What does it mean to be a woman? More importantly, what does it mean to live in this world as a Christian woman? What does it mean to be a wife and a wife that loves the Lord and loves her husband? These are questions that have been on my heart a lot lately. God has been so good and gracious to help me along this journey.

The more I search and study Scriptures, the more I realize how HARD it is to be a woman of God in this world. The Word of God and the world that we live in portray 2 opposite images of who a woman is supposed to be.

The world says a woman...

- needs to be independent

- needs to be successful

- needs to pursue HER dreams

- needs to have freedom and space

- needs to be sexy and alluring

- needs to focus on HERSELF

- needs to have all the newest and finest things

- needs to find her self-worth in her looks

- needs to speak her mind at all times no matter the cost

I can tell you that I know for a fact that this is NOT the type of woman that My God wants me to be! Honestly, this "woman" I described above is enticing at times and can cause me to be very distracted, but this is not what I desire at the end of the day. God is changing my heart big time! My "want to" has changed.

The woman that God desires for us to be is one who is SECURE in CHRIST and Christ alone. She doesn't strive to find her sense of accomplishment in her career, looks, relationships, success, or talents.

"A Woman in her glory, a woman of beauty, is a woman who is not striving to become beautiful or worthy or enough. She knows in her quiet center where God dwells that He finds her beautiful, has deemed her worthy, and in HIM, she is enough!" (- Captivating)

God desires for His daughters to glorify HIM. HE is everything we could ever want, need, or hope for.

We must be respected by others, self-controlled, and trustworthy in everything (1 Tim. 2:9-11). Our outward appearance is not what should make us beautiful, but our beauty should come from within- the beauty of a gently and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3). We are to be holy in our behavior, wise, pure and modest, hard-workers at home, kind, and loving towards our husbands and kids (Titus 2). We are to be SERVANTS and SELFLESS, putting other's needs before our own. We are not to store up treasures here on earth because they will vanish within the blink of an eye and we are to bring honor to the Lord in everything we do!

These are just some of the commands and guidelines that God gives us as women. We should be SO thankful for the treasure of God's TRUTH! It grieves my heart to see women and girls believing lies straight from the devil about being "real women." They will never make it or live up to these crazy expectations. It is so much easier to fall into the arms of our Lord, knowing that He accepts and loves us and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by HIM! There is so much freedom in knowing WHO you are in Christ. All the pressure and expectations suddenly disappear.

All this to say, I think one of the huge differences between "women of this world" and women of God is that the God created His daughters to bring glory to HIM, not glory or attention to ourselves. Less of us and more of the Lord! Our focus and attention needs to be shifted to our Father in heaven. We are created in His image and as believers, we are to be a reflection of His holiness.

"True womanhood is a distinctive calling of God to display the glory of God. If you try to reduce your womanhood to physical features, you not only miss the power and purpose in womanhood, but you diminish the greatness of Christ!"