Women

Where does the phrase "your body is a temple" come from? Why does the matter for Christians?

This summer, take time to REST. As you relax, energize, simplify, and tarry, God will renew your soul, and you will come to the end of the season refreshed and restored.

There is no curse in giving birth to children. While the pain in childbirth is a reminder of the sinful decision made by Adam and Eve, it is not a curse (even though some women may want to curse in the middle of giving birth). We see from the Scriptures that even through the pain in childbirth, it is soon replaced by great joy when that child enters the world.

God can work wonders and lead you to the right people who will be true friends to you. In the meantime, you can work on being a true friend to others and deepening your friendship with God. 

Gossip—delicious and yet so pernicious all at the same time. The Bible likens gossip to tasty morsels (Proverbs 26:22). No wonder so many of us fall prey.

Although it is hard to live out beliefs that promote the Bible, which is seen as an outdated, archaic relic, these women prove it is possible to work in Hollywood without compromising their beliefs.

If you and your friends are at all bookish, be sure to provide a flight of good reads to go along with the taste testing. Jane Austin? How about some Earl Gray tea with cream and sugar? Discuss along the tasting way what book you would pair with which drink. Enjoy the time chatting about all things literary, enjoying all things tasty, and being able to eventually drive safely home.

It doesn’t matter if you are lounging by the pool, soaking in the sun rays at the beach, or chasing after the kiddos in the backyard. Summertime just has a different vibe. It begs for cookouts and community, calling us to break out the colorful (or paper) plates and disposable utensils, all while getting a little creative with the presentation.

It's not okay to be selfish and step on other people for our gain or pleasure. But it is okay to take care of ourselves. To take time away from other people when we need space to recharge. To look after our basic needs for sleep, health, nutrition, etc...

Losing weight is not easy, but our bodies will thank us for it. Additionally, it allows us to be a good stewards of our bodies and to demonstrate we are ready to serve the Lord.

God made each of us with unique personality features (and even quirks). Most of us are either extra social or near-fearful of social interactions—neither is wrong or right.

I hope you can find your way through these solid biblical resources and lean into the truth of God’s Word and truly understand who you are in Him. God loves you and has a purpose for your life. When we take the time to study His Word and continue to dig in at deep levels, God can reveal to us so many beautiful truths about Him and our world.

No one is perfect except for Jesus. But Jesus is our role model, our head. We are his hands and feet in the world.  A woman of God remembers this and acts accordingly, modeling his ways and doing her part to raise up other believers in his name.

Just as on an airplane you must put the breathing mask on yourself first before you can help someone else, it is the same with self-care. Although our time is limited and our two to-do list can get quite long, it's still important to incorporate these practices into our lives. 

Why is there so much admiration for someone who only appears once in Scripture? Part of the reason can actually be found in the reaction of those that knew her, as they saw her illness and death. The story of this Godly woman offers insights for Christians who want to make a real difference in their communities.

I look ahead, or just right in the mirror, and see wrinkles and gray hair and a softer middle. I give that woman a hug. She has lost her angles and rough edges and is the kind of woman I want to be embraced by. 

If you have been watching the church world at all in recent months, I don’t need to walk you through the brouhaha surrounding Beth Moore leaving the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) over her calling to teach, or the attempt by the SBC to remove Saddleback Church, where “America’s Pastor” Rick Warren served so faithfully for so many years, for ordaining two women to serve as pastors.

When we get rid of excess stuff, we say to God, “All of my stuff is yours. The less stuff I have, the more I can be used for your purposes.” 

I looked back on the first few months of my son's life with shame and regret. The countless times I'd walked by him to go to my daughter, the moments I'd wished I'd never had him, and the fantasies I'd devised to give him to someone who really needed a baby. All of it was shameful to me. I had failed as a new mother. I had to forgive myself.

It took years to start receiving love and words of affirmation about my body from my husband. In counseling women, I've listened to countless stories of how they have a hard time receiving love and words of affirmation from their husbands – even when they tell them how beautiful they are on a daily basis. To receive love, we must replace rejection with God's revelation. Let's break that down into practical steps.