A Godly Woman Makes the Gospel Attractive

There have been a few older women in my life that make the Gospel VERY unattractive. They are unhappy, legalistic and extremely critical.  If someone in their life isn't acting "Christian" or they aren't dressing modestly, they let them know in a critical way. They usually see the worst in everyone and are no fun to be around at all.

There have been other women who adorn the Gospel with the way they live their life. They are kind, loving, encouraging and positive. They are a joy to be around and after being with them, you are uplifted and happy. What kind of a woman are you? Do you see the cup half empty or half full? Do you base your joy on your circumstances or on all of the riches you have in Christ? It's supposed to be obvious to anyone who's looking that there's a huge difference between those who believe in Jesus and those who don't. The difference should be crystal clear. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.*

Women in our society spend billions of dollars trying to make themselves beautiful on the outside; makeup, hair styling, clothing, creams and potions, exercise, plastic surgery, etc. yet spend little time on becoming beautiful on the inside. I can tell you women, yes, men appreciate a well-groomed woman, but they much more appreciate a kind, joyful, warm, and generous woman. People will remember our looks for a moment but our inward beauty influences them long after we have left them. A gorgeous woman can become ugly if she is critical and unkind, whereas a plain woman becomes beautiful if she has a meek and quiet spirit who cares more about others than herself. Sadly, we often obsess over the type of beauty that fades, while we neglect the type that lasts - the unfading beauty of the heart, which is of great value in God's eyes {1 Peter 3:4}.*

Do any of you remember when I wrote the post about the Olympic ice skater Meryl Davis and when she was on Dancing with the Stars? I encourage you to read the post I wrote about her and how her gentleness and softness changed her partner, Maks who was known as a being arrogant and difficult to work with. No matter how upset and angry he would get with her, she would respond in a gentle and soft way and won Maks with her behavior. I don't know if she is a Christian but she put many of us who call ourselves Christians to shame!

In closing, I want to quote a statement made by a Spanish-speaking woman in the Dominican Republic, "He took me from being a feminist young woman - selfish and with earthly desires - to a new young woman. I didn't want to get married or have kids. I was studying medicine with the intention of just being rich and economically powerful. I was pretty opposite of God's design for me. After digging in His Word, everything began to change. My desires, goals in life, purpose - everything! Now He made me love my design and I can't stay quiet about this with other girls. Here I am giving up medicine for studying the Bible. It looks like craziness to people, but I know Whom I believe."*

Learn to appreciate God's design for you. He wants you to be a soft and gentle woman of God; one who seeks hard after Him to know Him and to live for Him. He wants us to have His goals for our life, not society's goals. He transforms our heart and makes us beautiful. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who is sold out for Jesus!

Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: 
but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31:30

Watch the accompanying video on Beauty HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman Teaches What is Good

This culture has lost its moral compass. It explains "good" as anything that feels good, brings pleasure, and entertains. Feminism defines "good" as anything that doesn't inconvenience {an unplanned pregnancy and children}, higher education, careers, fast-food and equal rights. Many believe "good" is getting something for doing nothing, making government bigger and more intrusive, and getting policemen out of the way so they can act as rebellious as they please. It is leaving a legacy of death and destruction.

This is not our home. We don't define "good" the way our culture does. We define good the way God defines it. God defines it has having self-control, working hard, husbands providing and women child-bearing and being keepers at home. It is being generous and helping those in need; respecting our leaders and obeying the laws of the land; respecting ALL life from the womb until death and avoiding any pleasure or entertainment that isn't true, honest, just, pure and lovely. 

"Eve means 'life-giver.' God's purpose is that every women - married, or single, fertile or infertile - will bring forth life...a woman's greatest aim ought to be to glorify God and further His kingdom by reproducing - bearing spiritual fruit."* Godly women are to be life givers. We are to be teachers of what is good for only God's definition of goodness brings life. He is the Author of goodness and He commands His children pursue godliness and goodness. It is our responsibility to teach goodness; it you are single, teach goodness to those in your circle of friends; if you are married, teach goodness to your children; if you are older, teach what is good to the younger women. It takes a sisterhood to grow girls up into true womanhood - a godly sisterhood in which every woman learns from the older and mentors the younger. That's God's plan for preserving the language of biblical womanhood.*

Teaching God's ways lead to goodness. What our society defines as good is ugly and the consequences of all of their "good" things produce bad fruit. The Bible tells us that we are known by the fruit we produce. We are all called to produce good fruit. The best fruit comes from investing our lives into other human beings. They are the ONLY ones who are eternal and who Jesus died to save.

