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!"