My Journey’s My Own

A Devotional

I have always considered myself an empath. I can feel how other people feel. I attribute this gift to my mother. She told me from a young age to never hurt anyone’s feelings on purpose. I believe this made me watch others to see how they were feeling. It made me watch body language more closely. It helped me to tune into others better. However, it also made it very hard not to have a hard core opinion on several issues because I can always see both sides of the subject. Yet some issues are easier to decide than others.  

Women throughout history have fought for our rights, for the right to vote, for our voices to be heard and to be valued. It’s 2023, almost 2024, and we are still fighting. Some, harder than others. It’s inconceivable that some of these things are still being spoken and debated about. In particular, reproductive rights.

So when this issue came up, as it has several times in my lifetime, I have a hard time. But I know this. It’s not up to the government what women choose to do with their bodies. It should be up to that woman, her family and her medical team. This is AMERICA and this is not 1850!

Fun Fact #1 (insert sarcasm) : Native American WOMEN did not receive the vote until 1962!!! Read that again! WTF?!

Fun Fact #2 Abortion is still illegal, for any reason, in 26 countries. Millions of women do not have a voice or a choice. 

Fun Fact #3 In 2008, Bhutan finally gave women the vote, it was the last country in the world to do so.

Fun Fact #4 As of right now (11/10/23) 14 states no longer allow abortions.

Women in the Bible were either revered or shunned. There doesn’t seem to be a middle road. Eve was created to be a partner for Adam, then she was his downfall. Many men, most of them the religious founders, saw this as a reason to shove women down throughout the Bible and history. Eve’s temptation of Adam with the apple became a reason to punish the rest of us forever. 

Yet, nobody speaks of Adams inability to refuse the apple? Hmmmm…….that’s a subject for another time.

I’ve raised two daughters. Both are strong, intelligent, independent, loving women. One is a mother and wife and rocking the Stay at Home Goddess role, and the other is thriving at college. They have had the same set of values taught to them growing up, went to the same church, baptized, loved in the same ways, and I am fiercely proud of them both. One is religious and one is spiritual. Both are beautiful and my pride and joy. And they adore each other. 

I would take on Satan himself for these two women. No matter what. But I may need to battle the government of my own country. WTF?!

Because as their mother I am destined to be their advocate, their forever protector, their role model and shield. The nice part is that I’ve raised these women to be who they are, so their voices will be heard first before mine. I’m their back up. Because I taught them to stand up for themselves, and for others.

I taught them to be valued. To be heard. To be true to themselves. To be strong women. Be strong like Mary, kind like Mary Magdalene, and patient like Sarah.

Teach your daughters ladies. 

Lead them. 

Show them. 

Educate them. 

Pray with and for them. 

Vote for them. 

Advocate for them. 

VALUE THEM.

They are the future.

Questions/Actions

Ask yourself where you stand on women’s issues. Share these with your daughters. Have the discussion.

Support a local woman run business and help promote her. Help raise her voice! Below are my shameless plugs for my faves.

www.redleaf.com https://www.vaultbooksandbrew.com/ https://kids-resale.business.site/ https://www.thetinyclosetboutique.com/

Show someone you love some support today. Whatever that looks like to you. 

Verses

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Gen 2:18

“Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Gen 2:22

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Gen 3:6

Proverbs 31:10-31 WORTH THE READ