We raised four children. We were consistently teaching our children what is good and what God required of them. We wanted to raise children who were hard workers and lights in this decaying culture.

Yes, there were many sleepless night rocking them when they were sick; cleaning up after them; feeding them over and over again; running them to AWANA to learn about the Lord; disciplining, training and teaching them; watching hundreds of their games; worrying about them when they were "hanging out" with someone I wasn't thrilled about: joy when they said "I do" to spouses that I loved, yet there is no greater joy than knowing they are all walking in Truth!

Ryan, Cassi, Alyssa and Steven

Many women yearn for older women to mentor them, since most of them were not raised by a godly mother who trained them in the ways of godliness and goodness. They were influenced by the feminist movement instead of the Bible. Marriages and families have fallen apart in the past 50 or so years and it has had a dramatic effect on the children. There is no one left at home to teach, train and hand down a godly legacy to them. Now, it is affecting young women; there are few older women available to teach them what is good and what God requires of them. They stumble along in the darkness trying to hold their marriage together, while having a career, raising children and keeping their home. It's a disaster!

Let's begin a "sisterhood" that mentors and teaches true womanhood the way God defines it and NOT the culture. Study God's word so when you are teaching others, your children or young women, you will have words of wisdom on your lips, instead of the foolishness the culture wants to impart to them. May a new generation of believers leave a legacy of walking in Truth, teaching goodness to others and spreading the Gospel to a lost and hurting world.

I have no greater joy than to hear 
that my children walk in truth.
3 John 1:14

Watch the accompanying video on Legacy HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman Has a Submissive Disposition

Interior Design has been a great study! If you have noticed, I change some of the titles of the chapters a bit to let you know what we are really being taught. This weeks chapter is titled "Disposition" but it's mostly about submission. The word "submission" would probably turn too many women off, unfortunately, since many think of abuse and evil connected with this word. However, this word is in the Bible to describe Christ's relationship to the Father; a wife's relationship to her husband; children's relationship to their parents; citizens relationship to their government and a few more. It is a good word and it shows how God designed order in all of these relationships so there are designated leaders and followers.

This book defines submission as having a responsive, lead-able spirit that is willing to be obedient to God-ordained authority whether you are married or not; it's about having an amenable, lead-able disposition that desires to honor God's authority by respecting His human authority.* It isn't stubbornly wanting your way, demanding you are right and being rebellious to authority. It is having a gentle and quiet spirit who understands that the Lord of all creation knows better than you do and you put your trust and hope in Him. 

Wives can win their husbands to the Lord through submission. They can win family members and friend who watch their marriage to the Lord, including their children. It is a powerful force that God uses in the life of wives to convict and change those around them, not to harm them in any way. It is a good word that we should all aspire to develop in our lives since God commands it of us and we love Him so deeply; not wanting to do anything that blasphemes His Holy Name. 

I love what Nancy Leigh DeMoss has to say about the popular term 'mutual submission.' "The term mutual submission is popular in Christian circles, but 'submitting to one another' doesn't mean that both parties in a chain of command are to submit to each other. It means we're to have a respectful disposition that inclines us to submit in all the relationships that call for submission. In some relationships you may have the responsibility to govern and in others the responsibility to submit."*

Being the one in authority isn't the easiest role as many falsely assume. It is actually the more difficult role since they are going to be held to a much higher standard than those who submit. Those in submission have to trust that the Lord will guide those in authority to make the right decisions and if they make the wrong decisions, the Lord will convict and change their minds. 

Therefore, women, remember that when you are submissive, either to your parents when you are young; your teachers as you are growing up; your employers if you have a job and your husband when you are married, you glorify the Lord! We are commanded to glorify the Lord in ALL that we do, thus when we have a gentle, quiet and submissive spirit, we are pleasing the Lord and bringing glory to Him.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.
Ephesians 5:22-24

Watch the accompanying video on Disposition HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman is Defined By Kindness

There was a post I wrote recently that garnered a lot of criticism. This criticism was from regular readers who are wise, godly women. It was difficult for me. At one point, I had to just stop and step away from it. I took a long, hot bath. Then I decided to do the next study in Interior Design. It was about kindness; just what I needed! {God is so good in working this way in our lives!}

Later, after studying for a while, I was able to go back and continue answering; making sure I was kind in all of my responses. I desire to be a woman known for her kindness, not for always being right or knowing everything. Therefore, God convicts me and challenges me in this area. 

