Since that day, when I fully acknowledged who He was and grasped something of the immeasurable love and sacrifice demonstrated at the cross, I’ve been on a mission: to know Him more, to love Him more, to become more like Him and to make Him known to others. Even though for much of the time I was still in the same circumstances, I was not the same old me–I was a new creation…Let’s not stay the same as we once were. He is calling us to dedicate our lives to Him, to be women of God who bring Him much glory.

These motivating words are the heart of and the introduction to Beth Redman’s book–Beautiful: How to Be a Woman of God. I bought it the first week in June and that night I read it–all in one sitting, it was so inspiring! I liked it so much that we used it to do a weekly study for the high school girls in our ministry. Every Thursday this summer we’ve packed out our living room with high school girls who want to be women of God. I would read the chapter aloud and wrote study questions that we discussed with passages to guide our conversation. Tonight we finished the book and I wanted to share this review in hopes that this book will be a resource to many others as it has ministered to me all summer!

In ten chapters Redman takes us back to the beginning when God created woman and from this point gives clear, Biblical direction for a woman to be living her life for God, starting with a relationship with Him. She shows that you can’t just work harder at being the woman you want to be, but have to surrender all to Christ as Savior and become all that He wants you to be. After laying this foundation she administers Scripture in going after our struggles, habits and hopes and also a three chapter look at the woman of Proverbs 31. She writes with such a simple, passionate and personal tone that it wasn’t hard to get into each chapter and come away with specific things to work on in my own life. Here are some highlight thoughts–

“God’s grace is enough for our deepest anguish, for the pray we feel He’s never heard and for the sadness that for awhile we must live with. In pain, we should not take things into our own hands. We must continue to call on Him, our Savior. We need to trust Him even though our world is caving in. At times of breakdown, we are often nearest to a breakthrough.”

Chapter 3–”I Want to Be an Uncomplicated Woman” p. 33

“The question for all of us is this: Are we working out God’s calling to us humbly and with reverence, gently seeking to become who He wants us to be? Or are we aggressively fighting for freedom in ways that do not match His design?”

Chapter 4–”I Want to Know Who I Am” p.39

“The Christian life is not you on your own, striving to make things happen by mere willpower, discipline or determination. Instead, it is something far more glorious: ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’ (Col. 1:27)…The gloriously strong Maker and Sustainer of the universe is living in you–through the power of His Holy Spirit.”

Chapter 10–”Christ in You, the Hope of Glory” p. 106

The style and readability of this book makes it effective especially for younger women, maybe targeting the college age but easily adaptable for women of all ages. Redman’s message for women to follow Christ by embracing their role is a timeless and exhortation that doesn’t apply to one age group over another. I would definitely recommend this book to young women. My heart yearns to see more young women give up everything for God, embrace His plan for them and be transformed into women who radiate His beauty. In this book Beth Redman so effectively asks the questions, encourages with God’s Word and cuts to the heart that it can be a very helpful tool in this process.

To note: Several times Redman quotes people that I didn’t always agree with. She also used many Scripture references quoted from The Message translation which isn’t the best. For more thoughts on this please read this post about concerns with The Message translation.

It’s hard to believe that it is already the last week of August and that all the stores already have clearance shelves for their back-to-school goods and are setting out the Halloween candy. To celebrate the end of summer, we’ve been on a somewhat spontaneous vacation. We had received a free night to the Embassy Suites, so we enjoyed it in San Diego for the last three days. Tyler was crazy about giant koi down in the lobby, I’m pretty sure he would have jumped in for a swim with them if he could have! They had a little dispenser where for 25 cents you would get a handful of fish food and after we let him do it he would wake up saying, “Mommy, throw food to fish? Ding?(that’s the sound of the elevator) Please?!” We relaxed at the beach, spent a day at Sea World and ordered take-out from my favorite restaurant one night. It was a really nice vacation.

This is the first so-titled “vacation” we’ve taken with Tyler. It’s interesting how the whole idea of a “vacation” changes when you have a child. Before Tyler I would have defined “vacation” as lot’s of “me” time–sleeping in, getting some kind of pampering (massage or pedicure), peaceful, no interruptions, anything we want to do we do, don’t want we don’t. Now, I haven’t had any of these expectations for awhile now. But it’s actually pretty sad that it takes having a child to realize that it’s not all about me.

