How Much Do You Know?

Can you name any three of the ten commandments?  Or, two of the Gospels?

Can you list some of the apostles?

Is this the correct chronological order for Biblical leaders: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Paul, and Jesus?

Did you know we are not to associate with a gossip? (Prov. 20:19)

At the risk of revealing my age, I “confess” that I have two grandsons who recently graduated from high school. During that sweet time of reminiscing, I found a picture of me reading to them together when they were less than two from “Elmo”- one of those picture books with the music and sound buttons. In the window seat near where we sat in our big recliner also lay my Bible. As I looked at that picture, I was saddened. Not sadness because they were now grown and that time was past, but emotions of deep regret because I had not been reading to them from His Word during each and every opportunity I had been given.  

 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19a

What the Bible Says

In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul shared his desire for the new Christains of the church to know and understand what great wealth they had in Christ. The verse above is a part of a prison prayer for his new converts, and it is not in any way referring to materialism. On the contrary, Paul was praying for us, as well as the Ephesian believers:

• to be enlightened- to be able to see and understand spiritual content,
• to have hope-with Christ we have a living hope, the Comforter within us day by day, encouraging us to live for Him in all we do,
• to know the riches of His inheritance, in His saints, that’s us!  Even though I have never felt like a saint, that is how He sees us, and
• to understand the exceeding greatness of His power we have in the Holy Spirit, the dynamic energy to which we have access.  We need His power, not only because we are so weak, but also because we have enemies in the spiritual realm that would love to rob us of our peace, and we cannot fight them alone. (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Food for Thought

Even though we become “rich” when we accept Christ, unless we read the “bankbook” we will never understand the spiritual wealth, precious gems, and priceless truths God has for us. It is not enough just to know about God; we become more satisfied and at peace when we really “know” Him as our Guide, Friend, and most importantly “Abba” or Father.

1. Spend time in His Word,
2. Train your children to do the same, and
3. Attend church, one which not only reads scripture, but teaches scripture as well.
4. Determine to grow spiritually through sound Biblical leaders and teachers such as: Dr. Robert Jeffress on Pathway to Victory, Dr. David Jeremiah onTurning Point, and/or Dr. Charles Stanley of In Touch Ministries, just to name few.

About the Writer:
Beverly has been an educator, administrator, educational sales representative, Sunday school teacher, and mentor; but most importantly is a wife, mother, and grandmother with a passion for sharing Christ.

Nice is Not a Fruit of the Spirit

 

“Some people are naturally good, you know, and others are not. I’m one of the others,”  LM Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables.

Anne with an “e” didn’t quite get her theology of original sin correct, but she certainly voiced the experience we all have as “one of the others.” Preschool is an excellent laboratory to prove that no child ever must be taught to be selfish, but needs a basic lesson in civilization to “be kind”.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

In his letter to the Ephesian believers, Paul encouraged them to be kind, not just in general, but specifically to “one another”. Why is it easier for us to be kind to strangers and let someone in front of us at the checkout, but get quickly annoyed with a family member who has a bad day and is a bit grumpy?

If that’s not enough, Paul carries the instructions a step further when he adds the word: “tenderhearted”. And then, as if to stretch us to an impossible limit, he continues: “forgiving each other, JUST AS God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

This is one of those familiar verses that those of us who grew up in church have known from infancy. The old saying that “familiarity breeds contempt”, or at the very best “complacency,” fits well right about here. It was helpful to me to learn that “nice” is not a fruit of the spirit. Being kind and being nice are not the same thing. One can be nice and observe outward boundaries of civility and have an unkind and selfish heart. One of the most powerful illustrations of this is played out in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. The novel is a masterfully written contrast of law and grace, of niceness and kindness. Set in early 19^th century France, the story follows a man imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving child. He is shown mercy and kindness by a friendly bishop and his life is forever changed. In contrast, he is hunted by a police inspector who doesn’t understand kindness and mercy, but sees them as a weakness.

The fictional story is true in that we cannot extend kindness until we realize, like Anne and Jean Valjean, our own lack of goodness and accept God’s forgiveness.

