Gossip, that unknown realm

You sure don't hear much about this subject from the pulpit today . Oh, you might hear someone say, "you shouldn't gossip", but you may not be aware of just how much we really do gossip simply because we have never explored what it really means. I have been struggling with this word for quite a while now as I try to determine what it is. I am ever more aware of what I say and why I say it. The Holy Spirit is quick to remind me when I do and I must respond to that prompting.

As always, I first want to go to God's Word and see what He has to say about the subject. For the faint of spirit or weak of tongue, you may want to sit down but whatever you do, don't leave this page just yet!

Lev 19:16 "You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor; I am the LORD."

Psalm 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit.

Psalm 101:5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.

Prov 6:19 false witness who utters lies,And one who spreads strife among brothers.

Prov 10:18 He who conceals hatred has lying lips,And he who spreads slander is a fool.

Prov 11:9 With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor,But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

Prov 11:13 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.

Prov 16:28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close
friends.

Prov 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the
matter separates close friends.

Prov 18:8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a
man's inmost parts.

Prov 20:19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

Prov 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Eccl 10:11 If a snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.

Matt 12:36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of
judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Eph 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

2 Tess 3:11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are
busybodies.

1 Tim 3:11 In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect,
not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

1 Tim 5:13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from
house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and
busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

Titus 2:3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.

Titus 3:1-2 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be
obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

1 Peter 3:10"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech."

Well, I guess we could just stop right there, get the duct tape out and never say another word!!! However, I am going to go a little deeper. Hey, I may need this more than you so just bear with me!

I was so perplexed by this word that I had to check Webster's definition.
gossip:
1. a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others
2 a: rumor or report of an intimate nature b : a chatty talk c : the subject matter of gossip

Next, I went even further to figure out what some of the other words meant in this context.
sensational: arousing or tending to arouse (as by lurid details) a quick, intense, and usually superficial interest, curiosity, or emotional reaction
intimate: of a very personal or private nature
personal:of, relating to, or affecting a particular person: relating to an individual or an individual's character, conduct, motives, or private affairs often in an offensive manner

Next, I read a few messages from Dr. John MacArthur and here's what he had to say:

Gossip­-someone who is quick to discuss private matters. Also, such a person is apt to say one thing to one person and another to someone else to gain his or her own personal goals.

Are you often tempted to talk about someone else's sin? Well, after love deals with a person's sin it covers it with silence. Love certainly doesn't gossip about it. How much of your conversation would be silenced if you never gossiped about the faults and sins of others? At the end of each day, try and recall how often you gossiped about someone else's faults. Confess it, and then commit yourself to love the brethren by not rejoicing in their sin or repeating it to others.
Although we don't throw literal stones today, we often do throw stones in the form of verbal assaults or gossip.

OUCH!!!! Okay, I'm guilty! I've done these very things, completely unaware most times, of what I was doing. Now, as I said earlier, I have become much more aware of this in the last year or so because my pastors, one being my husband, speaks to this from the pulpit regularly so I can't help but be aware. As I look back on my conversations with others I am sickened to think what I said. No, my motives were not always to drag someone through the mud or mar their character but that's just what I did. Yes, sometimes that's just what my motive was. God help me!!

Here's the really sad truth about this very sketchy subject, it's not always about negative stuff. Have you ever told someone that another person is pregnant? You say, "that's a happy thing" or "that's not gossip because it's not going to hurt anyone". Did that person give you permission to tell others they were pregnant or did you just rob them of a joyful moment?

Here are a few questions you probably should ask yourself before you speak, and trust me, I'm learning to keep my mouth shut the hard way so I'm going to put this into practice pronto!!

Is it gossip?-----------

Is what I am about to say going to hurt someone's character?
What is my motive in saying this?
What do I hope to accomplish?
Do I have permission to say something about another from that person?
Would I say to the persons face what I'm about to say about them to someone else?
Am I breaking a confidence?
Am I participating in gossip by listening to another person talk about someone else?
Is this an intimate detail that would embarass the person whom it is about?

