

Hey!  Welcome back!  I wasn't sure I'd have the time to sit and chat with you today about the book, but I do have a small window of time. Today we are on chapter 3.  The author/speaker is Mary Kassian and the title is "you've come a long way, baby!"  You might recognize this well known slogan from the 1960's Virginia Slims cigarette ads.  These ads were aimed at women and showed black and white pictures of women from before the women's movement alongside colored pictures of a more independent modern woman.  Kassian  lays out for the reader the details of one ad after another until soon you find yourself thinking what were the women in that day thinking.  Somehow they thought life would be easier and more rewarding if they had a high stress job,  a long with having to cook, clean, and take care of the kids?  Really???  

As I pondered through all this I started to get angry and point fingers at the women of the 60's, when all of a sudden I felt a yank at my soul.  Then the memories came back like a flood.   I remembered how I too went after things that I thought I wanted because I thought they would give me more happiness, more pleasure, and more satisfaction.  When someone would try and warn me by saying, "hey, don't go that way you'll get hurt."  I would laugh at them and think they don't know what they are talking about, besides girl's just want to have fun!  When they tried to tell me that the only way to find those things I was looking for was to follow Jesus, I'd feel a tugging at my soul for a moment, but then I would brush it off.  I wanted to live for myself.  What I didn't know then, I quickly discovered later.  That those things I was running after would not bring me the happiness I was seeking but instead cause me more pain then I would have ever imagined.  And today I'm still reaping the consequences of those choices.  If only I would have listened to the few who tried to warn me, but then I can't look back.  I can only look up fully into the face of Jesus my Redeemer.  

I've truly come a long way! I'm not the same person I once was, nor am I yet who I want to be! That's why I'm so grateful for the mentors I have in in my life, for God's Word the Bible, and for books like this one.  They challenge my thinking and correct the errors of it.  Even if as in this case it was pride and a sense of self righteousness in an area.  I guess what I'm saying is we are all human, we all are born with the sin nature that tugs at our souls to sin.  Without Christ it's the only voice we hear and so we go after those things that do us more harm then good, as if pulled by a strong magnetic force.  What is our only hope?  To cry out to Jesus!!!  To beg for His mercy and forgiveness, and to plead for His wisdom and understanding!!!

When I fell on my face and cried out to Jesus I confessed to Him that I had sinned against Him by disobeying His laws and by rejecting Him, and He completely forgave me.  I have been walking with Him ever since.  He didn't fix all my problems, as many of you know.  What He did do is walk with me through every difficulty I faced as He still does today.  My life is better, not because circumstances are better, though some are.  My life is better because I know Jesus and that is all that I ever needed!!!He rocks my world like nobody else can!!! 

Voices of the True Woman Movement (Chapter 2)

Hi, welcome back!  I can't wait to share with you my thoughts about Chapter two.  Do you have your cup of coffee or tea?  Good!  Let's get started.  Yesterday we herd from John Piper, today it is Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  Nancy begins the chapter with a few verses from Romans 11.

  

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and how inscrutable are His ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? "Or who has ever given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be the glory forever! Amen.

                                                                                                                     Romans 11:33-36

DeMoss does an excellent job of providing for the reader the context for these verses. But she doesn't stop there, she goes beyond that providing a way for you to visualize the meaning in such a way that gives it a richness it might lack without.  In other words the way in which she helps the reader to better understand the verse gives the verse more punch or more power.   Here is the last paragraph or so with her setting the scene so that we might better understand this passage:

"So in a trek not unlike our Jeep ride in the Colorado mountains, in the first eleven chapters of his epistle to the Romans, Paul scales higher and higher through the astounding mysteries of God, weaving his way through one difficult passage after another.  At the end of chapter eleven he finally reaches the summit, where he can look back down over the path he has taken. He pauses to take in the awesome view beneath and around him: the sovereignty of God, His electing mercy and grace, His eternal plan for the ages."

"And as Paul pauses to contemplate it all, he is suddenly struck speechless. Words fail to explain the view...and Paul...breaks out into a hymn of praise, like crashing cymbals in the finale of a symphonic masterpiece."

    "Oh, the depth...how unsearchable...how inscrutable...to Him be the glory forever."

I don't know about you, but that just gives me chills and brings tears to my eyes!  These very verses, DeMoss sets up for us as the foundation for knowing what it means to be a true woman of God.  In fact she believes it "provides the framework and context for our lives as women."  It all starts with "Oh, the depth..."  And don't we view those words now in a new light!