About the Writer:
Nan is so grateful to belong to God’s people. She loves getting to know all kinds of people and enjoys discovering new places, which is a good thing since she’s moved twenty five times. She has been married to Jim, a pastor, for 34 years, and together they have four grown kids, a son in love, and three grand puppies.

Blindsided

God? Wow! No idea! I think I know Him, then He surprises me again! He and I have wrestled on more than one occasion. Not quite sure why I continue . . . . it’s all pretty predictable and boils down to God giving me something I didn’t want or not giving me something I did want or doing something I don’t agree with, etc. So, true to James 4:1-3, I have a tiff with God – a fight that can end only one way for a child of God—nestled back in His loving arms, sometimes after a loving little swat on the backside from my Abba, Father.

When my fiancé and I were engaged (we should be married happily-ever-after by the time this is published), we were completely blindsided. He lost his job days before he proposed; and a month before our wedding, he still had not found a job. My daughter and I were living with my parents at the time and he was staying with an aunt and uncle to save money.

As we watched that fairy-tale cottage in the Shire—you know, the one with the little fence, all warm and cozy—fade back into the story books no matter how diligent and competent he was, we wondered what God was up to. I couldn’t help “flashing back” to my “nomad” years when I wondered where I would sleep the next night or if I would ever have a place that felt like home.

All that to say that I have to watch my mind and mouth when talking to God. I have to decide just to accept that, in some of what He allows in my life, I may later see His kindness, and some of it I may never understand. Either way, sometimes my best is to simply throw my hands up in the air and say, “Thank you, God! You are good and You’ve got a plan!” In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, God calls me always to give thanks for everything in the name of Jesus Christ. It encourages me that His purpose is we, who were the first to trust in Christ, should praise our glorious God (Ephesians 1:12; 5:20). When I’m tempted to lengthen my wrestlings with God past their season (a time to feel anger, a time to feel sad, a time to get God’s direction on how to move forward), this is the passage I read to reclaim truth from Paul’s prayer.

. . . . that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:16-21

In the end, I know WHATEVER is going on is still part of His love for me, and I praise Him.

About the Writer:
Lyndsay has been many things in her past, but no career, experience, or calling define her more than the desire to follow after Christ in response to His gracious work in her life. At present, she teaches movement classes and works as a wellness consultant in addition to loving her amazing husband and raising her daughter to know and love the Lord.

Stand Firm

The road was tough, the pain severe, the circumstances horrendous. The strength of one young woman was fading and discouragement was setting in. “Was it worth it anymore?” she pondered. Lisa stood at a crossroads in her mind. One way meant a great deal of work, sacrifice and perseverance, but victory guaranteed. The other road, the most popularly traveled, would certainly be the easiest but would result in little at the end.

The deceiver was attacking Lisa’s mind, and quitting suddenly seemed best. She was tired, weary, and uncertain of her future. She had almost talked herself out of the path to which God had called her. Why? She was focusing on the circumstances surrounding her journey instead of on the God who had called her to it.

Lisa, quickly realizing she was in the middle of a spiritual warfare, surrendered her thoughts and feelings over to God. As the Lord overtook the young woman’s heart, she determined from that moment on to move forward with her Father, no matter the severity of the path.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:10-13 NASB

At times, we too may find ourselves in conflicting situations. Yet we must remember that Satan longs to alter our progress by tempting us to take the easy route or even to quit the course all together. However, through Christ, we must learn how to fight the battle of spiritual warfare.

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14-17 NASB

Pay close attention to the words, “Stand firm.” They mean, “To be of a steadfast mind.” As we support ourselves with God’s armor, we must do so by refusing to waver as a result of circumstances. Trials are going to come. Temptations will frequently persist. Satan will continue to attack until you and I go home to be with the Lord. Yet in God’s word He clearly states how to fight the good fight effectively and accurately.

Don’t allow the enemy to sway you back and forth in your emotional stance between circumstances or God. Armor up and stand firm!

