I'm Not Always Right

Dear Reader,

I have been studying a lot these past few days, reading books, blogs and my Bible. I'm working through trying to figure out some things in Genesis, and it isn't easy. These are things scholars and theologians have studied for lifetimes beyond the two days I've been wrestling with it. There's so much information, so many opinions, and sadly, a lot of anger and bitterness.

The issue of the woman being created as a "help" for Adam, questions of submission, equality and what all of this means for women today is a really heated topic. It hits us somewhere at the core of who we are and what we want for ourselves. Thus, emotions run high and people get angry.

I don't want to be one of those angry people. I don't know my opinion on Genesis 1 and 2 yet, in regards to who God created woman to be. I have not studied enough. But this past week I have struggled with a certain amount of frustration. While reading the blogs of people who are not theologians or scholars but rather men and women studying the Bible for themselves and giving their opinions, I have come across many confusing, illogical arguments, people who do not go to the Bible for answers but twist what the Bible says to back up their argument, and people who are simply stubborn and don't want to see another opinion for fear they may be proved wrong. I don't like being frustrated. It's not healthy. And I don't think we need to be frustrated or angry.

The key to this is: being willing to admit you may be wrong.

The more I study, the more I realize I know little to nothing about the topic I am taking on. There are so many people who know so much more than I do. But I do know that the Bible teaches about something called humility.

Humility, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is "the quality of having a modest or low view of one's importance." I would turn that on it's head and say humility is rather having a higher opinion of others than you do of yourself. Philippians 2:3 confirms this by saying "do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

The understanding that we are all sinners saved by a gracious, loving God is reason enough not to think highly of ourselves. We were lost and hopeless, and God saved us. He is forming us into the people He wants us to be, and humility says "I know you're a sinner like me, but I see God working in your life and therefore I love and respect you enough to think more of you than I think of myself."

We can recognize that others may have something to contribute that we hadn't thought of before. Or, if we think they are wrong, we can respect them enough to try and understand their point of view, even if we don't agree.

We also need to be able to admit when we are wrong, rather than insisting that our way is the right way.

I am continuing on this adventure, determined to practice humility, to learn, grow, admit when I am wrong, and above all, allow Jesus to continually change my heart and mind with His word.

Yours truly,
Amber Colleen

Your Calling

Dear Reader,

I know what I'm supposed to do with my life. I have a calling. That calling is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might," (Deuteronomy 6:4b, also reiterated by Jesus Christ in Matthew, Mark and Luke). This is a calling God has given every person who desires to follow Him, man or woman.

How we feel we ought to live our lives varies from person to person. Our vocations look different. Our likes, dislikes, convictions and passions are different. But at the heart we should all want to love and follow God.

Women hear so many conflicting messages from those around us (all with good intention, usually) about how to live life biblically. Do we stay home or go to work? Raise ten kids or two? Do we go to college? What is an acceptable way for a woman to live her life?

That is part of what I am going to delve into on this blog and in my book. But it's only a part. I think to begin with we need to step back and think more basically.

As a woman, what is my calling? Deuteronomy 6:4. Love God with everything I have.

God created us for a reason. His desire is that His creation love Him, seek Him and obey Him. I encourage you to pursue these things. Study this out with me, don't take my word for it.

Yours truly,
Amber Colleen

The Beginning

Dear Reader,

Today I am beginning an adventure. I don't know where I am going, but I know it will lead somewhere exciting.

You see, I am writing a book! I have written many books in my life, but never one like this. It began one night when I stumbled upon a website on godly womanhood. Their opinions shocked me. I was stunned at how little they referenced the Bible and God's plan for womanhood. I was stunned by what appeared to me to be a series of rules. Follow these rules and you will be a Biblical woman.

Now, I know not everyone thinks that way, so I decided to do a little more research. I found other writers without a list of to-do's, but with what appeared to me to be a treatise based on responding to an unbiblical view. I saw them using scripture to back up their reasoning. However, they were simply advocating running as far from the world as possible rather than running towards the God who created them. They were looking for a response to the world's problems, but they weren't looking for what exactly the Bible said about how God created women to be.

And so, this is my adventure. Starting with my Bible and God, hearing what He has to say about the women He created. I don't know what conclusions I will arrive at, but I do know where I am headed. The adventure will end where every adventure ought to end: with Christ.

My desire is to present what the Bible says about a woman's role, according to God. The views I have read are so dramatically different from each other. Those who state their opinions are often times convinced they are right. I want to be convinced that God is right. I want my ideas to follow His. I want my opinions to be influenced by scripture.

Yours truly,
Amber Colleen