When someone comes to you and wants to "discuss" something about someone else, ask them this, "have you talked to so and so about this before you came to be?" What if someone needs to "vent" or talk about what someone did to them so they can feel relief. It's gossip! Stop it right there. Encourage them with Scripture and tell them you will pray for them but don't allow them to damage others in the process.

Here's a sad scenario: I'll use bogus names!
"Jane" hurt you to the point of ruining a friendship or revealed something personal about you. You in turn, begin to tell others what Jane did to you because you need to be "encouraged" or get your frustration out or feel relief or get someone elses "opinion" about how you should handle it. That person you just told, (we'll call her Joan), now has a preconceived idea about Jane. Well, Jane comes to you several months later realizing her sin, repents, apologizes to you and restores the friendship. Later, you and Jane run into Joan and you introduce Joan to Jane. Joan has a funny look on her face. Why? Joan sees you with Jane, who you "gossiped" about, and wonders why you would want to be with "that kind" of person. What have you done to Jane now? Joan can't forgive Jane because you already scarred her character and now you are going to have to ask Joan to forgive you.

See the ugly web gossip weaves!!

What if it's fact? It doesn't matter, you must still ask the questions above and determine why you even need to talk about it. Fact or not, it may still be gossip.
Confrontation and correction is never easy for anyone and no one likes it, however, we must stop using our tongues to inflict harm. I certainly do not want to be the person described in Romans 3:13 "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS".
Weigh everything carefully before you say it. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your words and bring to your mind the Scriptures that are clearly targeted at your tongue.

I will still struggle with this because I am still a sinner in need of God's grace and mercy. I will probably have to go apologize to someone again and again because my pride and selfishness will continue to get in the way of the Holy Spirits refining work in me.

May God help us to be encouragers to one another, with uplifting and kind words. Look for the good in others because there's enough bad in ourselves that we don't even need to look for it in others! You hold me to this and I'll hold you to it!! Deal?

God bless you as you seek to honor Him with your lips!

For Christ and His Kingdom,
Bronni

Sensible, pure, workers at home, kind

Be sensible! We've all heard that phrase at one time or another. Well, what exactly does it mean? Merriam Webster says: having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason; rational: (syn.) reasonable, perceptible.
Making wise choices that benefit your home and family and that honor God. It all comes back to adorning the Gospel. Praying about decisions, asking for discernment, seeking God's will through His written Word. It is the foolish woman who tries to go it alone, without searching the riches of Scripture for the answers. I am sure I would make poor choices on my own. I can only depend on the all-wise Creator God to guide my decisions and lead me in the right direction. I am teaching my children how to make right and good decisions by the ones I make. Am I reasonable in the things I ask my family to do? Are my expectations of them reasonable? Am I rational during family discussions? All of these are part of being sensible.

Pure-A lost word in today's society, or perhaps I should say, redefined. The real meaning: free from moral fault or guilt; marked by chastity; free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes; containing nothing that does not properly belong.
We see anything but that in the media and even at the mall! Godly modesty is directly related to purity. When we dress, we need to ask ourselves, am I trying to bring attention to myself and evoke sensual feelings in others about me or am I dressing in such a way that God will be seen above all in my life? What do your clothes tell others about you? We should be ashamed if the way we dress draws attention to parts of our bodies that causes sin or temptation for others. Look in the mirror and see if God would be pleased with what you are wearing. When you bend over, what can be seen? Are there things showing that shouldn't be?
You don't have to dress in dumpy clothes to be modest. I believe we need to be beautiful for our husbands and as women. You can dress modestly yet classy. Just cover up, but not too tightly! I love Talbots! I look for those at consignment shops. Those are great places to find traditional, classic clothes that you can afford. Look at Barbara Bush. I have never seen her that she did not look classy and beautifully attired, yet very modestly dressed.