About the Writer:
Shea is the mother of two and nana of four and enjoys both roles tremendously. She also loves the opportunity to serve through ministry and share through speaking and blogging. A member of First Baptist Church, Dallas, Shea serves with the church’s First Impressions ministry and teaches the Strong & Courageous Sunday School class for single moms. She also speaks to women’s groups, assists with biblical counseling when opportunities arise and is constantly working to develop women’s Bible studies. Shea received her bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry from Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, Mississippi; her master’s degree in Biblical Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas; and will begin her doctoral work at Southwestern in family ministries in the fall.

Are You Discontent?

What I love about the book of Exodus is that it describes a massive journey of this huge people group who look and sound a lot like our culture.

You see prior to chapter fifteen the nation of Israel was held in bondage in Egypt. Moses comes and says, “The Lord has told me we are going to get out here.” Then he goes before Pharaoh and says let my people go.  Pharaoh struggles and God brings down plagues.

Israel sits and watches God do mighty things:  water turned to blood, Locusts all over the place, frogs everywhere, the first born killed unless you had provided a Passover lamb.  That only names a few.

After the plagues they continue to watch God do mighty things to get them out of captivity, including the parting of the Red Sea.  They saw the water rise up on the sides, and then they walk across on dry land.

Moments later we find ourselves in Exodus 15.  The people are triumphantly praising God for what He has done.

In Your lovingkindness You have  led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided  them  to Your holy habitation. Exodus 15:13

 

Then we take a short jaunt to verse 22-27 and the people say, “There is no good water.  This water is bitter. What are we going to do?  Are we going to die?” The Lord in verse 25, tells Moses to throw a tree branch into that water and I will make it the best water you ever drank.

Now they have gone through the plagues, they have seen the red sea being parted, and God has now provided them with water after their grumblings.  We get to chapter 16 and the nation says, “What about food?”

They grumble again, and they are plagued with discontentment. In verse 4 the Lord says, “I will rain down bread from the heavens.”

I know I have said it before but we need to truly understand that these people watched God perform the plagues, part the red sea, provide water, and send bread.  And then they say, “What about meat?” We see their discontentment shine through again.

The Lord says in verse 12 “I will give you meat in the evenings and manna in the mornings.”

The struggle is real.  By now they are over it, right? You read to verse 16 and you think “Man these people need to get it together.”  They have seen time and time again how the Lord has provided.  Yet they are so discontent.  Nothing is enough for them.

You hope it is coming to an end.  Instead we get to chapter 17 verses 1-7 and they have moved from grumbling to quarreling against Moses.  Why?  Water, again!  They have made a full circle. The nation never got that God’s enough is more than enough.

When discontentment is ruling over our lives, we are always questioning how we are going to get to the next thing.  It becomes all about how I am going to get myself to the next step. The whole time, the Lord is saying “My plan for you is more than enough.  My enough is enough.” Are we living in light of God’s enough or are we struggling to accomplish the next thing we think we need?

About the Writer:
Liz is just a girl who spends her days in seminary classes, spends her afternoons interning with First Baptist Dallas Women’s, and spends evenings with her friends laughing and challenging the definition of community to be something much deeper. If you need her you can probably find her watching Dancing with the Stars while on Pinterest, challenging the worldly norm of a 28 year old.

 

 

Women: God’s Instrument for Justice

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. Psalm 138:7

Anyone who tells you that the Bible degenerates women hasn’t closely examined it’s message of unconditional love, especially for the vulnerable.  The Bible is rich in accounts of God using the weak to defeat the strong (what an amazing way to show His power!). In the fallen world of patriarchal culture, circumstances often left women broken and victims of the destructive desires of men.  But the suffering will not last, and Jesus will one day come back and defeat evil once and for all. (Revelation 19:11-21)  Men’s power cannot stand next to God’s power.

In the book of Exodus we get a glimpse of God’s power to defeat evil men when He used women as his instrument of justice.  Pharaoh was fearful of the growing Israelite nation and sought to destroy them through the genocide of all newborn boys.