Kindness is a characteristic of love. 1 Corinthians 13, the powerful love chapter, begins describing love with "Love is patient. Love is kind." To be kind is to love. Everything we do and the way we treat others should be defined by kindness for in this way, we are bringing glory to the Lord and His Gospel.

Do you want to increase in kindness? Then aim to be more patient. Aim to be more humble. Aim to be more forgiving. Aim to be gentler. Aim to be more sympathetic. As you grow in these related traits, you will grow in kindness. A marriage and family therapist observed that simple kindness is one of the most important ingredients for building a strong, healthy marriage.*

The day after this difficult post, one person wrote me an email apologizing for their comments and the way they came across. They wrote to Ken and me these words, "I felt like I more reacted than to try to gently persuade. I didn't really want to come across in an argumentative way. I just didn't like what I wrote mostly for the feel of the whole thing." Then they asked for our forgiveness and that we delete all of their comments. We were both thankful for this kind email.

Have you ever written or said things that you had an uncomfortable feeling about afterwards? I sure have. A lot of times, this is the Spirit within you letting you know that you were unkind. It is far better to be kind than to forcefully try to get your point across or your own way; this includes with your husband. The law of kindness should be on our tongue! {Proverbs 31:26} It's so easy to get riled up about something and forget all about kindness.

Is your speech kind? Are you kind toward the clerk who makes a mistake ringing up your order? The fast-food attendant who is anything but fast? The serviceman who is brusque and unhelpful? The team member who criticizes your skills? The colleague who constantly feels the need to brag? The friend who is quick to point out your faults? What about in social media, and when posting comments on blogs with which you disagree?*

I was shopping at my health food store the other day and began a conversation with a woman who tried to convince me that overpopulation is destroying the world and we need to be more concerned with the animals. I kindly responded that I value everything in God's creation but I value children and human beings the most; far above the animals. She didn't like this and began to lecture me on some Pacific trade thing I knew nothing about. I continued to smile kindly towards here, listened to her and tried to explain I would never agree with her. Then said good-bye. I knew it was more important to show her kindness and respect than be right, even though I knew she was so very wrong.

Charles Spurgeon, one of my favorite old-time preachers, wrote, "Speak kindly, act kindly, and do kindly, that others may say of you, 'She has been with Jesus.'" We want Jesus to gain all the glory from our lives and the greatest way to do this is by loving others and showing kindness to them, regardless of their behavior. As Jesus hung on the cross being mocked, ridiculed and tortured, he looked down upon those murdering him and said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" {Luke 23:34}. He loved His enemies, just as we are called to do.

Be  kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, 

in honor giving preference to one another.

Romans 12:10

Watch the accompanying video on Benevolence HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman is a Keeper of Her Home

This is a topic that greatly offends women. Most women write posts defending women having careers, leaving their children in preschool and working all day outside of the home by calling women who disagree with them as participating in "mommy wars." I am not into "mommy wars" or any other kind of "war" with women; I try to teach what the Bible has to say about this whole topic and what is eternally best for them and their families.

I have always loved Nancy Leigh DeMoss' teachings and I love a lot of what she has to say in this chapter. However, I disagree with some of it. When she writes that the Proverbs 31 woman was into "real estate deals" as if she worked outside of the home because she bought "a field" and was into "entrepreneurial ventures" because she planted on it; Ruth was into agriculture since she "gleaned wheat" to keep herself and mother-in-law from starving; using this verse in Job 42:15 "In all the land no women were found so fair as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers" to say women were "financial planners." I believe all of these to be great stretches to say that women had "jobs" in the Bible. Besides, I believe it is always best to look at God's commands to women in the New Covenant, instead of examples of women who were in the Bible. 

However, I believe the thrust of the whole chapter on this subject to be right on but it is a fine line many teachers of the Word try to walk on in today's climate so as not to offend women! I love these questions Nancy asks, "What is God's view of work?" "How do I choose which work receives the most time and attention at this stage in my life?" "Am I giving my home the focus and priority God wants it to have?" And "am I determining the value of my work based on earthly or heavenly economics?"*

If most women are to answer these questions honestly if they are raising children, I can't imagine any woman coming to the conclusion that spending her time, talents and energy shouldn't be spent on disciplining and training her children; being a help meet to her husband; keeping her home neat and tidy and preparing nourishing food for her family. I don't see how a woman can have a job outside of the home and attend to all of these important tasks at the same time without shortchanging any of them.

