Women

I remember the year I tried to do it all. I played the piano at church for all the Advent and Christmas services. I directed the Sunday School Christmas pageant. I hosted the dessert night for the women of our church. Family members from all over the country spent days and nights at our home for Christmas and New Year’s Day. I tried to enjoy every festive event but ended up feeling like a blow-up snowman without any air, lying limp on the front lawn.With the holiday season upon us, we may easily overextend ourselves. We remember the fun activities we did as kids and try to make each one into a tradition for our own family. We see adorable ideas on Pinterest and Instagram and want to try them all. And even though we may deny it, we might have a secret desire to impress the neighborhood with our outdoor light display or get a hundred likes on the social media post of our Christmas tree.But will those things create a Christmas to remember? Or will they create a holiday season we try hard to forget when it’s over?If we try to do everything, we may find ourselves singing the blues—not “Joy to the World.”So, let’s examine five reasons you don’t have to do it all this holiday season:Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/FTiare

Instead of building her confidence on something she could lose, or have taken, Mary built her confidence on God.

Birthday season is in full swing all year ‘round. It’s so much fun to celebrate female friends and family at various times throughout the year. However, finding a great birthday present can sometimes be daunting. Especially in this digital age where we can have almost anything at our fingertips. It can be hard to find out what to get your sister or best friend because you don’t always know what she has or doesn’t have. So what do you do? Here is a list of Christian Birthday gifts for your female friends and family that are unique and won’t need a gift receipt. Finding a gift for the female in your life can be difficult. Every woman likes different things. Some women like jewelry, books, and movies, while others prefer more practical gifts. Other women like fashion and home decor. Whatever her preference, you are sure to find a gift on this list that the woman in your life will love, and that help her either grow or promote her faith. Click through these slides to discover 20 amazing Christian gifts for Women. Photo credit: ©GettyImages/DragonImages

Christmas morning is very exciting not only for children but for people of all ages. Most people open Christmas gifts on Christmas morning, and that is their only tradition for the day. Maybe you could add in a few of your own unique traditions along with opening gifts. A great addition could be making a fun breakfast for everyone.Here are a few ideas to get you started, but feel free to come up with your own ideas too:Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/evgenyatamanenko

Some roles within the church appear to be occupied almost exclusively by women. Is this because women want to fill these roles, or because they believe these are women’s jobs?Even if men adopt such roles, they are often seen as special helpers — guest stars whose willingness to participate should be particularly lauded.Is there such a thing as “men’s work and women’s work” within the church? With biblical support, this article will explore five of the lies that women believe about their roles in the church and a little bit about how the church overall has perpetuated them.Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/byakkaya

Only two women are named in Hebrews 11’s “Hall of Faith”: Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and Rahab, the harlot of Jericho. Humanly speaking, Sarah and Rahab had nothing in common, but they both had exercised saving faith in the true and living God.

Will you be hosting this holiday?Congratulations! You wouldn’t have landed the honors had it not been for your cooking, decorating, or hosting skills. Maybe even all three. With the sole exception of Christmas, I don’t have the time or patience to swap out seasonal decorations in my house every quarter. Kudos to those who do.But may I also offer you my sympathies? Hosting a holiday get-together is the very definition of hard work. More than just the given—that is, physical—labor, serving as a host will also require you to perform emotional—and spiritual—labor.Take the issue of boundaries, for example. Whenever people assemble, conversations will ensue, and so will differences of opinion. But when there are so many divisive issues waiting to twist an innocent dialogue into a conflict, how do you protect your holiday celebration from devolving into an emotional mess?Good question. Here are four suggestions for establishing necessary boundaries.

The best holiday is one in which we are as emotionally healthy as possible. That includes ridding my heart of perfectionism and focusing on the grace and mercy of Jesus.

Psalm 139:14 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God, but what does this really mean? As we navigate life, learn more about ourselves with age, and grow closer to God, what does it mean to see ourselves as fearfully, wonderfully, and intentionally made by God? How can we embrace what makes us uniquely different?

Yep. The Proverbs 31 woman—you know her, so therefore, you most likely avoid her, hate her, or nearly kill yourself trying to imitate her. Deep breath, ladies. Here are four reasons why all those approaches are wrong—and how to accurately interpret this biblical figure:

We believe so many things about our bodies. Why not believe God's gospel truth? Find out what unchangeable truth God has to say about how you were made.

I’m going to be candid and share my heart by saying I have believed so many lies when it comes to discovering my place in the family. It’s honestly a reoccurring struggle. Sigh.Recently, I told my husband that I felt I was failing as a mom and maybe needed to return to a structured job. The reason behind that quick and rather emotional comment was this deep-down desire to feel like an accomplished woman.Currently, we have two teens that test our patience and, yes, our confidence. It’s been rough around here.The last couple of years have been filled with the hustle and bustle of sporting evenings, mixed with endless piles of laundry and household tasks, the messy onslaught of emotions, and grief to boot. All that has been laced with shame and guilt, bringing me to question, “Where do I fit?”Maybe you have been there (or are there now) where you are earnestly seeking God with a wounded and weary heart, asking Him what He wants from you — as a woman, a wife, or a mother.Maybe you are lost and seeking to understand the value, role, and place where you fit in your family. Maybe pain has enveloped your heart, and you feel useless or unneeded.Oh, dear friend, first let me say that I am so sorry you feel this way. However, I do understand these complicated (and rather complex) feelings and can sadly relate to them.It’s not easy to decipher where you fit sometimes, especially since the common perception of a woman, wife, and mother has slowly shifted and changed over the last fifty (or so) years.So, all that said, will you join me in exposing some lies that we can easily get wrapped up in and fall into believing? Let’s call them out for what they are and uncover the truth!The current trends and societal norms will tell us to do what feels right or “follow our heart,” but God’s design for us is so different, yet beautiful and perfect! Let’s see what He has to say about our place in the family and find peace together.Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Drazen Zigic

C.S. Lewis was one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. Not many people talk about how Lewis related to women—how he tutored various female students at Oxford and Cambridge, and various female authors who knew or influenced him.Five brilliant female authors were particularly important to Lewis’ life and writing. So who were they?Further Reading: Who Were the Inklings Besides C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien?Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Eerik

Beauty, from a human perspective, is relative. What is beautiful in the eyes of one may be considered commonplace or even ugly to another. Beauty, for humans, is individual and subjective; but God defines His own concept of beauty, and we would be wise to consider it.The Old and New Testaments say much about beauty, what is truly lovely. Does beauty involve only physical appearance, or something more? Is it sinful to desire to be beautiful? How do we respond to the biblical concept of beauty? Let’s explore these questions together.Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Vagengeym_Elena

We’ve had our share of great dinner parties and disasters—and everything in between. We’ve left out key ingredients in dishes, forgotten to purchase beverages, and burned the main meat course beyond recognition while our kids have asked embarrassing questions or blurted out inappropriate comments. Hosting Thanksgiving can bring more angst because of family traditions and expectations. Before we get into concrete tips on how to make the day more fun and less stressful, let’s talk about six ways to reduce anxiety about hosting.