Two blessed midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, defied Pharoah’s order to kill all the Egyptian baby boys as their mothers gave birth to them. (Exodus1:15-20)  These heroines remind me today of the many women who work in crisis pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, and foster care; protecting and advocating for the most vulnerable among us. They stand powerfully against seemingly unstoppable injustice.

In addition, Pharoah’s own daughter was instrumental in his own destruction. She found baby Moses hidden in the reeds. She brought him into Pharoah’s house and raised him s her own. Pharaoh’s adversary grew up in his house because God used his daughter to thwart Pharaoh’s evil plan of genocide for the Egyptian people. (Exodus 2:5-10)  In perhaps what seemed to be quiet ways, these women through God’s diving will toppled the terrifying and oppressive power structure that reigned with ear over their lives.

Dear Sister, you are precious in the sight of God.  He can use you powerfully for His glory. While the world may objectify, sexualize, and stereotype women as less interested or capable of leading; God knows your great worth.  Men will fail you and leaders may oppress you, but God has not forgotten you.  He has heard you.

There is deliverance.  The powers of this world:  nations, unjust leaders, abusive boyfriends and husbands will fall. . . so hold on.  God is trustworthy and good. The oppression of this world cannot stand though it’s weight may be crushing.  God is working in the midst of the broken and vulnerable.  We can rest in his promised victory, and we can look for how He might use us to bring justice. . . just as He used Shiphrah, Puah, and Pharoah’s daughter.

About the writer:
Caroline is a wife and mom who loves Jesus. She also has a career in commercial real estate investing. God has given her a heart for encouraging other women. She and her husband, Eric, are the directors of the Fellowship Class, a young married Sunday School class at First Baptist Dallas.

Be Still

Let me paint a picture for you. Moses is leading the Israelites, God’s chosen people, out of Egypt where they were being brutality mistreated as slaves under Pharaoh. As they are fleeing, Pharaoh sends a large army filled with his best chariots after them to capture and kill them once again. At one point the Israelites find themselves in an impossible situation with Pharaoh’s army closing in on them
from behind and the Red Sea in front. At this point the fear filled Israelites begin ridiculing Moses for taking them from their familiar life and putting them in such a dangerous situation. All of a sudden panic sets in and being tortured in Egypt looks better to them than the fear of the unknown. Moses then gives the Israelites a pep talk of sorts reminding them the Lord will in fact deliver them. These specific wrds from Moses replay often in my own head as I face impossible situations as well.

 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.  Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

We struggle with infertility and our situation often feels impossible. I can easily feel surrounded by fear if I focus on our years of past struggles or the unknowns that lie in front of us, just like the Israelites. I find that when fear is ruling, I desire to have full control over my own situation. Living in fear and control is not being still. In fact, they keep us from fulling trusting God and often work against His plan. God wants us to be still so He can rule over our lives, directing us as He fights our battles along the way.

So how did the Lord fight for the Israelites? With the raising of Moses’ staff over the Red Sea it split in two, leaving a clear and dry path for the Israelites to escape. As they escape through the parted waters, the Egyptian army follows. At the direction of the Lord, the walls of water come crashing down and the Red Sea swallows up their enemy. The Israelites trusted and the Lord fought their impossible battle for them.

Don’t let fear rule and discount your faith in God. God is powerful over our impossible situations, we just have to trust Him. I absolutely love this specific verse from the popular worship song, No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music

You split the sea
So I could walk right through it.
You drowned my fears in perfect love,
You rescued me.
And I will stand and sing
I am a child of God.

How amazing that the God of the universe is working to fight my battles for me. Knowing that relieves such a burden! We must be still. Let Him drown our fears, allow Him to fight for us, and He will part a way through the impossible.

About the Writer:
Joni is a former elementary school teacher turned stay at home wife and mom to her son. She enjoys serving at First Baptist Dallas along side her husband as small group leaders in their Young Marrieds Sunday school class. She loves spending her free time crafting, attempting Pinterest projects, and above all spending time with her family.

The Breaking Point

The last straw. That silly, insignificant thing that sends you straight over the edge. It’s been a rough morning, after a rough week (or month). You are stretched thin, barely holding it all together and then one more thing happens and you break. And that’s where I found myself- at my breaking point.

