I am no longer the things of my past...I am the daughter of the Great I AM.

Exodus 3:14
And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
2 Corithians 6:18
I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

War on Women

If you have listened to the news lately, you have probably heard that there is a war on women. In case you haven't, let me give you a brief run down of what that means. Because Christians do not believe that abortion should be a part of health care, there is a war on women. Because Christians do not believe that contraceptives should be provided by employers, there is a war on women.

Every time I hear that phrase, I just get sick to my stomach. War on Women... Really? The REAL war on women did not begin recently. In truth, it began with the Feminist Movement and the Sexual Revolution of the 60's.

This morning, as I was perusing Facebook, I ran across this quote from Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
One of the things the feminist movement has done so successfully is to stir up discontent in women with being homemakers and to convince them that other pursuits can increase their sense of self-worth… Fueling discontent and pushing women out of their homes in search of greater meaning and satisfaction has resulted in off-the-chart stress levels for many women who can no longer survive without pills and therapists… The greatest spiritual, moral, and emotional protection a woman will ever experience is found when she is content to stay within her God-appointed sphere. This does not mean that she never leaves her house, but rather that her heart is rooted in her home and that she puts her family’s needs above all other interests and pursuits.


I thought that is so perfect. As women, we have been told that in order to be happy, we have to find "SELF fulfillment." Therein lies the problem.... SELF! God did not create women to be self centered. He created us to be a help meet. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18 We were created to help our husbands. God designed us to nurture our children. He planned for us to be keepers of our home.

Here is the blueprint for the life of a woman:
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 2:4-5

As was stated in the quote earlier, this does not mean that women can never leave the house. Look at the Proverbs 31 Woman. She bought and sold a field, and she made fine linen and sold sashes to merchants. She earned and invested money, but that was never her priority. Her priority was always her home. She watches over the ways of her household.

The way to win the War against women, is to dig deep into the Word of God. Seek His plans, and follow those plans. His way is not the easy way, but it is the right way. It will go against what the world tells you. However, if you follow the Word of God, you will have peace.

27 comments:

  1. Love, love, love what you wrote! I feel the same way.

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  2. One of your best! Excellent!

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  3. Kerry,I love this! Excellent! You have put into words what so many of us have struggled to say in a nice and christian manner. Thanks.

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  4. Exactly....I think Eve started with making a choice to rebel against the commandment of God...she wanted it her way .....wink wink

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  5. I'm interested to know how you reconcile this post with your post from March 6th on self-worth. In this entry, you infer that the pursuit of self-fulfillment makes a woman self-centered, which God did not intend. Yet in your post on the 6th, you claim that the Proverbs 31 woman "thinks enough of herself to enjoy the luxuries her hard work makes possible for her." Do you not feel that these two posts contradict one another?

    Also, I wanted to note that you have grossly understated what is included in the "war on women." Yes, abortion services and insurance-covered contraception are the most notable talking points, but only because they are such controversial topics. What are your thoughts on legislation that would redefine rape such that it only "counts" if a woman could prove that she was forced? How does this new definition account for a mentally or physcially handicapped woman that is incapable of telling her attacker no? What about the cut of funding for basic women's healthcare such as mammograms and pap smears? There have been recent attempts to cut funding for preschool programs, because some legislators feel that women should be home with the children, rather than working, regardless of their family's financial situation. There have also been recent attempts to cut a billion dollars in funding that provides food and other aid to low income pregnant women, mothers, and children. Just yesterday, in support of a bill in Wyoming that would define single parenthood as a form of child abuse, a state representative announced that he opposes divorce even if the woman is being regularly beaten by her husband.

    This is the REAL war on women.

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    1. First of all, let me address my blog of March 6th. If you read it, you would note that I said, "The Proverbs 31 Woman is secure in her relationship with God. She thinks enough of herself to want the best for herself, but always without causing harm to her family." Her sense of self-worth comes from serving her family. This is what God designed women to do.

      As for the other comments, they are talking points for the Liberal Left. I do not agree with them. The murder of unborn children and sex outside of marriage is not a gross understatement. That is what is in the news. That is what the media is calling the war on women. I stand by my statement that the REAL war on women is feminism.