Purity also leads to a question of faithfulness. Faithfulness to our spouse begins in the heart and mind. If we are lusting in our minds, it's the same thing as committing adultery. We need to take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor. 10:5 If you are struggling with lust, pay attention to what you are watching, reading and listening to. Outside influences can affect your thought life. Remove anything that is causing you to stumble. Get rid of the cable!! Get rid of the romance novels! Those especially have no place in a Christian home. Satan will use whatever he can to cause discontentment in marriage. Get an accountability partner to help you. That is Biblical!

Another sore subject for many is women working outside the home. I may get hate mail from this one! Again, if we go to Scripture it is not a sin for a woman to work outside the home. However, where you see women talked about, like in Proverbs 31 or Titus 2, she is at home keeping and managing her home. I don't know about you, but I have so much work within my home to keep it running smoothly and efficiently that I simply could not work outside and do what I do here. I could not be ministering my family and others if I was working because then I would have to make up for the time I was not at home doing what I needed to. I miss out on the blessing of ministering to others. Work can cause many conflicts with home. If you have a sick child you then have a boss that you are subject to and have to answer to. You have to use the time you have after work catching up on household chores thereby taking time you could be spending with your family. You could miss out on ministry opportunities because you have to work on the day your church may be helping a needy family. You are now accountable to someone other than your husband. Childcare could become a problem at the last minute causing you to place your children in a less than desirable situation. Who is influencing your children?
Here is the real question; why are you working outside your home?
"We are so in debt that I have to". There are consequences to debt but leaving your home to pay it off may not be the answer. Sacrifice may be.
"We just can't make it on one salary". Is it because you really can't even buy food or pay the bills on one or do you want more "stuff", to eat out often, travel? Perhaps your husband needs a second part-time job or seek another one that will provide for his family.
"My husband says I have to work". Here, you must submit! Pray that God will change his heart and perhaps even his job so you can be at home.
"We can't pay our mortgage on my husbands salary". Time to buy a smaller, less expensive house!
"My children won't have anything if I don't work". What could your children possibly need that would cause you to leave your home? Toys, gadgets, designer clothes? If you ask any child today, they want their parents to spend time with them, not stuff. Children want a loving, safe home.
We can all live on much less than we think. It's the media that tells us we need more "stuff". If we have food in our mouths, clothes on our backs, a warm place to sleep, healthy children, a steady job for our husbands, what more could we need? God has promised to meet our every need. Have you taken God's place in providing? Do you not trust Him to meet your every need? Satan wants you to worry and fret over everything and take over what God has promised to do. Yes, you may have to suffer the consequences of debt but leaving your home will not solve that problem. Discipline will!
Workers at home! Making a safe, loving, caring home for your family that will adorn the Gospel and minister to others.

If you are a single woman, your home can still minister to others as you use it for God's glory. Likely you do have to work but God can still use you mightily! You can have evening Bible studies for other single women, keep the children of a married couple who may need a night out once in a while. House a traveling missionary couple. Host parties! Don't miss out on your opportunity to bless others!

And finally, kind! of a sympathetic nature; disposed to be helpful and solicitous; of a forbearing nature; gentle.
Whew! How many times have we blown that one? We typically react worse to our families than anyone else. Do we treat our families with kindness or just others? We certainly don't want others to think we are anything but kind, but our families? Do we even care what they think? I must confess that I haven't always been as kind to my family as I should and therefore, how do you think my children treat each other? Certainly not always with kindness. I grieve over that! I blame myself that I have not been a better example. Why would we not be kind to our own families? God help us! We must pray for God to give us kinder hearts towards our families. Maybe you struggle with a particular person. Ask God to give you His love for them. We certainly don't deserve His kindness but He freely gives it. We must see others in the same light. None of us deserve anything but God in His grace does show us kindness, forbearance, goodness and mercy.

These are challenges but ones that we can manage with the aid of the Holy Spirit. We must constantly be aware of these things in our lives and how we are managing them. They are not optional! Ask your family if you are carrying out this mandate in Scripture. They will tell you!! We are called to obedience and if we are obedient to God and His Word, then we will be anxious to fulfill this mandate to be Titus 2 women thereby honoring and adorning the Gospel!

