Fight Like a girl

The last Saturday of February I got to co-plan a church lady's tea! It was so much fun!! We had 55 ladies attend and I was asked to share a short devotional. I wanted to share that message with you. Although since I have more time on here then I had with the ladies I plan on going into a little more depth into each point. This week is the introduction!

Fight like a girl!

I recently turned 30. Now I realize that all you women reading this are 29 and under and I thank you for allowing me to share my 2 months wisdom with you! Something happened when I hit that age, to me age really is just a number and I in no way feel old or am going through a mid life crisis. Before, when I was in my 20's I felt like the song "not a girl, not yet a woman" was like my jam. I struggled with the well, I'm not that old or i'm too old for that. Then when I turned 30, I realized hey, that's the age when you ask a kid what's old they say 30! Or the age when I was a kid, the age my mom would tell me to act when I was acting up. Which I translated into to act like my grandma. At the age of 30 I suddenly liked tea, it was kind of the weirdest thing before 30... tea, uh no thank you i will pass. 30, tea? yes please with one sugar. At the age of 30 I kinda had this realization that I can't pass for college age any more, nor should I. At the age of 30 my prayers took a change too. In my 20's and also my teens I remember praying "God who do you want me to be?" Suddenly at the age of 30 my prayers became "God help me to be a better woman."  I wish that God worked in my way, that as I pray He gives me a step by step plan to become a better woman. I love lists, I like to make them almost daily. Usually the first thing on my list is wake up; which I get to cross off almost instantly. I already feel accomplished. Next on my list is usually; make a list. Whoo hoo two for two today is a success. Third is get ready for day, sometimes that's a 50/50 (do I want to change out of pj's?) and fourth is eat, again 50/50 which also ensues a debate. Does a twix count as breakfast? God doesn't usually give me a list he just slowly reveals things to me as I go. I know I am not yet the perfect woman but I do know I am better today than yesterday. I don't pray to be a better wife or a better mom. I feel like as God molds me to be a better woman all those other things will click into place. As I pursue being a better woman being a better wife and mom will follow naturally. As I follow God in pursuit of being a better woman I will naturally become a better girlfriend, sister, daughter and such. In this day and age where we are constantly told we live in a man's world, I think the power behind being a woman has been lost. In this day and age being told you fight like a girl is an insult, instead of a recognition of a woman. One movie I have always liked, although it will never take the place of High School Musical or Step Up. There is a certain scene that stands out to me, It's the scene where a royal princess is standing in a battlefield where death lays about her. You don't recognize her as a royal princess because she has hidden her womanhood in a man's armor. She is there because she wants to help, she has practiced with a sword and is just as good if not better than most of the men. As the battle rages on she watches her father the king fall at the hand of an evil creature and it's rider. She rushes to her father's side but the creature prevents her, she begins to fight the evil dark figure. Just as the evil king thinks he won he claims, "You fool no man can kill me." At this time she rises up, takes off her helmet and claims, "I am no man." Stabbing the evil king, he had no reason to worry of a female presence on the battlefield. He shrivels up and dies. She hid her identity to come onto the battlefield but it was not until she showed her true identity did she become victorious. This scene has grown in importance to me as I have gotten older, the fact that she did not win until she revealed her womanhood. This scene is from the movie Lord of the rings the Return of the King (click the name to see the clip). We are living in a world where we are told to blend in a become like the man, to be successful you must act more manly. This is not the way we will win, this is not the way to success. It will not happen until we realize our true identity and power in being a woman. I may realize my prayer changing at the age of 30 but, God is calling all of his females to stand up and be proud of the women He made you to be. To stop trying to fit into the man's world and start fighting as He made women to fight.

I have 3 points to get you started.

1. What's our battle

2. Best Weapon

3. The way to win

I have been in love with this topic for as long as I remember and the book by Lisa Bevere titled Fight Like a Girl brought some new insight into my message. I would definitely. encourage reading it. I will continue this series trying to post each point once a week. 

Before I go though I want to share with you a challenge our Pastor gave us this past Sunday, it is an easy one and one I know will change your life if you follow it.

It's called Rise and Nine. First thing in the morning instead of hitting your snooze start with;

3 minutes praise

3 minutes prayer

3 minutes reading

I hope you join our church in this challenge! I also look forward to sharing more with you on Fight like a girl.

