Learning to be Thankful, Joyful, & Content

(Hi! I'm Megan, one of the co-authors on Modern Christian Girls. Please be sure to read my profile, and feel free to visit my other blogs!)

 In theme w/ Mondays post, & what I have been learning this week, my first post on Modern Christian Girls will be on learning how to be thankful, joyful, & content in all circumstances, & becoming a  godly woman who honors God. Now, it is MUCH easier said than done; believe me! These are 3 traits that God has been sanctifying me in these past few months. (Along w/ patience)

I am in the middle of reading the book "Created to Be His Help Meet" by Debi Pearl. So far it is great!  The book is on learning to be a godly woman, & how to honor your husbands, & God. Now, I'm not married, but this book is great in helping to prepare young ladies & teach them how they can honor their future husbands, & God by honoring your father (or those who are in authority over you,) while you are still under his authority, & roof. It's not directed towards un-married women necessarily, (I'm only on chapter 9) but we can still learn from it so we are prepared for when that time comes!

The first several chapters are on learning to be thankful & joyful in ALL things! (Hebrews 3:15, Psalm 27:6, 1 Chronicles 16:8, 29:13, 2 Samuel 22:50, Psalm 33:1, Colossians 1:11-12 3:15 . That's just a few! Search on Bible Gateway, or in your Bible for more verses.) This really got me. Our present living situation isn't ideal, but God has us here for a reason, & I need to stop complaining, & instead, ask God to give me the patience to endure it, and to be thankful we are all together, healthy, & we have shelter!

" ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude(which is thankfulness) in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV - emphasis & definition mine)

Women or Wimps?

Today, I read Susan Brownmiller's essay Femininity in 100 Great Essays (edited by Robert Diyanni).
I'd like to point out a few of the points at which I believe she is incorrect (note that our definitions of femininity are different):

• False belief: Feminine women are not career-minded.
• Correction: Feminine women can be career-minded. I'm very thankful for all the female scientists, doctors, professors, authors, businesswomen, CEOs...it's possible for women to be in positions of leadership in the business and academic world without losing their femininity.
• False belief: Feminine women are men-worshipers and men-catchers
• Correction: Femininity has nothing to do with man-worshiping. It has more to do with worshiping God and the roles and desires He places in our hearts. One can be feminine, pure, and happily single.
• False belief: Feminine women are weak and sentimental.
• Correction: Weakness and sentimentality has nothing to do with feminism. If you're weak and sentimental, that's your problem. We should find our stability in Jesus, regardless of our views on feminism. Weakness and sentimentality is never the answer.

Being feminine is dressing like a lady and acting in a polite manner. Yes, femininity includes letting men initiate discussions, relationships, and not volunteering to lead a group if a man is available to volunteer (this is in casual settings, not so much in business settings). This is practicing Biblical male leadership - NOT TO BE MISTAKEN FOR MALE SUPERIORITY, which is not Biblical! I cannot stress that enough: leaders are equal with followers. In fact, without leaders there would be no followers, and without followers there would be no leaders. Simply because women should not lead in some situations does not mean they are inferior to men. It takes a certain strength to lead, and it takes another kind of strength to follow.

Questions for discussion:

• What is your definition of feminism? How do you feel about the three points presented above? Do you have a different opinion?
  
• What are your views on male/female leadership? In what situations is it appropriate for a woman to lead? In what situations is it appropriate for her to follow? When should a woman sit back and wait for a man to lead, even if he is not initiating?

What's this blog about?

Hi girls,
I started this blog for Christian girls who are trying to establish a balance between being culturally relevant and Biblically obedient. I want to follow Christ in all I do, which means following 1 Timothy 2:7-8 ("In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us").

In the same line of thinking, however, I believe the Bible does not call us to be completely isolated from the culture:

• In Acts 10:13, Jesus tells Peter to "Kill and eat," just like the Romans in Peter's culture did. This became a witnessing tool.
• Romans 14:20 NIV: "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble." I don't think this verse applies to food alone.
• 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NIV: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved." (emphasis mine)

The culture is trying to make girls look like men in the way they dress. They're trying to make girls act like men in the way they act. Nevertheless, God created men and women with equal but different roles, roles that are each beautiful in their own way. In this culture, we must find what it means to be a real, modern, feminine girl.
Besides, what would the world do without women? ;)
Questions for discussion:

• What do you think it means to be "culturally relevant"? Where do you draw the line between cultural connection and feminine living?
• What are the patterns in your life right now? Are you more feminine or more feminist? What are you doing to follow God? What are you doing that is cultural?
• Do you have any suggestions? (blog topics you'd like to see, ideas on how to be feminine yet relevant, etc).