A Strong Proverbs 31 Woman

The Proverbs 31 woman was as tough as nails.

She was a HELP to her husband. She managed the home, making the decisions within, considered a field and bought it and worked it. She made things with her hands. She was resourceful. She had grit.

She wasn't a damsel in distress, waiting for her husband to get her out of every dire situation. She wasn't helpless, she was helpful. She wasn't whiny or clingy, instead, her husband and children sang her praises. She wasn't a drain, she made her husband look good.

Pioneer women had grit. They had to follow their husbands to the ends of the earth sometimes, and make homes out of hills. They had to learn to be resourceful. They had to raise children in dire situations. They had to learn to garden and live off of the land, and sometimes hunt. They had to watch their husband leave to work elsewhere for the winter, while they fed the livestock and milked cows and butchered chickens. They had to be strong physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Being a strong woman with a strong personality has nothing to do with feminism. It has everything to do with being strong in mind, body, and spirit.

I think sometimes Christian women get the wrong mindset when it comes to godliness, especially pertaining to being a good wife and a mother.

Godliness isn't something that morphs us all into the same robotic person with the same personality. It's not never having an opinion. It's not never speaking. It's not silence.

Godliness is about loving the husband that God gave YOU. Following the leadership of YOUR husband. Being a help to YOUR husband. No other man.

There is nothing wrong or sinful with being an intelligent woman. There is nothing wrong or sinful with having an outgoing personality.

There is nothing wrong or sinful with having strong opinions.

There is nothing wrong or sinful about having grit, running a business, being as tough as nails, or being resourceful.

These things have all served me well being married to who I am married to.

Planting a church meant that both my husband and I had to have a "pioneer spirit." I followed his leadership, and I had no idea what was ahead. There have been many tough, lean years.

If I didn't have grit, I would have quit long ago.

Pioneer women didn't leave their men in the wilderness. They had to have determination, grit, loyalty, and a "victor" mentality, not a "victim" mentality.

Our generation is spoiled, and we need women of today to start showing their daughters what it is like to be the daughter of Sarah.

Sarah, who also had grit and a strong personality.

Christians, let's stop shaming women into a "one box fits all" mentality when godliness is simply becoming more like Christ every day, following the leading of your husband, loving him well and loving your kids well, and glorifying God with your life.