It’s virtually impossible to turn on the television or open a magazine without seeing some discussion on women. Whether it’s the rights of women, the abuses and problems women face, the roles women should or shouldn’t take or some other topic, women are the focus of much attention today.
There is a false narrative out there that because God created some differences in men and women, He is somehow anti-woman. Yet, God reassures us constantly we are all equally loved by Him. A quick examination of scripture will also reveal God placed women in many critical and important roles throughout history. Even some women, in what might be called stereotypical roles, had a major impact on their world and ours.
So, I was interested when offered the opportunity to review the book Courageous Women of the Bible by Latan Roland Murphy. Murphy examines the lives of eleven different women in the Bible from Deborah to the woman who was hospitable to Elisha. Although each story is different, each woman showed a different kind of courage – the same types of courage women still need today.
If you parent a toddler, your day is filled with questions. It’s one of the many ways young children explore the world around them and begin to understand it better. Millions of words have probably been written about the questions of children. We don’t often talk, though, about the questions parents should ask. I guess we view parenting as more of an ongoing lecture or a string of requests and commands.
Today’s fun, flexible family devotional is about songs. Don’t worry! You don’t have to be musical to enjoy this devotional. This week even the activity is a bit flexible. You can use Christian music you own or can access through Spotify or the radio.
936 pennies. It sounds like a lot if you are five years old and someone offers to give them to you. As a parent though, it’s a rapidly shrinking number representing the weeks you have to raise your child from birth to age eighteen. As someone whose child is about ready to graduate from college, I am all too aware of how quickly those pennies disappear. Oh, you are still blessed with some extra pennies when your adult child is on a break from school or your family vacations are taken together. Those bonus pennies are different though.
One of our new Teach One Reach One workshops is for parents of children who have experienced trauma and abuse. As I was working through it, I realized just how much we can teach our kids about what God wants for them and from them by being more intentional when we play with them.