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    2. Thank you for responding! I did read your full post from March 6th, in which you also said, "When we value ourselves, and want what is best for ourselves, it is reflected in the way we honor our husbands, the way we raise our children, the way we run our households." Is it wrong to find value in being a contributing member of society? Not all women choose to enter the work force because of the feminist movement. Some of us do find real fulfillment in our work. I would not interpret the Proverbs 31 scriptures to mean that a woman's self worth comes solely from serving her family. I believe that a woman's self-worth is derived from a number of factors that make her a more capable, loving and doting wife and mother. I found this article interesting, especially the last three paragraphs -- http://evangelicaloutpost.com/archives/2008/06/dont-marry-a-proverbs-31-woman-2.html. I hope you might find it interesting, as well.

      Back to the war on women, I wouldn't consider my other comments "talking points for the Liberal Left." Abortion and contraception are talking points. Of course that's what's in the news. The media only highlights the most controversial topics to boost ratings. No, my other comments are simply facts. They are actual pieces of legislation that are either currently or have recently been on the desks of our representatives and senators. Your stance on abortion and sex outside of marriage has nothing to do with my point. By claiming that the media's war on women is really only about unborn children, you are marginalizing rape victims, battered women, cancer patients that no longer have access to healthcare, and mothers and children that are going hungry.

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    3. It is obvious that we will have to agree to disagree on what you consider war on women. I am not for abortion, ever, under any circumstances. I do not believe that employers should be responsible for providing contraceptives, and I don't believe that the government should provide or mandate health care. Health care is not a "Right" found in the Constitution.

      As far as the Proverbs 31 woman not working... I never said that. In fact, I pointed out that she made investments and sold items. What I said was that her priority should be her home. I am a stay-at-home, homeschool mom. However, I also partner with my husband in our remodeling business. I work from my home in helping him. I have in the past worked outside of the home as well. I am a degreed teacher. However, wherever my work, my priorities have always been in taking care of my home. Not only do I believe in following the example of the Proverbs 31 Woman, but as I pointed out in my blog, Titus 2 is a blue print for women. I believe that these two ladies show a true picture of Biblical Womanhood.

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    4. I meant to add that I appreciate you reading my blog and taking the time to leave comments.

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    5. Thank you for commenting back! I've enjoyed our discussion!

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  6. Not every woman will be a wife and mother. My Aunt Harriet, for example, never had children. Instead, she served as a teacher for three decades and traveled the world with the Department of Defense school system. She was fluent in four languages. I suppose, however, that she should have been content with her lot to sit at home wasting her intellect because that's where women belong. Pffft.

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  7. Christine, with all do respect I do not believe that you read the previous blogs. No where does Kerry say what you are suggesting. It is true not everywoman(or man for that matter) will get married, have children but for those that do; they need to think where their priorities stand.

    Kerry nor any of the women that support her blog have made such a judgemental statement. If that is how you and others perceive it; perhaps you may do what I do at times. Ask myself why this bothers me. Is it because it has hit a nerve, is it because I have misunderstood what the person is trying to express or am I being lead by others thoughts?
    I have known the writer of this blog for many years, we grew up together and I can assure you,her thoughts, words and if you will, advice is to help us to think again. In this day and age, thinking is becoming a dying art form.

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  8. I have found your post and the comments to be interesting. The topic of abortion and contraception is very emotional. My concern is that women truly have an understanding about treatments that have become known as "reproductive rights". recently I wrote a blog post about the history and development of the birth control pill. Here is the url: http://carolvanderwoude.authorweblog.com/articles/2012/02/51570/the-path-we-are-on Certainly every medication, surgical procedure and hormonal treatment has side effects.

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  9. I have had a hard time watching over the ways of my house. Our sixth child was recently stillborn. It has been very difficult to think about my home and other children thanks for the encouragement and reminder.

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    1. Tesha, I'm sorry for your loss. May God give you and your family peace, comfort, strength, and healing.

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  10. This is an awesome post, Kerry! I shared it on TWW facebook, and I'll post the link on the Good Wife's Guide page too. Love what you had to say, and the good balance that you brought forth. It's all about priorities, that's what makes a difference to a family. Thanks!

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  11. Love your post Kerry.... I once was all for feminism. However, my perspective changed and realized it was such a retarded perspective to have. I never realized how it affected my marriage and family. Until, I placed all the stress into God's hands and their over time... the feministic approach chipped away.

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  12. Loved this post; it followed the same line of a conversation that my 14-year-old daughter and I had this morning on the way to school. Thanks for the eye-opener and reminder of how to win the real war on women!