When Nancy writes about older women who are empty nesters, she said, "Are these women mindlessly marching to the world's drumbeat? Or are they prayerfully considering how they might invest more of their time in acts of mercy or in discipling and encouraging younger women? Women's ministry leaders have shared with me their frustration that the empty nesters in their churches- who are greatly needed and have so much they could offer- have so little time and availability to invest in younger women."* Amen! 

I realize that some women have no choice but to work; either their husband insists upon it, they are single mothers or their husband is disabled. Like I have written before, Paul writes in two of these circumstances that other family members and/or the church should provide for the women who have no husband to provide so they can be at home raising their children but many don't have this need filled so they must work. I encourage you to continue to pray about it and then leave it in the Lord's hands to work it out for with God ALL things are possible!

Finally, this is how Nancy and Mary describe what a young man looking for a wife should look for as a summary of the Proverbs 31 woman ~

Don't marry a lazy, self-indulgent woman of leisure. Look for a girl who is multi-faceted, capable and industrious- one who isn't marrying you for your money. Make sure she has a serving, compassionate spirit and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. And make sure she's the kind of woman who'll make her God, husband, kids and home a priority!*

Older women teach young women to be...keepers at home.

Titus 2:4, 5

Watch the accompanying video on Responsibility HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman is a Virtuous Woman

Virtue is not well-known in our society, nor is it valued. In fact, vice is valued today; the more lurid and disgusting a television or movie is, the more popular it seems to be {Fifty Shades, for example}. Every great society is destroyed from within from a lack of virtue. Women of virtue are more needed than any time in history.

God demands that people who are called by His Holy name be virtuous. Why? It reflects His glory. When we aren't virtuous, we blaspheme His Holy name. We should be a people known for our virtue and purity; shining like stars in a wicked generation.

This means we don't watch television shows where women gossip about sinful and disgusting things others are doing. We don't watch movies filled with sexual immorality and ugliness. No, we dwell on the good and the lovely in the land and yes, it can be found. Wherever God's people can be found, virtue should easily be found.

As gatekeepers of our home, we don't allow garbage into our homes. We protect what comes into our minds and thoughts. We keep careful watch over our children's little souls and train them in the ways of righteousness. We pay attention to the friends they are making, what they are filling their minds with and their behavior. When they exhibit signs of rebellion, we deal with it immediately. We never laugh at sin or think it is cute.

God demands we be pure and virtuous so this means we are able to do this since we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us. His resurrection power living inside of us has freed us from sin. This also means we keep careful watch over our tongue and allow NO unwholesome word to come out of it but only that which builds up and encourages others. God created women as relators and gave us an amazing capacity for verbal communication. Unfortunately, Satan likes to turn this strength into a weakness. He likes to twist virtue into vice.* When we show a lost world women using our tongues to speak words of life, we are showing the world the transforming power of our great and mighty King Jesus.

The shed blood of Jesus is the "soap" that makes us 100% pure in the eyes of God; that those who believe in Jesus are forgiven and are considered spotlessly pure and clean.* We must always remember this amazing Truth. As we grow in our faith and realize what Christ accomplished on the cross for us, it will cause us to live our life in praise to Him and one that gives Him the glory by becoming virtuous women.

Who can find a virtuous woman? 

for her price is far above rubies.

Proverbs 31:10

Watch the accompanying video on virtue HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman is a Disciplined Woman

Fractured relationships. Affairs. Broken Marriages. STDs. Addictions. Abortions. Debt. Eating Disorders. We often hear heartbreaking stories from women who've crashed and burned. And usually, it's because they've had some sort of "brake failure" {lack of discipline} in their lives.*

Are you a disciplined woman or do you struggle in this area? Did you know that one of the fruits of the Spirit living inside of you is self-control? Therefore, you have full access to self-control! It is this simple, we all wish.

We aren't perfect and never will be while we are on this earth but since we know that the God of the universe lives mightily within us, we have everything we need for life and godliness. Now it is a matter of believing this. In the meantime, we need to work hard to become the women of God that He calls us to be so we don't blaspheme His Word.

I saw a poster with these words being shared in Facebook; "I leave my house messy so that when my friends visit, they leave feeling way better about their own housekeeping skills. Yep, I'm that good of a friend! Just saying."