"Oh the depth of the riches...of God"

DeMoss says the riches of God are deeper then we could ever fathom, they are limitless, and immeasurable.  Deeper then our limitations and problems.  Some of His riches being His kindness, forbearance, and patience (Romans 2:4).  The riches of His glory (Romans 9:23). And the riches of His grace (Romans 1:7-8).  

"Oh the depth...of the wisdom and knowledge of God."

In regards to God's wisdom and knowledge De Moss says "God knows everything-and everything about everything."

Stop and ponder that for awhile.  He "knows everything-and everything about everything"...So, then is there anything about your life or mine that He doesn't know?  No, He knows it all!  Every worry, every difficulty, everything you or I have done, everything that has been done to us, every joy, every sorrow, every fear, everything!

DeMoss beautifully wraps up her thoughts about the depths of His wisdom and knowledge with this: "And regardless of how complex, convoluted, or impossible your situation may seem or actually be right now, the wisdom of God is much more than adequate to walk you through it."

I could stop right there and just rest in that for today.  How about you?  But then you would miss out on the rest of the chapter.  So let's continue our discussion...

After DeMoss has solidified in our minds the depth of the riches of God, His wisdom, and knowledge she goes on to talk about how He is beyond knowing...not that we can't know Him, but that we will never really know Him until we see Him face to face since right now our understanding is limited by our finite minds.  

"How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways."

DeMoss gives the definitions of  the words unsearchable and inscrutable so that you have a greater understanding and appreciation of what those words mean.  She spends time breaking this apart for the reader.  If you want to know more you will have to read it for yourself.  There is so much that she has written I'd love to share with you if I could.  There is one paragraph from this section that I must share with you in regards to your circumstances in life:  "But you can be assured that God doesn't  make mistakes.  He has an eternal purpose in mind-a plan for the display of His glory throughout all the universe.  He is working out that plan, and you are a part of it.  You don't have to know what He is doing. Or why.  The fact is, He knows.  And that's all that really matters.  And if you trust Him, in time, you will thank Him for the treasures that have resulted from those trials. "

Again I could stop right there.  Aren't those words filled with hope and comfort!  But we have not made it yet to the end of the chapter and the summation of her thoughts.  And because time is getting away from me I cannot share with you all of her thoughts on "all things" being from God, and "through Him", and "to Him

DeMoss explains that it is within the context of knowing all this about God that as women we will "find refuge",it "will bring us comfort", "courage", and "conviction in our calling as women."

From what I have shared what do you think?  Have you found courage, comfort, and/or hope in these words?  I may not have done them the justice they deserve.  You may want to get a copy of this book and read it for yourself.  If you do be sure to let me know your thoughts about it.

Nancy finishes this chapter with three simple applications for every Christian woman.  Here they are without the descriptions:

1) "A true woman lives a God-centered life."

2) "A true woman trusts God."

3) "A true woman says yes, Lord."

Are you able to say yes, Lord!  The only way to true joy is to utter those words and mean them!

Tomorrow we will take a look at chapter three by Mary Kassian.  See ya tomorrow!

Voices of the True Woman Movement (Chapter 1)

I was at the first True Woman conference and it truly was an amazing time!  I walked away challenged, stretched, and blessed.  It's amazing though to me how quickly we can forget what we see and hear.  Especially those of us who were not born with photographic memories.  Which is me!  The excitement from being at the conference can quickly begin to fade the minute we re-enter our worlds.  Whether it's home to take care of the kid's or back at work on Monday morning.  That's why I was completely excited to be given this opportunity by the Staff of True Women to read their book and blog about it.  Strange how we can get off to a good start with great intentions and then completely fail.  Well I may be off schedule but I plan to follow through on my commitment to blog about the book.  Especially since it's a great book that is sure to inspire more growth in mine and maybe your Christian walk, and it would correct any erroneous thinking on my part.

I've read two chapters already, but will only divulge my thoughts on chapter one for today.  So let's begin, go grab yourself a cup of coffee then come back and sit with me while I will share with you what I've learned... 

 

Got your coffee?  O.k. great, Let's begin.  Chapter one is titled "the ultimate meaning of true womanhood" and is from John Piper's message at the conference in 2008.  Oh and did I mention there was over 6,000 women from 48 States and a total of 7 countries were at this conference?  Amazing hey?  Back to the book... The title alone causes one to ponder what John Piper will say next, doesn't it.  Oh, don't worry when you read this chapter you will discover that he does a great job of doing that along with stirring you to "embrace your highest calling".  Don't you just love how those words inspire to read more....