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  13. Titus says 'keepers AT home', not of home or of the home. Interestingly, other translations say swap out workers for keepers. I think keeping at home means we are responsible for what's going on in our family. We should be aware of the hearts and minds of our children and our husband, and how we are operating as a family. It's not about dusting and keeping the floor clean, or having a job outside of the house. I know plenty of women who have immaculate homes because they are the best house keepers, but their families are hurting in ways they are blind to.

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  14. Wow! THIS is an amazing discussion! Isn't it fabulous how great God is? How He speaks to all of us in different ways. I just love God!

    If God is laying something on your heart right now, and you are applying the scriptures to your life, whether it's AT home or FOR home . . . I think the point is having your heart changed by His word!

    Great blog! I always learn something new and look at things in a different way!

    Love you Kerry!

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  15. There was a time when I probably would have written exactly what you wrote but I've come to realize its so much bigger than the little talking points we are hearing. There are truly some strange things afoot regarding women's health. This is America and there needs to be freedom - the government needs to get out of our wombs. If you want to fight abortion, do it on a social level not legal level

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/24/america-pregnant-women-murder-charges?fb=native
    "The baby was delivered by caesarean section prematurely in April 2008 and died 19 minutes after birth.

    Six months later Kimbrough was arrested at home and charged with "chemical endangerment" of her unborn child on the grounds that she had taken drugs during the pregnancy – a claim she has denied.

    "That shocked me, it really did," Kimbrough said. "I had lost a child, that was enough.""

    http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/03/12/442637/georgia-rep-compares-women-to-animals

    This is not the way to save the unborn.

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  16. Anon#2

    So if Jesus stopped by your house, looked you in the eyes and asked why you haven't supported healthcare for everyone, would you respond to Him, "Because healthcare isn't a RIGHT in the Constitution"?

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  17. The real problem with your post is that no one is waging any wars on homemmakers? And secondly, not everyone is a christian so that means that not everyone in this country has to abide by the narrow christian defination of what is considered "acceptable"...

    What if the tables were turned and you lived in a country that was majority muslim, would you wish that they took your right away to practice your beliefs? No... put yourself in someone else's shoes every once in awhile and perhaps you will learn empathy and compassion.

    I really wish that the religious right would stop pushing their beliefs on... what did you call anyone that disagrees with you... oh yeah the liberal left...

    And no these aren't talking points either... fox news provides many religious right people plenty of talking points... my views come from compassion and a clearl understanding of the REAL world... not some idealogical view that you somehow have...

    This post is really sad... please realize that the more freedoms you want to take away from other people makes it that much easier for the freedoms you cherish to be taken from you...

    TRUST WOMEN !

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  18. Great article! My husband owns his own business and we pay all of our health care expenses out of pocket. I am expecting baby #3 and we are paying cash for this little one. It is not the government's responsibility to pay. We feel it is ours. It means my husband works longer hours, takes on extra projects, we forgo a vacation this year, ect. I stay at home and homeschool our other 2 children, and I am so grateful for that. I am so thankful that I do not work outside the home, and that I do not have to endure ALL that that would bring. I know many working mom's who do end up divorced, and it is heartbreaking. Yes, I depend on my husband financially, which results in me respecting him and appreciating him more. And he certainly loves it when I let him know that :)

    Stephanie

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    1. Nobody is asking the government to pay for contraception! The legislation that we're trying to fight gives EMPLOYERS the right to opt of covering contraception in their health plans for religious reasons -- even when the EMPLOYEE is paying the premiums! "Oh, you have to pay for this health insurance out of your paycheck, but we get to pick and choose what's covered." How is that fair?

      Get your facts straight. This has NOTHING to do with your tax dollars.

      And because Kerry requested it, I will point out that I was the second anonymous poster above.

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  19. You get to live in a bubble so others should too? You know many working moms who get divorced so it must be related to their working? I know devoted stay-at-home moms who got left for respected-hubby's pretty co-worker.

    There are so many types of people and situations and while its wonderful you've found a perfect fit for yourself. Its not a perfect fit for others and don't try to make them fit into it.

    If Christianity is the best way to live; people will naturally choose it. Live it. Don't legislate it.

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  20. I do not mind people with a view different than mine commenting. I love to a friendly conversation and even debate. Agreeing to disagree is fine. However, I do request that you keep your comments kind and not attacking. I have not attacked you. I would also request that you please not post anonymously. If you feel strongly about a topic, please put your name to it. Thank you.

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