How are you after reading this first chapter? How are you feeling about who you are as a woman created in the image of God? So many emotions went through my heart as I read this chapter. Some of them were raw and some were just those emotions that you could not describe because they are mixed.
A couple of things jumped from the pages of the book straight into my heart. Let me just highlight one or two things that I found to be fundamental while read this chapter. “God created you as a woman. “God created man in his own image … male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
Whatever it means to bear God’s image, you do so as a woman. Female. That’s how and where you bear His image. Your feminine heart has been created with the greatest of all possible dignities-as a reflection of God’s own heart. You are a woman to your soul, to the very core of your being.”
“Every woman in her heart of hearts longs for three things: to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. That’s what makes a woman come alive.”
With that said let us go through our review. There are so many things to take away from this first chapter alone.
Monday: Introduction: I (Jackie) started us off by telling you what this book is not about – what we are failing to do as a woman.
• I also talked about the stereotypes that we face as women and that we should not be defined by them. Whether I relate more to Cinderella or Joan of Arc, the most important thing that I should embrace is that I AM A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
• Lastly, I shared about the expectations that have been placed upon us by our families, cultures and churches. How the Proverbs 31 woman has impacted on our lives.
Tuesday: Unseen, Unsought, Uncertain – The Heart of a Woman: Tonya pointed us to the reality that most of us women avoid dealing with matters of the heart and how she feels like a failure because she cannot live according to the standards of a woman.
• Tonya shared this profound statement and I quote “One night, a while ago I was reading this verse and I realized that I need not guard my heart from outside influences but I also need to guard my heart from myself; from my mind and from my words, from my self-imposed standards. I realized that what I say to myself can do just as much damage as what others may speak into my life.”
Wednesday: To Be Romanced – Beauty to Unveil: Carissa took us to the movies as she talked about how love transformed Lizzy in Pride and Prejudice. She highlighted the reasons why most of us women are ashamed to show our desire to be seen, wanted and pursued.
• Our culture tells us to be ashamed of such desires. • Women don’t want to show that they are vulnerable and helped by being romantic.
• Most of us have hardened our hearts so that we do not show the desire to be the Beauty because we feel like the Beast of the story. Carissa also noted that a shared adventure does not necessarily have to be shared with a man. It simply involves people.
“I know that God has a great adventure in store for each of us – and as women, it’s our duty to seek it.
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” We must seek Him to discover these desires – the desires that He’s laid on our hearts from our very creation.”
Thursday: By Way of the Heart: Michelle looked at how we were created as men and women.
• Men want a battle to fight, adventure, a beauty to rescue; women want to be romanced, to play a role in a great adventure, and to unveil beauty. “A woman in the presence of a good man, a real man, loves being a woman. His strength allows her feminine heart to flourish. His pursuit draws out her beauty. And a man in the presence of a real woman loves being a man. Her beauty arouses him to play the man; it draws out his strength. She inspires him to be a hero.”
• Michelle also highlighted the fact that as much as we have these desires “the reality of all this is that many of these desires haven’t been met, hopes or dreams have been broken. And that is okay for now. This is why we are here. This is why we draw close to God. We don’t want to live that double life where everything is fine on the surface, in front of your friends, family, and church; but when you go home and are alone, it doesn’t feel fine. It feels like something is missing. God doesn’t want us in this place. He will meet us there, and He will bring us to where we are meant to be.”
Let me conclude our review with this from Stasi. “God did not place these longings in our hearts to torment us. Rather, they reveal the secret of who we truly are and the role that is ours to play. There is so much hope here, hope to become the woman you secretly long to be, the woman who is romanced, irreplaceable, and utterly beautiful.”
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LET’S PRAY
Father, thank You for this week. Thank You for helping me understand who I am as a woman and that I should not be ashamed of the desires that You have placed in me. I was created for romance, I am irreplaceable and beautiful. Help me to allow these truths to sink deep in my heart so that I can embrace my femininity. In Jesus Name. Amen.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
There so many things to take away from chapter 1 and I have just reviewed but a few. Share in the comment section below statements, quotes or Bible verses that have left a mark in your heart from this chapter.
Be Blessed,
Jackie
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About Jackie Chingawale
thanks, jackie…great review! i am always struck deep in my heart by this paragraph: "i know i am not alone in this nagging sense of failing to measure up, a feeling of not being good enough as a woman. …something deeper than just the sense of failing at what she DOES…of failing at who she IS. i am not enough, and, i am too much at the same time. not pretty enough, not thin enough, not gracious enough, not disciplined enough. BUT too emotional, too needy, too sensitive, too strong, too opinionated, too messy." only the One Who loves-me-so. can help me to have balance in this and to be satisfied in being just who He made me to be. daily He helps me to change. i am so thankful! <3
Amen Coleen, that is a thought provoking statement, most of us feel that way, we always compare ourselves with others, if only I could be this way then this will happen. Its only when we embrace who we are that we can enjoy life and be thankful to God for the blessings that He has bestowed on us.
The part of Chapter 1 that really stood out to me was on page 8, beginning with the end of the scripture: Prov 4:23 about guarding our hearts. After the scripture, we are asked why we should guard our hearts, and explained that our heart is center of our being. It's where our creativity, courage, and convictions, come from. It's where our faith, hope, and love, stem from. It's the "wellspring" of our life! We are reminded that our heart, as a woman, is THE most important thing about us. We are guard, protect, defend, take care of, and to watch over it. I am meditating on what it means to guard my heard, this week. This is such a good book!!!