Lessons for Life

Life-lessons are so important to me. I love to see examples of timeless truths in daily circumstances, in God's works of creation, from the lips of precious ladies, and especially from the pages of the Bible.

I listened to the last paragraph of Beautiful Girlhood being read as I folded laundry last Saturday evening. It was a bittersweet moment. Beautiful Girlhood was one of the most wisdom-rich books I have ever experienced. Yet I felt there was so much more that could be said, such depths of wisdom that I still needed to hear and apply. As Proverbs tells us, "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters." There is so much sweet, refreshing water in this book, and I feel that my bucket is far too small to bring up all that I want from it. I am more convinced than ever to share the entire volume on my blog, for I see how desperately young ladies today need to hear its timeless message, calling us to be all we can be as Godly ladies by God's grace.

Ladies, do you not see what a noble calling God has given to us? Why is God's standard for marriage and motherhood so despised? How did it happen? I feel like weeping as I see what has our enemy has accomplished in so short a time! One of God's best gifts has been turned into a curse, a burden, a hindrance to fulfillment and happiness, when that priceless gift is the surest source of satisfaction we can ever have. Satan is so good at what he does, and his best tools are those we possess ourselves: selfishness and conceited ideas shaped by society.

We are not going to find God's plan for us in the world.  God's plan is not popular; it is viewed as old-dated and confining to the abilities and rights of women. To hear people talk, God's plan is wrong! But God says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa. 5:20) The truth is, real freedom and fulfillment as a woman can only be found as we follow God's perfect plan for us. It has been hidden beneath the trash-heap of feminist ideas. We must seek God's wisdom out diligently or we will not find it.

I have heard it said that every woman today, however committed to God's purpose and plan for women, has had her thinking shaped even a little by the world's twisted view of womanhood. If that is true, then we need to seek out the truth that much more actively. Perhaps Beautiful Girlhood is geared more towards younger teen girls, but its wisdom is needed by all. The foolish, self-centered hearts that young ladies possess today bear sufficient evidence to this desperate need for wisdom. The simple lessons of life have not been learned. This book is for every one of us.

Beautiful Girlhood is needed especially by young girls whose hearts are impressionable and ready to receive all that is given. It is vital that our girls learn these precious lessons while their lives are still innocent, unmarred and pure. But the lessons are also for those of us in our late teens and early twenties. We can better appreciate the value of its Biblical truths, we can more diligently apply what we learn, and we can more firmly purpose that those life-changing, life-giving truths will not be taken from us.

I love studying the book of Esther. One of the most outstanding virtues I see in her life was her humble heart that resulted in her willingness to obey the Lord. Oh, if we would just learn the same truths Esther knew, our lives and our homes would be so much happier, so peaceful, and so blessed. We would get so much more done for God if we would simply learn what submission of heart truly is. Satan does not want us to know how rewarding submission is so he deceives us into thinking it is something it is not. Submission is not a curse; submission blesses us! I am currently working on an article about Esther which found its source in an assignment for one of my Bible college courses. If I can ever get it organized into decent, readable material, I will share it with you. =) I pray it will be a blessing to you. Discovering these hidden truths about Esther has so enriched my own life.

In the painting: "The Conversation" by Daniel Ridgway Knight