Being a mom doesn’t give me some secret enlightenment on life, just an opportunity to recognize how self absorbed I can be. Often I hear moms talking about giving up sleep and hobbies for their kids. It sometimes seems that we like to make personal sacrifice count as a kind of religion in God’s eyes. It doesn’t. In reality we could be pulling all-nighters with sick babies, losing ourselves in caring for our families and still not have a heart that pleases God. It’s being a follower of Christ, not just a mom, that changes the how, why, and what of our lives. There is a beautiful quote by Elisabeth Elliot that has been a huge inspiration to me–

We are called to be women. The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman. For I have accepted God’s idea of me, and my whole life is an offering back to Him of all that I am and all that He wants me to be.

On this vacation the Lord used some simple things to show my selfishness to me. And at one point I felt such a heaviness because I kept insisting on my way, but He kept showing me that it did not please Him. I guess I had an epiphany when I considered that being a wife and mom is a role, not a job.

A job you need a vacation from. God gave us this pattern of rest when, in Creation, He worked for six days and on “the seventh day He rested” (Genesis 2:2). But a role is a relationship, not a “job.” How would we feel if our husbands said, “Sweetie, I need a vacation from being your husband, I’ll be back next week.” This is not God’s design! It’s fine to get away as a couple and have a day you get time to do things without your children, but even though relationships take work, and some more ongoing physical labor than others (i.e.:with a baby), we shouldn’t make so much of this sacrifice.

As moms we do daily exert a lot of physical energy, but this never justifies selfishness or demanding things we think we are then entitled to. Being women doesn’t put us in a special class who is allowed to be selfish at times because we do a certain kind of work. But being a Christian makes me a radically different woman. Being a Christian wife and mother means that I follow my Lord’s example. What did He do? He was God and yet…

“(He) made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:7-8

Wow. As a frail, sinful human, I can act like I’m so entitled. I have a hard time humbling myself to the point of wholeheartedly embracing basic things God has commanded like His design for my role as a wife and mother. How would I ever be emptied to the point of death for the Lord?

If God, who alone is worthy, emptied Himself to the point of death for me, I should certainly be able to care for my family without even thinking twice about what I have to give up. It takes work to make sure my heart and attitudes are in the right place–doing nothing out of selfishness but in humility considering others as better than myself (Philippians 2:3-4). We shouldn’t even consider any personal “sacrifice” but give our whole lives as an offering back to Him. Anybody with me?

It’s amazing how something so small can make Tyler so happy! Today I bought Tyler a Winnie the Pooh bubble maker for $5 from the summer clearance shelf at Walgreens. You pour the bubble solution into the base and then the fan blows hundreds of bubbles continuously. He loves it! Tyler is getting so good at talking in sentences and remembering to say “please” and sometimes “thank you.” It’s so fun to see how much he can take in and watch him interact with people.

My younger sister Monica (Tyler calls her “Peeka”)came down for the weekend, it was her birthday so we had some people over for a party. Tyler ran into the living room after his bath with both arms up shouting “Hi everybody!” And then repeated the whole thing ten times or more. It was hilarious. I don’t know what’s funnier, Tyler or a whole roomful of adults so entertained by his antics!

Monday our Disneyland passes were unblocked from the busy season. So we went up with my older sister, Alicia and took Monica and her boyfriend Sean for the day. To see pictures from the last week, click here!

Summer is coming to an end. All our beach days and BBQ’s are finished for the summer and we are starting to gear up for fall. Our high school students will be going back to school in the next weeks so our schedule will readjust for our school-year with small group Bible studies and more consistent meetings with students and leaders. I’m excited that Women’s Bible Study will be starting back up in a couple of weeks. Even though I feel kind of tired as summer is coming to a close, I’m reminded again of 1 Corinthians 15:58 and am excited about the new things we will be giving ourselves to in the fall.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

No matter what the season or changes in our circumstances we need to be spending ourselves full-time in what God has given us to do. I pray that as we look back at our summer that we don’t see a chunk of time wasted but weeks of giving of ourselves to others…labor that was not in vain!

One thing I have really appreciated about Martha Peace’s The Excellent Wife is its Biblical clarity. She doesn’t sugar coat anything. She presents what God expects of a Christian wife in her straightforward way and then helps the reader see what they must do to obey God’s call. If you are married, or hope to be married, I highly recommend this book!