Dorinda

Fight Like a Girl: We are the Answer

We are the answer!

This is part 3 to my Fight Like A Girl Series. You can read the rest here: intro: part 1: part 2.

I know as a woman I have been told I am being too emotional or this wouldn't be a problem if I kept my emotions in check. How about you? Words like that tend to make me think I am more of the problem than the answer. I will admit I have had moments where my emotions have gotten the best of me. Haven't we all? That doesn't mean I am the problem. In fact so, so many times God has used women as an answer to a problem.  Gosh, I could name so many. Eve to Adam being overwhelmed. Deborah in Judges that is a funny story to me; read it in Judges 4. Esther saving her whole nation! Can't forget Mary to save the world!

Stop looking at yourself as a problem and realize you are the answer! One of my favorite scriptures is Esther 4:14. You are raised for such a time as this! You have a job no man can do! Step up and do it!

You may be thinking but I am a stay at home mom, or I am just a working lady. What I do doesn't matter I just raise kids, or I just make dinner for my husband, I just work for my boss. The position you are in is a position no man can complete. I am not talking the actual physical work. I am talking the ministering you are doing. The example you are setting. You are where you are because God needed a woman's touch in that spot, and that woman's touch is yours. Stop letting people tell you, you are the problem and realize you are the answer! 

As I was studying the past few weeks I read a blog by a girl named Andi Andrew. At the end of one of her blog posts she said this.

Women – we need each other. God is doing something so powerful with His women… It’s explosive, it’s catching fire. The walls are falling down, we are uniting as one, girded in Jesus, with one cause. The women are rising up. The women have found their voice. The women are free.

You are the answer for such a time as this. To reach the world in such a time as this. To change lives of those around you for such a time as this. You are a woman and it's time to ROAR!

This is the final part of my Fight Like A Girl Series. I am sad to see it end and I really enjoyed it. I plan on writing a few more devotionals up and coming. I hope you enjoyed this series as much as I did and I hope it encouraged you as much as it did me! Tell me in the comments if you liked the series and in any way it encouraged you. I love to hear your stories! 

Fight Like a Girl: Our Greatest Weapon

This is a continuation of a devotional I taught at our Church at our Women's tea. I loved it and wanted to continue studying so I brought it with me to the blog. You can read part 1, and part 2. Now onto the next point Our Greatest Weapon!

A lot of times we are told to think of ourselves or to move up in this world you must step on people. Jesus says something different to the disciples in Matthew those who are last will be first. I think Women especially are gifted and talented in the area of hospitality, we are going to look at a few women in the bible as our example.

Let's start with the first woman Eve she was called to be Adam's helpmate that's it. Designed and created to help Adam her job was to serve him and help him accomplish what God had called him to do. I bet there were times she felt like a doormat, Adam would say; "hey honey will you help me with....." She probably was thinking; "seriously you can't do this one thing by yourself?" Yet, that was her job. Sometimes when serving others you feel like a doormat, I hear a lot people say don't be a doormat and it sounds good but, I looked in the bible and I can't find scripture to back that up. I did find Matthew 5:38-40; 

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[a] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

Gosh, I am pretty sure that defines doormat right there. Sometimes you are going to feel stepped on and walked on and used. Keep on serving, and serve with a smile. God's Word contains promises saying, promotion comes from God, and do everything as doing unto the Lord, and the last shall be first. Serving isn't the easiest way but it is the only way recognized by God.

Before we continue onto our next lady I want to mention that there isn't room for physical or mental abuse. If you are being abused get out of the situation, it is bad. You can use your gift of serving else where.

Next lady I want to look at is one of my favorite, in fact whenever I am asked to speak to women I almost automatically plan on teaching from her story. I love a story with spa and fashion!! It is Queen Esther! When it was time for her to save her people and ask the king for a favor, she choose to serve him dinner. She called the King and her worst enemy; the one planning the whole plot to kill not just her family but, her whole race of people, over to dinner. After she served him food the king says; "What is your petition? Even up to half the kingdom is yours at your request." Wow!! What an answer just for giving him some dinner!! Guess what! The king gave her, her request and destroyed the one who had plotted to kill her whole nation! What can we accomplish by serving someone else? 