For Christ and His kingdom,
Bronni

Me, submit?

Well, I told you I had to save this for a seperate post so here goes! Hang on to your hats cause it'll be a bumpy ride for some of you!

Here are just a few of the comments I have heard said about "submission":
"No man is going to tell me what to do!", "I am not subject to any man!", "He doesn't have the right to tell me what to do!". Well, these are women who have no idea what Biblical submission is all about. Again, we will go to God's Word to get the true meaning.
Eph; 5:21-22 "and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord."
James 4:7 "Submit therefore to God."
Col. 3:18 "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

It can't be much clearer than that! If we are not submissive to our husbands we are disobedient to God's clear command and we know how miserable disobedience is. If you look at James 4:7 that is speaking to everyone, including your husband. So, the right order of authority is first God then your husband then you. This does not mean that you are of less value than your husband, yea an equal heir of grace. It means that you submit to his position as head over you. No, you are not a doormat! You simply recognize that God has placed him in a position of leadership. The same is true of an employer. Would you subvert your employer? No, you submit yourself to their leadership position with respect.

Let's go a little farther back to the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3:16, "Yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." It is a natural inclination for us to desire to rule over our husbands but God has not placed us in the position of authority. That was reserved for man. Now, I understand that there are men who abuse their position and women are truly "subject" to them as a slave rather than an equal. That is true of anything; there are always those who abuse. Biblical submission, however, means that we submit to one another, yes we are equal heirs of grace, but we are to honor his position of leadership over us. When a decision needs to be made regarding family, work, church, etc. our husbands should consult us for our opinion and thoughts but he is to make the final decision. My husband and I may not always agree on a particular decision but he will always enlist my opinion. It is our husbands who are addressed in Scripture when it comes to discipline of children, leadership in the church, war, leadership in the home. That is because he is commanded to lead and we to follow.

That position is also a protective covering for us as women and wives. When God came to the garden after the fall, who was the first person He called for? It was Adam. He was asking Adam where he was when his wife was being tempted to sin. Why didn't he protect her? What was he doing? He was standing right there!!! Our husbands also protect us and sheild us from the devastating effects of sin by keeping us within the protective bounds of our homes, which is where God has called us to be. He knows that out there in the world lies the serpent all too willing to tempt us to go for what we don't have; success, career, designer clothes, fancy cars, fine homes, etc. My home is a safety net and where I find my fulfillment as a woman, wife and mother. My husband protects me from those outside influences. As he follows God's commands laid out in Scripture I happily follow his lead.

What if my husband does not lead? First, let's deal with the husband who is a believer but does not lead. You respectfully and lovingly ask him to lead. Take him to Scripture and read together what God has commanded of each of you. If he is truly a believer, then he must answer what God has commanded in his word. If he still will not lead, then you go to your church elders and ask for help. He must be held accountable by godly leaders. You don't just step in and do what he is supposed to do. You serve him in love, honor and respect. Serving by managing your home and caring for your family. This is service to your husband.

How do I submit to an unbeliever? You submit unless you are asked to do something that would clearly be sin according to Scripture. That is the only condition by which you can refuse to submit. You can honor and respect an unbeliever because of the Holy Spirit alive and working in you. This does not remove your husband as the head of your home. You are to serve him just like you would a believing husband. He will see in your life a difference that only comes from yeilding yourself to the work of the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 3:1-4 In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior.
Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands;
Do you see the importance of living out your faith before him? You don't know if he is chosen of God or not so you must live the Gospel before him. That means submitting to his leadership. If he makes poor decisions, then, yes, the consequences will most likely fall upon the whole family, however, God has promised to meet your needs and your family will also receive the same blessings you do because you are a believer.
So, take heart my friend, submission is a beautiful thing when done to the glory of God. That is the end of everything, to honor God with our lives and be obedient. That's what He requires and His Spirit enables us to perform that which He has called us to.

I welcome your comments on this subject that has been greatly misunderstood.

