Women: A Renewing of the Mind

Okay, so it's been more than two weeks since I posted about the Renewing of the Mind challenge. I'm finally sitting at my computer ready to post (okay... I'm sitting on the couch with Micah on my lap nursing, and my computer beside me...typing with one hand. It's slow going!).

So, things didn't go quite as well for me as I had hoped. I did manage to avoid false messages about womanhood, for the most part (or as much as you realistically can in today's world without becoming a hermit!). But I had difficulty spending more time reading/listening to Esther, Ruth, and Proverbs. I listened to the rest of Mark Driscoll's sermons on women in Proverbs, listened to Ruth on the audio Bible, and studied the first half of Esther. At this point in my life, it's much easier to listen, than read... although "listening" does not always mean "focused listening"!

So here are some of my thoughts:

PROVERBS
-it is such a privilege to be able to be a stay-at-home wife and mother!!!!
-as a Mom, it is primarily my job to raise and influence my children for Christ, and this is a huge and awesome task!
-everything I do is either building up or tearing down my husband - and I want to be intentional about building him up and NOT tearing him down!
-being a wife and being a Mom who loves God, follows Him, and lives biblically, is a ministry!! I am not any less involved in ministry now... in fact I am in full-time ministry, serving the Lord!

Listening to those sermons about femininity in Proverbs really encouraged and challenged me to live intentionally in ways that will build up my husband and kids. I want to be a biblical wife and mother!

RUTH
-okay, this is lame, but I have no real thoughts on Ruth. My study of Ruth was a definite weak point!

ESTHER
-I was really impressed by Esther's obedience and respect for authority.
-In what seems to me like really hard circumstances, she did her best. She didn't whine and complain and try to get out of it... she put her heart into it, and I think she glorified God in the way she responded to her circumstances.
-Although this isn't explicit in the text, I think Esther had high trust in God. She called a fast, knowing that her situation (and that of the Jews) was out of their control, and they needed God to intervene.
-Esther was bold and courageous! She went in to see the King, uninvited, knowing it could bring her death.

THE RESULT
Spending these two weeks intentionally avoiding false messages and filling my mind with the truth, really filled me with a sensitivity about, and distaste for the world's perspective on women. I feel inspired and ready to live intentionally and biblically as a wife and mother, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

well, that's all for now. Micah is long since done eating, and I need to go. But if you participated, please leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you learned!

Women: A Renewing of the Mind

I’ve been listening through parts of Pastor Mark Driscoll’s Proverbs sermon series, and today I listened to Women and Femininity. Near the end, he calls women to a renewing of the mind. Here’s the challenge (slightly revised):

FAST from tv, secular radio, music, women’s magazines, romance novels, etc... anything that is a source of false messages regarding womanhood and biblical femininity.
READ the books of Proverbs, Ruth, and Esther - repeatedly. Keep a pen, highlighter, and notebook handy, and STUDY these books.
Do this for TWO WEEKS.

I’ve decided to commit myself to doing this. However, being realistic, having a new baby means that I will listen to these books (audio Bible), more than read them. But still I will do my best to take notes and make observations.

Why am I telling you this?

First, because I need some accountability. If I just do this without telling anyone, my plans will probably fail. Second, I’m hoping some of you will join me!

So here’s the deal: if you decide to take the renewing of the mind challenge, leave a comment to let me know. Then, at the end of the two weeks, I’ll post again, and you’ll have a chance to leave a comment again, letting us all know about your progress and any observations you have, etc. And of course, if you’d rather, you can comment anonymously.

Let’s make the official start date tomorrow, February 4, and we’ll end on February 17. I’ll do my best to post with my observations the next day, February 18.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I ask that you will prompt those whom you want to be a part of this. Use this time of focused study to open our eyes to Your will for our lives as women. Grow our understanding of biblical femininity and how You want us to live. Guide us in Your truth.
In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!