This type of attitude is shared by many in our nation today. A friend was visiting me today and sharing with me how so many of her youngest daughter's friends have so little self-control and their parents have no idea what to do about it. 

A lack of self-control and discipline is usually due to not being trained as a child to have self-control. If you allow your child to be lazy, they will probably grow up to be lazy. If you don't discipline your child consistently and properly, they will probably struggle with it all of their lives. Therefore, make sure you discipline and train your children in this important area.

What if you are a grown woman who wasn't trained to be disciplined so you greatly lack it in your life. The Bible says to confess it and pray for it to be healed. Therefore, if you struggle in keeping your home clean and tidy, I don't care how many "methods" you try, they will fail without discipline. You need to have accountability in your life in this area. Figure out three things that you are going to insist upon doing every day such as make your bed and before you go to bed at night, make sure the kitchen is clean and the home picked up. Begin teaching your children now to help you and try making it a game with them. They will thank you one day.

A True Woman knows how to exercise restraint and how to make wise, intentional choices in her habits and daily routines. Those disciplines and choices flow out of a heart and mind that are under the Spirit's control. The grace of God and the work of Christ on the cross give the I-will power to say "yes" to the good, and the I-won't-power to say "no" to the bad.*

Believe that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. One of the most important disciplines you can gain is to spend some daily time in the Word and in prayer.

Discipline is a good and powerful gift from our loving Father. He wants us to use our disciplined lives to glorify Him. 

I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, 

after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:27

Watch the accompanying video on discipline HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

A Godly Woman Has a Deep Affection for Her Family

All I ever wanted while I was growing up was to be a wife and mother. I was raised after the 60s when the feminist's movement was in full swing and college with a career was what we were supposed to pursue. I didn't want that at all but I did go to college, taught a few years and then was able to be home full-time raising children and keeping my home. I knew I was right where I was supposed to be. My mom was always a full-time mom and homemaker.

The Bible doesn't say that older women are to teach the young women to go to college and have careers. Did you ever think it was because God has different plans for women than what society does? It never tells us to have a career just "in case." This is not God's plan for women. You can find no command in the Bible that tells women to pursue this path.

I love the teachings of Nancy Leigh DeMoss. She has always been a single women, although she is getting married soon. Being single wasn't her plan, but the Lords and sometimes His plan is this for women but for, by far, the majority. He wants them to have a DEEP affection for the home and family, including having children. Having children, you see, isn't about you and it isn't about them. It's about Him, our heavenly Father. We have children because we are made in His image, in the likeness of Him, who told us to be fruitful and multiply. We create because we are like our Creator. Among other good things, it is what we are normally called to do in this world, barring a special calling from God.*

While reading this chapter, I felt like I didn't even need to read it since I LOVE teaching this topic and have for many years! It's so wonderful to hear it from others. I realize some women will never marry or have children but it doesn't mean you don't have an affection for home and family. There are many ways, if you are single or barren,  that you can still minister to in your own home and to other young women who need help.

Though Macmillan and other  dictionaries may come up with new, different definitions, it is not up to dictionaries; nor is it up to us to define what man, woman, husband, wife, and marriage mean. God created these things. He dictates what they mean.* 

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Titus 2:3-5

HERE  is the video for this session.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

Does Your Life Bring Honor to God?

In high school, I was NOT a full-time Christian. I did things that didn't bring honor to God. I remember a certain moment when I wondered about my life and if I should be living for Christ 24/7. Sure, I went to church every single Sunday; Sunday school and Christian summer camps all the years I was growing up. I would tell you I loved Jesus, but I wasn't so sure I lived for Him.

When I was 18 years old, I went to Westmont College, which was a Christian college. I distinctly remembering during my freshmen year, deciding that I wanted to make Jesus the Lord of my life and trying to honor Him in all that I did. I was tired of being a lukewarm Christian. I wanted my life to reflect Him in all that I did.

What does it mean to honor Him in everything? What does that look like practically? Mary Kassian wrote, "A reverent woman lives a God-centered life. She's wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord. She seeks to honor Him in every attitude, thought and action." It includes "turning from sin and faithfully obeying His Word."

We are NO longer our own. We were bought with a great price; the shed blood of Christ who suffered in our place so we could have everlasting life. When we grasp what Jesus accomplished for us through His death and resurrection, we should desire more than anything to live our lives as living sacrifices; wholly and completely dedicated to serving Him.