I got my boys into class, found my way back to my car, and the flood gates opened. I was finally letting it all out. Every tear that streamed down my face represented a fight that I had lost in the last month, a moment where I had been defeated by life, another failure. I turned my car on and the music began to play. The songs flowed out of my radio… to my ears… to my heart. Each song seemed perfectly fitting for my situation- heartfelt songs, crying out to a savior for grace and mercy, a desperate call on the only One who knows every tear.

I thought I was doing fine on my own, things were not great, but they were not that bad either. Life was manageable, survivable… so I thought. “I’m strong. I can get through this.” I kept telling myself. Until I hit my breaking point. So, there I sat, in the school parking lot, broken, crying out to God, singing praises to the Lord through my tears, and questioning why. And then it hit me- to bring me back to God. I was trying to control my own life, my steps, my will. This breaking point was a not so gentle reminder that I needed to surrender my control to God. I have no control, I only thought I did.

The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Now I laugh, remembering what my son told me the other day, “Mom, my brain makes me think that I’m in charge of you, but I know you are in charge of me. My brain just tells me that I’m in charge sometimes.” He understands that I am in control of his life- to protect him, guide him, care for him. But he also recognizes the fight within his own head to take control of his life. Such wisdom from a 5-year-old.

I do the same thing with God. I tell him “I got this. I’m in charge. I’ll let you know when I need you.” When things are good in life, our minds deceive us into believing we can do this on our own- that we do not need God. Sometimes we must be broken in order to bring us back to the One who protects us, guides us, and cares for us. God is stronger and infinitely wiser. I have to seek Him daily and allow Him to be my God.

The Lord will fight for you; while you keep silent. Exodus 14:14 

Consider each breaking point pure joy and cry out to the Lord, praising Him with songs.

About the Writer:
Meghan is a former art teacher who feels blessed to now be a stay-a-home mom to her two boys. She loves volunteering at her sons’ school and with the First Baptist Dallas Women’s Ministry and First Impressions Team. She is passionate about art, cooking, working out, and playing volleyball.

Step Out & Speak Up

Real Talk: I wasn’t sure what to share with y’all about one of the bravest, most courageous, women in the Bible: Esther. I was chatting with a friend about the struggle of how I didn’t want this to be a cliche message that everyone has heard and already knows about the book of Esther. And that’s when she reminded me about this important truth: Esther wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the extraordinary things she did without the encouragement and push from her beloved Uncle Mordecai. As my friend was sharing with me what the Lord had been teaching her about this new found revelation from the book, I was shocked that I  had never seen the story of  Esther in this light before.

What we usually read and hear quoted most often is one of my favorite passages in the Bible because it rings true in so many different seasons of life, but I’ll give a little bit of backstory from the book first. Up to this part of the story, we know that Esther has been chosen by King Ahasuerus to be his new queen out of all the other women competing for this position. What we come to find out as we dive deeper into the book is that Esther and her uncle are Jews, and the king’s right-hand man, Haman, wants to completely destroy Mordecai and his people. What the king and Haman do not know is that Esther is a Jew as well. Mordecai hears of Haman’s plot and quickly informs Esther’s servants to relay this message to the queen.

This is where Mordecai’s words of wisdom and prophecy reach Esther’s very fearful ears.

Esther 4:14: For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Esther needed to be reminded of what she already knew was the right thing to do. But I tend to think, and this is purely my own conjecture, that if Esther did not have Mordecai in her life to speak the very blunt truth, and to remind her that she had an opportunity to speak up and possibly save the lives of thousands of Jews within the kingdom, would she have had the courage to speak up to the king?

Do you have a Mordecai in your life? Or maybe you’re that Mordecai in someone else’s life. When you find yourself becoming comfortable where you are, but you need to speak up or step out, do you have a friend or loved one who encourages you to take that brave, risky step? Sweet friend, don’t allow the enemy to whisper those lies that you’re not smart enough, brave enough, pretty enough, or skilled enough to do that hard thing God is calling you to do. Keep stepping out and speaking up. I promise it will be worth it!