Piper goes on to state that he believes "wimpy theology makes wimpy women".  Do you agree with that?  I've pondered that myself.  Well let me share with you what he says about that, but I can't tell you all of it.  You'll have to read the book for yourself.  Piper first started out by sharing the real stories of many women who did not have wimpy theology.  Women like Marie Durant a French Christian from the seventeenth century who was arrested because she was a protestant.  If she would have renounced her faith she would have been set free, but she would not.  She died in that prison thirty eight years later.  Some others mentioned were Gladys and Esther Staines,  Joni Eareckson Tada, and a few others.  He shared the stories of these women to prove that the reason they lived victoriously through extremely difficult circumstances was only because they had a firm grip on who their God is and His plans and purposes for this world.  Piper said  "God's ultimate purpose in creating the world and choosing to let it become the sin-wracked world that it is, is so that the greatness of the glory of Christ could be put on display at Calvary where He bought His rebellious bride at the cost of His life."  And that "the ultimate purpose of creation and redemption is to put the glory of Christ on display in purchasing and purifying His bride, the Church."  That is purifying you and me if you know Him.  How cool is that!!!  This all leads us to as Piper says "the mind-boggling truth that womanhood and manhood -femininity and masculinity- belong at the center of God's ultimate plan."  Are you getting the connections yet?  I know with Piper you really have to chew on what he says sometimes.  Well here is his point in a nutshell God chose to show and display His love to and for us through the marraige relationship of a man and a woman.  Sound familiar yet?  Ever herd a pastor say the church is the bride of Christ?  O.k., so here's the point without women we would not be able to even come close to understanding this.  In other words as Piper says of womanhood "it is a distinctive calling of God to display the glory of His Son in ways that would not be displayed otherwise if there were no womanhood."  Are you starting to embrace your femininity yet?  Well it will take more time for some then others.  Keep reading I promise you won't be disappointed.   Be sure to get yourself a copy of the book too!

Piper's final words to the married is simply that "marraige is meant to display the covenant keeping love between Christ and His church.  And the way it does this is by men being men and women being women in marraige."  He also address submission briefly too but you will have to read that part yourself.

I love that Piper also spoke directly to single woman with this very poignant statement: "even though marraige is meant to display the glory of Christ, there are truths about Christ and His kingdom that shine more clearly through singleness than through marraige."  That is something I've not spent time pondering on, but I can totally see how this is true!

This chapter is only 7 pages long, but with anything Piper writes or speaks it is very meaty and you will come away with lots to chew on.  You will also feel inspired to embrace your true womanhood and find out more about what that means.  Hopefully you'll have a pretty good idea about that by the time I finish sharing with you what I'm learning.  But don't just take my word for it or Piper's, grab your Bible and see if what's been said lines up with scripture says.

I leave you with the last sentence Piper spoke: "your womanhood-your true womanhood-was made for the glory of Jesus Christ!"

Beef and Gravy

Round Steak
mushrooms (fresh or canned)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 tsp. Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: onions

In slow cooker combine mushroom soup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Cook 5-6 hours on low.  The beef should be falling apart tender and the sauce should be very rich tasting.  I can never make enough of the gravy for this one, it is just so savory the family always gobbles it up!!!

Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles, green beens, and crescent rolls.  Enjoy!

Inexhaustable Grace

The old familiar feeling is overwhelming me in the pain,

          threatening to utterly engulf me once again.

Why is there a delectableness in the bitterness,

          that causes me to immerse myself within it's ugly clutches?

I wallow here as I am pulled along,

         it's sweet taste transposed to rancid dung.

It courses through my veins,

        at every encounter causing pain.

Inward I have flown,

         I feel so alone.

To my knees I plummet,

        open hands raised high heaped with the pain and needs unmet.

Turning my expectant eyes upward I look Jesus fully in His glorious face,

         As I place my hope in His redeeming grace.

His compassionate eyes meet mine as here I linger,

       "I've been waiting for you " He gently whispers.

Then my soul is overcome with His inexhaustible grace,

       His love coursing through my veins emanating through my face.

Praise to Him who alone satisfies every longing heart,

       surrender is our part.

In the crucible of His fiery test,

       victory is assured for those who in Him find rest.