Does this come easy for us? NO! It's taken me my whole life to get where I am today and I still have a long way to go. Thankfully, the Lord is patient with us but He wants us to be growing in the wisdom and knowledge of Him. As you get to know Him better, you will want to live your life for Him and draw others to Him also.

"Reverence is an attitude of the heart. It should permeate every aspect of a woman's life. It ought to change the way she lives: how she walks, talks, dresses, and carries herself, her countenance, how she things, feels and acts." Whew! This is a heavy assignment from Nancy. How can we possibly live this way in every area of our life? By spending time with your Creator. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you. You don't think that power is enough to change you into His image? Then you need to study the book of Hebrews and work on your faith; the quality of your faith and what you believe. Remember, our actions flow out from our thoughts and what we believe. If you believe you can never live a godly life, you never will struggle. Trust God at His Word. Trust Him that you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you!

Begin by getting rid of the idols in your life, especially the idol of yourself and thinking life is all about you. Stop being "slaves to much shopping or much TV or much Facebook." Begin by becoming servants of Christ and His righteousness. "It takes time and attention to cultivate a truly godly, reverent spirit." Don't waste your life on frivolities. I have two good friends who are suffering from pancreatic cancer. I hear of young mothers struggling with cancers that have spread through their bodies. Life is short. Only what we do for Christ will last. Stop spending your life on things with no eternal value. Live a life that draws others to Christ, not away from Him. Live a life that brings honor to God!

"If you are not intentional about becoming more spiritually mature, godly, gracious and reverent, you will likely become more narrow, bitter, whiny, crusty and petty as you age. Now is the right time to ask, 'What kind of an old woman do I want to be?'"

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, 

or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

***You can watch the follow up video by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Nancy Kassian HERE.

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.

Are You a Woman of Discernment?

Today, we begin a 10-week journey on learning more about becoming a godly woman using Nancy Leigh DeMoss' book Interior Design: Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood. Nancy is one of my favorite mentors and teachers. She doesn't water down Truth, therefore, I love learning from her.

Our first lesson will be on discernment. Few women in today's culture have discernment. They do whatever the culture does and give little thought to how their life choices will affect them in the future. They are described as women who are "ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" {2 Timothy 3:7}. They learn about all the ways of the world; about the latest fashion, decorating their homes, makeup, learning about Hollywood stars, attending higher education, pursuing careers, etc. but never come to the Truth. They are not being raised with biblical knowledge and have lost their ability to know right from wrong. Most leaders in our country have even forgotten the differences between good and evil; God has given them over to reprobate minds {Romans 1:28}. Unfortunately, many churches are afraid to teach Truth for fear of feminist's reactions and displeasure. There are few older women teaching young women the ways of God.

We are NOT this way, thankfully. We desire Truth; even when it's hard. We want to know Truth from error and walk faithfully with the Lord. He is the Lord of our life and is worthy of our obedience. We would hate to do anything that blasphemes His precious Word; this is why it is absolutely imperative that we become women of discernment. 

As I was studying for this lesson, I noticed that Day 4 of this lesson is entitled Always Learning! This made my day! We need to be women who are always learning and seeking God's Truth since we know that His way is the only way we want to live. In Nancy's book, she gives a definition of discernment by Tim Challies on page 26, "Discernment is the skill for understanding and applying God's Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong." We need to be mature in our faith; "But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" {Hebrews 5:14}.

Several times during this chapter, it mentions that right thinking leads to right acting. We are what we think! The battle is in the mind. If we fill our mind with Truth, we will easily be able to distinguish good from evil and live accordingly. We must be in God's Word; reading it, listening to it and singing it. There is SO much deception in today's culture but God's Word will NEVER change. It is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

There are many of you who have soft, teachable hearts and you come to me looking for wise counsel. It is easy for me to give advice since I spend a lot of time dwelling on the good and lovely of God's Truth. Almost every night, as I lay in my bed ready to go to sleep, I listen to a preacher teach Truth. Since I have been in the Word now for many years, I can easily discern good from evil and try to give sound advice from my many years of living and experience, but mainly from God's Word.

All of you should desire to become women of a sound mind and discernment. Yes, this takes time but it is well worth your time for NOTHING is better in life than living according to the Lord's plan for us!

Here is a video as a follow-up to this week's lesson; I encourage you to watch. If you have any questions you want to ask or insight from the daily lessons during the week, feel free to comment on this post!

*True Woman 201: Interior Design—Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood, ©2015 by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Used with permission of Moody Publishers. You can buy the book HERE.