Don't give up on your dream plant seeds by helping others reach their dreams. God will make sure others help you do the same. Serving is planting seed in the lives of others whether they are Christian or not. Your servanthood could make a non- christian see the love of God and run into His arms. Don't under estimate the power of serving!

There is a flip side to serving and again since this is our greatest weapon sometimes we can over use it. Whenever I think of serving I also think of Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to the door Martha was in the kitchen and Mary sitting at His feet. Martha gets upset and says; "Jesus, tell Mary to help me." To which he replies; "Mary has chosen the better thing." There is time to serve and there is a time to listen. To become truly skilled at our weapon when we need to know when to use it and when to not. Martha didn't choose the wrong thing, she just choose the wrong time to do the right thing. Sometimes when serving we let it take place of everything and forget we need to take time and sit and hear from God. When we don't do this it builds resentment, I know I have been there. Don't let serving take the place of hearing.

Serving is our weapon! Like a sword if you were to practice with it everyday and never sharpen it, when time came to go to battle it would be dull and of no use. You could be great and talented at it, but because you are so tired and dull you can't do any good. To sharpen our sword of serving we need to take time listening. First at home, and second at church. Don't serve every Sunday in the nursery make sure you are in listening to your Pastor preach the Word. Don't let the kids be your alarm clock take back your mornings and listen to God before you serve them and your husband. Before you go to work, listen, so you can better serve your boss. 

Romans 12:13 says; Share with the Lord's people who are in need; practice hospitality. An old saying comes to mind "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." The greatest way to reach people and to show people God is to serve them, show them God's love.

I want to encourage you again, to join me in the Rise and Nine challenge. Wake up 3 minutes praise, 3 minutes prayer, 3 minutes read. 

I have a few book suggestions on this topic;

Mary heart in a Martha world; I have no actually read this one but, it does have some great reviews and I do want to read it.

Women after God's own heart; Great read!!

Keep serving and keep listening! In two weeks I will talk on the last point!

Fight Like a Girl: Who are we battling?

This is part 2 of my Fight Like a Girl Series. You can read part one here!

Who are We battling?

Men? A lot of times we feel like we must fight against the men for a place in this world. That men are in control and we are just the doormat they step on. That can make us feel defensive or even go on the offensive and start battling them to be heard or seen. The Bible tells us in Genesis 2:18; 

 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Our battle is not with man, we are supposed to be his helpmate! What is his helpmate? Counterpart to the part he needs to complete his job. If you notice Adam did not go to God and ask for help (typical man HAHA!) God noticed it wasn't good for man to be alone. Then to create us Adam didn't even get to help, God put him to sleep! God made us to fill in man's weakness and we fill in his. Man is not our enemy he is our battle mate. 

3 girls united to see Carrie!

Women? How many of you have been the type of person that doesn't really like women? We can be mean sometimes!! Satan has deceived us and pitched us against each other! What a battle plan on his part, when we fight against each other we won't realize our strength together! The Bible talks about 1 putting 1,000 to flight 2 puts 10,000 to flight. Imagine 2 women fighting with each other! We could be making our enemies RUN from us!! Our battle is not with women we need to band together and help each other. Of course the best Bible story of 2 women is Naomi and Ruth. Ruth would not leave Naomi's side and because of it both women ended up far better off than they ever would have on their own. If Ruth had abandoned Naomi she never would have found Boaz! Now there is a romance story for the reading!!! 

Well then, who are we battling? That is the trick we aren't battling anyone instead we are battling for something! We are battling for our world, for God's glory to be displayed or simply put for unity. The unity of man and woman! Where men and women stand out from each other but, flow and work together in harmony. We are fighting for the unity of women! Where we can love each other, and talk with each other, without worry of criticism or judgement. 

WE ARE NOT BATTLING ANYONE, WE ARE BATTLING FOR EVERYONE!

Discussion point:

1. What are ways we can stop the battle against man?

2. How are ways we can battle side by side with man?

3. What are ways we can stop the battle with woman?

4. What do you think it will look like when we unite with other women?

I have decided to add discussion points because I want to hear from you! Also, I want this message to get in your head and start you thinking! Comment below on this series Fight Like a Girl. Our Greatest Weapon will be up in 2 weeks!

Dorinda