Word-Filled-Wednesday

“For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” (I Pet 3:5-6 NIV)

Fearlessly Feminine

"Abraham’s Wife, Sarah, could have lived her life in the shadow of fear. She struggled with many of the fears women have faced through the ages: infertility, moving from a familiar to an unknown place, a husband who asked difficult—even wrong—things of her, jealousy and conflict among the members of her household (see Genesis chapters 12-23). Yet she would not let her fears dominate her. She trusted in God, and He honored her for it. Her name is mentioned in the Bible more than any other woman’s. When Peter wanted to teach us how to be pure and reverent and beautiful, he used Sarah as an example."

"Fear is a hard taskmaster. It leaves us exhausted and drained, uncertain and off balance. It keeps us looking over our shoulders for the next trial to begin, wondering if we’ll have enough inner reserve to carry on. Fear is self-perpetuating. It grows as we feed it with time and attention. Fear is the chief enemy of the feminine soul. It robs us of our ability to nurture those around us. Fear thwarts our receptivity. It intercepts our love for others. It debilitates our faith. It is Satan’s trap, binding us to self-absorption."

Fear is the chief enemy of the feminine soul. It robs us of our ability to nurture those around us. Fear thwarts our receptivity. It intercepts our love for others. It debilitates our faith. It is Satan’s trap, binding us to self-absorption.

"I do not know what fears assault your heart today. You know. God knows. He wants to take those fears away and replace them with peace as you trust in Him. He is the one who is able to help you live in loveliness and serenity because 'the Lord of peace' is with you, and He will 'give you peace at all times and in every way' (2 Thess 3:16). Let Him help you fall in love with your destiny as a woman. Let Him replace your fears with a dignified confidence of mind and heart."

"God through Christ is able to make us women who do not look for fulfillment in our homes or our careers or our bodies or the achievements of our children or our talents or our brains. He is able to make us women who find ourselves in Him. He wants to replace our fears with faith in Him. His plan for us is good and pleasing and perfect. Let us trust in God enough to leave our whiny self-absorption behind and look to Him. He will make us vital Christian women who demonstrate the beauty and power of Christ. He will help us match the moment in which we live. He will make us fearlessly feminine."

Excerpts are quoted from Fearlessly Feminine: Boldly Living God’s Plan for Womanhood by a pastor's wife,
Jani Ortlund. I highly recommended this book, especially for ministry wives.


If you had a tiny, niggling fear in the back of your mind, what would it be?


Visit The 160 Acre Woods and let Amydeanne and the other bloggers encourage you with their Word-Filled-Wednesday posts.


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