The True Essence of a Woman
To be a woman is more then just flowery clothing, a long skirt, earrings and makeup, the ability to birth children.
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A true woman embraces her femininity, whether she is milking cows in the barn, helping bring in hay, or cooking a meal for her family in her frilly apron. She is uniquely feminine, and that does not change no matter what situation she finds herself in.
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Her heart is set on the Lord. She does not compromise her femininity with flirtatious looks, employ feminine charms to get her own way, or use her body to tempt men.
She thinks on what is true, acts on what is virtuous, and teaches her children in the ways of the Lord. She is a true helpmeet to her husband, or a single handmaiden serving the Lord.
She may not be blessed with abundant physical beauty, but her face may be radiant from the light of the Lord.
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This is what it is all about.
The feminine, modest clothing side of things is just a coverup if your heart isn’t really set on striving to be a woman of God. Oh we all fall – I’m so incredibly weak I just shake my head somedays and pray harder.
But we have to keep a vision before us of what we are striving for.
It’s not to be a feminine character from a Jane Austen novel.
We are made to get our hands dirty, to get on our knees and mop our floors, move our furniture around, and labor for hours on end to bring forth a miracle, a precious baby. Femininity has many different “faces” and not all of them are pretty, but they are all beautiful.
Caroline, this was such a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing.
I actually wrote it for the Modest Monday post, and then my husband told me it was a whole separate post. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Absolutely beautiful reminder!
Beautiful! Thank you!
This post could not have come at a better time for me. I have been spring cleaning our house top to bottom as well as helping my husband outside on our farm with the baby calves. Talk about dust, dirt, mud amongst other things! I was feeling discouraged by how unfemine I’ve been feeling, especially around my husband. But knowing I’m being a good helpmeet, wife and mommy to our 3 year old helps. I do have a question for you… I was advised by our doctor to not have any more children as I’m very high risk and had a very difficult pregnancy and labor with our daughter. She was in the Nicu for almost 2 months and we were both close to losing our lives. It is so heartbreaking because I would love more, but my husband refuses to adopt and is content with where we are. Am I less feminine if I only ever have one child?? I don’t have any Christian friends close by to confide in as we live in a pretty remote area. Or do I trust God with my health and try for another one? We have been praying but are still waiting for answers. My pastor just says to kee praying. Any advice for me? I am scared of being judged by other parents for only having one child. I don’t know how to handle this.
I really wish more Christians would talk about this. One tip I would have for you, Kathryn, is to make sure that you’re getting the advice about not having further pregnancies from a doctor who has a Christian worldview. I’m not diminishing your condition, and I do believe that there are many women who, for health reasons, should stop having children. However, there are also lots of doctors who will tell any woman after she’s had one that she should not have any more. I had a perfectly healthy pregnancy, labor, delivery, and child with our oldest child; and our pediatrician told me that I should probably not have any more (consistent with his worldview, and he would agree that my daughter and I were perfectly healthy.)
Thank you so much for your reply, Amy! It means so much to have your insight and to know other moms are going through this. I am so glad you and your daughter are healthy, just as me and my daughter are! My ob/gyn is a Christian and after asking for a second opinion, he referred me to a reproductive specialist who recommended I not have any more 🙁 I didn’t mention before that it took a long time to become pregnant with my child, and we do not use birth control at all and I have yet to get pregnant again. Maybe that is how God is answering me. It’s iust that after going through such difficulty, it is so hard to hear comments and even see judging looks from other moms, even Christian moms toward parents with only one child. I just hope everyone out there will stop and try and understand everyone’s situation is different and not to be harsh or judgememtal just because some moms don’t have as many children as they do. We aren’t any less Christian, womanly, hardworking or feminine. God has blessed me SO much that I have no reason to not be content with all He has given me already. I will continue to love and serve HIM with my whole heart, mind and strength and not let what I cannot control define me.