Driving through the backwood country roads of Texas without directions is not my idea of a fun day.
I always try my best to plan ahead, look at the map and make sure I know the best route before leaving my house. This day was different. I was meeting up with some friends at a fun Texas style restaurant and I decided to fully rely on my phone’s GPS to get me there.
Everything was going great until I was about halfway into my journey and my phone decided to stop working. The maps completely froze up and I basically had no idea where I was going or how I was going to get there. I knew the name of the restaurant and I knew the general (very very general) idea of what road it was near.
I decided to keep driving.
When I pulled over the hill and saw the restaurant sign in the distance, my heart was literally so relieved. Although the country roads of Texas are filled with beautiful sights and have pastures with grazing cows (like tons of cows) I don’t enjoy driving without directions. I like knowing where I’m going and I like taking the best and most effective route to get to my destination.
So often in life, we as women, live as if we don’t have directions.
We “drive” forward hoping that we will make it to our final destination (wherever we think that might be). We try our best to live in a way that we think is “successful” hoping we are doing life right. More often than not, we listen to the loudest voice in our culture, which is typically Hollywood, and hope they’ve discovered the right path. We follow in their footsteps in hopes to find true peace, satisfaction, and purpose.
I’ve got some really great news!
We don’t have to “drive” through life without a GPS. We don’t have to wander in hopes of making it over the hill and happen upon our destination. The truth is, we as women, were given a “GPS” for life many, many, many, years ago.
In the process of writing my book, Girl Defined: God’s Radical Design for Beauty Femininity and Identity, I discovered that there are a ton of verses in the Bible to guide and direct us. We aren’t left with a broken phone or GPS.
We have directions. We have answers.
God didn’t create us and then leave us stranded without directions. He didn’t intend for us to follow the celebrities in hopes of finding answers. He has a ton to say in the Bible. If we are willing to study it, read it and apply it to our lives, we can have the purpose, hope, direction and satisfaction that we as women long for.
Check out this section from GirlDefined.
“Although every woman’s life will look uniquely different, the principles found in these verses should be the foundation on which every woman builds her life. This is our road map. This is our guide.
We encourage you to read these directions carefully.
Road Map to God-Defined Success:
She fears the Lord (Prov. 31:30).
She speaks words of wisdom (Prov. 31:26).
She welcomes hospitality (Prov. 31:20).
She teaches with kindness (Prov. 31:26).
She takes great care of her home and family (Prov. 31:27,
Titus 2:5).
She loves and respects her husband (Prov. 31:11–12).
She loves her children (Titus 2:4).
She’s not lazy or idle with her time (Prov. 31:27)
She works really hard morning until night (Prov. 31:15,18).
She’s respectful in her behavior (Titus 2:3).
She mentors younger women (Titus 2:4).
She’s self-controlled in her words and actions (Titus 2:5).
She pursues purity in every area of her life (Titus 2:5).
God has a lot to say about womanhood. These verses make it clear that God-defined success isn’t measured by how much money we make, how many degrees we’ve earned, how prestigious our career, how big we’ve grown our ministry, how many kids we’ve had, how large our house, or how fancy our car. God’s standard for success is based on the condition of our hearts. He’s looking for women who share His vision for womanhood, value the things He values, and pursue the things He loves.”
I want to encourage you to step on the brakes and pull up your map.
Don’t continue through life without seriously considering what God has to say about His plan for your womanhood. He is your Creator and He knows what will make you most satisfied and what will bring Him the most glory.
What About You?
- When it comes to your womanhood, whose roadmap are you following? God’s or the Cultures?
- Are there any areas in your life that you know are not in line with God’s design for you?
- What changes do you need to make to live out God defined femininity?
