It's Tough Being A Woman!

Last week I finished a Beth Moore bible study on the book of Esther. It's subtitle was "It's Tough Being A Woman". It was a great study and I would suggest it to any of my girlfriends looking for a good book to study. God used Beth to relay messages from the book of Esther on many subjects we women need to talk about and think about. Each week I learned something new! Today I will meet my bible study group for our traditional "we've finished another study luncheon". It's a good time to reflect on what we've learned and fellowship together.

As I prepare to meet my bible study girlfriends, I can't help but think about all their prayer requests during the last few weeks. Requests for salvation for family members. Requests for financial stress relief during this economy. Requests for healing of estranged relationships. Requests for physical healing. Many, many, many requests. And all these issues added to the typical roles we women play each day. Cook, nurse, driver, umpire, business woman, mentor, friend, wife, mom. Wow! I'm amazed at the women in my group and all that women go through.

I was also thinking about how great it is being a women. I love being a mom. I love being a wife. I love being in control of the menu in my house! I love hanging with the girlfriends. I love women's jewelry. I love the emotions God has given women. I love the passion God has given women. There are so many benefits to being a woman.

It is tough being a woman, but praise God I get the experience!

Romans 1

Wow! Have you ever read Romans in the bible? I'm inbetween bible studies right now, and thought I would read something before my next group study starts. God kept putting Romans on my mind, so today I started reading it. There is SO much information just in Chapter 1.

First of all, let me say that I love that the first verse talks about being "set apart" as a Christian. I don't mean this in a prideful way, I mean it in a blessed way. I like being set apart. I like being called a Christian. I like being associated with my Father. Honestly, I don't think most women in today's world that love Jesus understand they are set apart. If there's one thing I want to teach my daughter, it's that she is set apart. She is a daughter of the King. She is royalty. Now, don't get me wrong. She is in no way to take that as an ok to look down on others or be stuck up. It means she is to be a servant to others, but to carry herself as a princess. When we are watching Disney princess movies, I always try to emphasize how the princess is kind and loves others. That a princess always wants to help, and is never judgemental. That's what being set apart is all about.

And then there's the talk of sin in Romans 1:24-27. Boy I was quick to think about the sins of others when I read those verses. It's easy to point our fingers at others. But then, I read Romans 1:28-32. OUCH! Did he list "gossip and slandering"?!??! What about pride? Faithless? Wow. I was quickly reminded that sin is sin. No sin is worse than the other. And then God put right in my mind my daughter's memory verse for this week. Romans 3:23 "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". There you have it, Stephanie. YOU are a sinner. Be careful not to forget that when you are thinking about other people's sins!!!! You talk about perspective!

I love God's Word. It is molding me and changing the way I think. I'm not the person that I should be, but I'm certainly not the person I used to be. I've come a long way baby!

Absense makes the heart grow fonder.

It's an old saying. "Absense makes the heart grow fonder." Silly old saying. I'm learning this week that it's true. Dean has been in India on a business trip since last Thursday. Today he began his 2 day trip back to our home. He will be here tomorrow, but it seems light years away. I miss him so bad. I hope he had a great time visiting Singapore and India, but I want him home. Why is it that I feel like a piece of me is gone?

God helped me answer that this week through my Beth Moore bible study this week. Beth brought up Genesis 3: 16 in her recorded session. "To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Interesting. Very interesting. Now, this is an opinion, but it was a little glimpse of why I might be so sad when Dean is not here. Besides the fact that God joined us together as one through our marriage, God's word says a woman's desire will be for her husband. It also explains why his opinion means so much to me.

While I am thankful for that desire for my husband, I am also mindful not to take it to far. I don't want my identity to be in my husband. My identity should be in Christ Jesus alone. He should be my all and all.

This has been in my thoughts all this week. God has been working on me with remembering that He is my first love and that He will never leave me. AND, He loves my dear husband, Dean, and He will never leave Him either. It's comforting to know that although Dean is so far away, that we are both with our Lord and Savior at the same time. Sounds crazy.....maybe. But God's Word confirms it.

I love Jesus, and I thank Him for giving me the desire for my husband. I can't wait to see Dean tomorrow!!