For Christ and His Kingdom,
Bronni

Now to the younger women!

Now that I have exhorted the older women, I need to be fair to the younger women! If you don't have a mentor in your life, go to the source, God's Word, to find out what you need to do in order to adorn the Gospel with your life.

Let's take a closer look at Titus 2. Older women are to be encouraging the younger women to do the following things:
love their husbands
love their children
to be sensible
to be pure
to be workers at home
to be kind
to be subject to their husbands
"so that the word of God will not be dishonored." It doesn't get much clearer than that! All of these things are attainable through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through you.

Okay, now I can hear you out there saying, "I can't love my husband. He's abusive" or "He doesn't show love for me" or "My husband is not a believer" or "I don't like the way he does this or that". God did not put "if" conditions on these commands. If you are yielded to the Holy Spirit in your life, you can do all things, not just some. Phil. 4:13 You can love an unlovable husband. If your ultimate goal is to honor God with your life and obey His commands, then you do it in response to that rather than the response you'll get from your husband. We will stand before God to give an account for our lives one day, not our husbands. It doesn't matter how your husband responds, are you responding to God and His Word in obedience? He will honor obedience and faithfulness.

There is more pain in disobedience to God than the pain that you may think would be associated with loving a husband you think you can't love! We are the ones who are miserable when we choose to act in direct opposition to God's Word. If we would just realize that there is joy in obedience and if we yield to the Holy Spirit, we can have joy and peace because it is a love that we can take no credit for! We can only give praise to the One who is worthy when we are acting upon something that only the Holy Spirit can produce. What rejoicing there should be!! If I do something that I know only the Holy Spirit could have produced in me to do, I am exceedingly and joyfully aware that I am a child of the Most High God and He cares about changing me into His image!! WOW!! How could we not rejoice!

Loving your children is a much easier task, however, there are some women out there who are not loving their children, rather, they are abusing and cursing them. I can only speculate that we needed to be told to do this because there are those who do not love as they should. They continue a curse placed upon them by their parents instead of breaking it. If you are one of those, I encourage you to begin breaking the curse by first repenting of your sin, asking God to forgive you and save you. It is only through His saving power that you can be redeemed and break the dreadful power sin has on your life. You can be free.

For those who are loving your children, I applaud you! Be the role model they so desperately need. They need to see us loving our husbands and being obedient to God and His Word, adorning the Gospel. They need to see that we search the Scriptures for answers to life's questions. They need to see us on our knees, lifting them up to the Throne of grace, praying for their salvation, if God so chooses. Love them! Play with them! Encourage them! Read the Word to them! Teach them about their wonderful Creator!

We'll save the "submission" word for the next post!! That needs one all it's own!!! A sticky, sore subject for far too many women!

Until next time...........

For Christ and His Kingdom,
Bronni

Where have all the Titus 2 women gone?

The more I study the more I realize that many of today's Christian women have abandoned their role as laid out in Scripture. It is clear in Titus 2 that the older women are to be teaching the younger women. As I look back on my years as a youth and young woman, I made many mistakes that could have been avoided had there been a mentor in my life to guide me along the way, teaching me sound doctrine. It seems that women who have raised their children and are now in the "retirement" years, are living for themselves, to enjoy a life of travel and leisure. No where in Scripture are we commanded or told to abandon our roles as women or disciples once we have completed our child rearing. We do not retire from the Gospel. Life is not about us or our pleasure but for the spreading of the Gospel. Our lives are to adorn the Gospel.

It saddens me that older women do not have the vision of the Titus 2 mandate, to teach younger women. I see young women, moms, wives, who are desperate for someone older to teach them in the ways of godliness. They are like sponges but there is no one to teach them. I'm not talking about a "program" in church, I'm talking about one on one relationships to foster growth in one another. I'm talking about the older woman who sees the need to pass on her wisdom, insight, knowledge and depth of the Scriptures to one who is weak or immature in the faith. Especially in todays society, how can we abandon that role? How can we just sit back and watch another generation of women "just get by" spiritually and hope they learn on their own?