Chapter 6 dishes up another ample serving of conviction as Peace discusses God’s perfect plan in the different roles of husband and wife. I remember a time the quote I’m about to share would have been a jaw-clencher for me. I would have bristled and felt defensive at the idea that I wasn’t designed to be the leader, he was. But praise the Lord that He knows me better than I do. He has designed men and women for unique purposes and He is glorified when we lay down our imperfect issues with His perfect plan and wholeheartedly embrace His perspective. The sooner we do this, the more we will be enjoying the peace and contentment that comes from taking God at His Word.

If your desire as a Christian wife is to glorify God, you must first understand God’s perspective. He is the only one who has the insight of Creator and Redeemer. What is God’s plan for the role of husbands and wives from His perspective? There are at least five issues to consider.

1) Men and women are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

2) In the order of creation, man was created first. The husband was created to rule over the earth; the wife, later, was created to be a “helper” that would be suitable for him. Both, none-the-less, were created in God’s image, but each one was created to carry out a different role.

3) Woman was created for the man, not man for the woman. “For a man is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from
woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not
created for woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake.” 1 Corinthians 11:7-9

4) The effects of the fall of man. In the beginning, God created man as ruler of the earth. Man’s wife was created to be a “helper suitable” for him. As a result of their sin, God pronounced judgment or a curse on them both. There were many painful effects of their rebellion and disobedience: death, thorns and thistles in the ground, pain in childbirth, and a power struggle between the man and his wife. (Genesis 3:16)

Whereas before the fall there was harmony between Adam and Eve in fulfilling their roles, now there would be a power-play as they both sought to dominate the other…Subsequently, Christ came to redeem us from the curse and if you are “in Christ” (as Christians), you and your husband have the potential to regain much of what was lost at the fall of man…you do have the capacity to have the harmony in your marriage that God intended.

5) The husband was and still is to be the head of his wife (Ephesians 5:23). Your husband is to be the one in charge…(meaning) that he is responsible for managing his home.

The Excellent Wife, p. 47-52

Peace’s goal in this chapter is to get us, as Christian wives, to see that our role is to glorify God and submit to our husband. We might find it easy to see that Eve was created to be Adam’s helper, but how can we do better at fulfilling our role of “helper” for our husbands?

You spread out the skies over empty space
Said “let there be light”
Into a dark and formless world Your light was born

You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said “let there be light”
Into a dark and hopeless world Your Son was born

You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only Son for You are good

What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God

These are lyrics to a great worship song called “Wonderful Maker” by Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin. I was reading Job 26 last week and I was excited to see that is the chapter that inspired these lyrics. Years ago I thought that God being our Maker wasn’t one of the “big” issues. It wasn’t part of the gospel or anything, right? Wrong. God being our Maker is the foundational issue we must cross in coming to Him.

When I went to church this morning I saw that we would be hearing a teacher from an organization for creation/evolution research. Honestly, I kind of thought it would be a boring lecture that I would battle to follow all the points and stay awake for. Previously when I’ve heard a lesson about this I think, “I agree with the guy but I’m not passionate about this.” What a horrible perspective! After being so blessed by his challenge as to why creation is so important we sang the above song in our high school group…”What a wonderful Maker, what a wonderful Savior…”

Since moving to Orange County and Compass Bible Church, I’ve been really challenged on this point and I am so excited to really grasp how important it is that God is our Maker. I heard our Pastor Mike talk abut sharing the gospel and he explained that God being our Creator was the first part we should talk about when witnessing to someone. In our discipleship workbook called Partners, Pastor Mike writes–

The first verse in the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible teaches that God created everything that is, including you and me. The implications of this truth are huge. If God made us, then he is ultimately in charge! He owns us and we are responsible to him. He retains full rights over us as the Designer and Creator of human life.

If God is my Creator then He is in charge of my life. This truth bears huge weight because so many people live like life is theirs, but it simply isn’t. Every life belongs to God whether the person is right with Him or not. Grasping the importance of this really shows the amazing work of God’s salvation for what it is. Here a holy God created us, but we wanted sin. Instead of just tossing us away He has compassion on us. He loved us. He brings about a plan to redeem us. He is supreme. There is none higher than being the One who has existed eternally and brought into being everything that is. God is incredible. How foolish we are to try to exalt ourselves to this place. When we consider Him as Maker of everything, we should not hesitate to fully cast our all into His hands.

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17