About the Writer:
Anna is a full-time student finishing up her degree at Liberty University while also working full-time at First Baptist Dallas in the Young Married and Singles Ministries. In her spare time when she’s not writing papers for school, she enjoys laughing with friends, road trips to new places, and drinking copious amounts of iced coffee.

Why Queen Esther Matters for Feminism Today

Let me be the first to admit that when the topic of biblical womanhood is brought up in a Bible study, sermon, blog, or the dinner table, my eyes glaze over and I go to my happy place.  I have lost count of how many times I’ve heard the Proverbs 31 woman be cited as the optimal goal for Christian women. While this woman has great qualities and seems like a nice lady who puts her family first, she is not the only woman mentioned in the Bible. Can I hear an “Amen!” from all the women allergic to the kitchen?  (I’m convinced “gathering food from afar” can mean driving to Whole Foods!

While it’s important to look at the biblical model for households, it is also equally important to look at how God used women to accomplish His goals outside of the kitchen. As a Girls Minister, who works with teenagers for a living, let me tell you, one of the reasons women young and old have rejected biblical womanhood is because most teaching leaves out exciting Biblical stories with women in the starring roles. Thus enters the allure of the feminist movement.

Today we are going to look at a woman with a leading role in the Bible and in history, Queen Esther. Esther lives a real-life Cinderella story, has an entire Biblical book named after her, and manages to change the mind of a king and the direction of a country through her wisdom, beauty, timely words, and place of royalty. Esther has an important message for Christian girls and women who desperately want an exciting life and an impactful existence, and who secretly wonder if they must side with the feminist movement in order to accomplish these goals. Let’s look at why Queen Esther matters for the feminist movement of today.

Esther 4:14 is the most quoted verse in the entire biblical book of Esther.

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?  Esther 4:14

This is her uncle appealing to Esther to stand up for the Jews who were being mistreated and to use her high position in order to get her convictions heard before the king.  The verse directly contrasts the idea that the Bible oppresses women.  God placed Esther as Queen in order to lead a revolution!

1. Esther only used effective methods and means. If Esther lived in 2017, she would not have attended the Women’s March. How do I know this? She had seen the King’s first wife, Queen Vashti, behave in a feminist protest by refusing to obey her husband, to submit to his God-given authority, or to follow the norms for the culture of the day- which resulted in her losing her crown. Esther was not about to repeat the same mistake.

2. Esther had a systematic plan in mind and motion. Esther was not interested in merely yelling loud enough or long enough to get someone’s attention. She wanted results and to keep her husband’s heart, interest, and trust. Esther did not make him change his mind as a result of a tantrum. She carefully planned and respectfully appealed to her king and husband.

3. Esther kept her dignity resulting in her keeping her crown. Esther was not rash in the way she planned to confront injustice. Esther did not demand action, but requested her voice be heard and her plan carried out. Because of her patience and calm demeanor, her husband was open to hearing her concerns.

4. Esther was her own person while remaining submissive. Esther had her own ideas about culture, society, justice, and equality – and that is more than okay! In fact, Esther’s differing opinion from her husband’s is a main plot of this story! She was her own person, with her own ideas, who respectfully brought her request to the king, and he listened.

There are ungodly and unequal ideas, laws, practices, and crimes that must change for women in 2017. Culture needs to progress in how women are treated, and Christians need to stand for those who are mistreated. In the midst of creating a better world for women, there is value in learning how women in the Bible used their power, influence, grace, patience, beauty, and position to change the minds of kings and the direction of history.

About the Writer:
Julia is the Girl’s Ministry Director at First Baptist Dallas. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor who trained at the world-renowned Meier Clinics.  Julia is a professional speaker for Just Say Yes, speaking nationwide on the topics of suicide, depression, self-harm, and eating disorders. Julia is passionate about her three favorite topics theology, psychology, and ryanology. She has been married to her junior high sweetheart, Ryan, for eight years and loves ministering to teenagers alongside her best friend and favorite boss. Julia has a heart to see people experience the same freedom through Christ that she has experienced!