Where are the mentors? Where are the Titus 2 women who understand they still have much work to do for the kingdom? There is no more important time then now to teach sound doctrine when all around us are false teachings, ramblings, ear tickling, mysticism. The only way we can know God's will for us and to know Truth is to know and study His Word and to pass that on to the next generation. We must teach Scripture alone. When we instruct younger women we must adhere to Biblical teaching and principles. We must not counsel women according to what they want to hear or what we want to say. God did not leave anything out of His Word where our lives are concerned, so we must speak the Truth in love. God will honor our faithfulness to teach His Word and obey.

If you are that older woman who has abandoned your role, I challenge you to look for a younger women who you can have an influence on. Spend time with her, teach her, help her, guide her and show her what a godly woman looks like. Take her deep into God's Word to find all she needs to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Adorn the Gospel with your life by making a difference in someone else's!

For Christ and His Kingdom,
Bronni

Ever wonder what your role as a woman is?

Welcome! Thank you for visiting our blog.

If you look at society today, it is very difficult to determine what the role of a woman is. Is she the breadwinner? Is she a superhero? Is she the mom and dad? Is she equal with the corporate male? What exactly is our role?

In teaching our women's ministry at church, I have had to take a very close look at this very important role according to Biblical standards so that I teach sound doctrine and in accordance with God's design for women. The more I read the more I see that the woman in todays society falls short of God's design for her. The woman I see in Scripture is what I hope to emulate throughout my life as a wife, mother, homemaker and servant.

God did not miss one detail of how we should look and behave! I love that! There is nothing missing! She is meek yet strong. Submissive to God and husband in the proper way. Able to manage her home efficiently. Teach and train her children. Minister to those in need. Feed and clothe her family. Keep herself physically in good shape so that she can keep up with all her responsibilities. Knows her proper role in the home and church. She is one who others look up to, confide in, learn from. Her husband praises her. She hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Most important, her ultimate desire and goal is to please and be obedient to her Creator.

When all these things are in their rightful place, the responsibilities of her life are not a burden but rather a joy because she is adorning the Gospel by following God's design for her. She doesn't look at the faults of her husband and children but is concerned with how she appears before Christ. She understands that she must be teach by example to her children. She serves her husband with joy, honors and respects him. Her gentle and quiet spirit is her adornment to her husband and children. She allows her husband to be in his rightful role as head of the home. Though she is submissive to his leadership, he recognizes her as an equal heir of grace.

She knows that her home is her mission field as well as her neighborhood.
She is a graceful hostess looking for opportunities to minister in her home so she can share the Gospel to those without Christ. People are watching her and they see the living Christ in her and in her home. She doesn't view her life as a homemaker, mother and wife or single woman as mundane because she is serving the Most High God who created her for just this task. It is her joy to serve Him in every area.

Sound like a big job? Not when you have the Holy Spirit as your comforter, guide, helper and enabler! All these things are possible when you are a woman completely surrendered to His work in your life. He makes all these things possible in and through you. I can't think of a better Person to work for than the Lord Jesus Christ! He ultimately is who I answer to for what I do with my "job description". Do I look outside His Word for fulfillment and acceptance? Do I accept my God given role with joy and gladness? His Word is clear, nothing more, nothing less.

My fulfillment is no other place than my home, serving my husband and children so that I may adorn the Gospel of Christ! I am thankful God has called me first to be His then to be able to share the Good News of the Gospel through my home!

If you are struggling with your role as a woman, please take a moment to read the following Scripture passages and find joy and contentment in God's design for you!

1 Peter 3:1-7
"In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external-braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the ehart, with the imperishable quality of a gentl and quet spiri, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, beig submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear."

Proverbs 31: 10-31
An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
"Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Titus 2:1, 3-5 at the bottom of this page, our theme verse.

Comments welcome and encouraged! What are your struggles? Any advice?

God bless you in your endeavor to be all God has called you to be in this wonderful role as WOMAN!


-Bronni