Living in Light of Eternity (musings on happenings at the SBC)

I dreamt of being a pastor’s wife. When you cut me open, I bleed women. I passionately wholly believe women can do anything, should do anything, chase after every dream placed in their heart. I have a theory that this happens when you raise girls. You see all the potential inside them, and you pray it is unleashed for the Kingdom. But I have held these convictions far before raising Collins, Carter and Connolly.

As a college girl, I devoured books and poetry by Ruth Bell Graham. I found the whole library written by Ann Kiemel Anderson, a woman out to change her world. I have probably done every Beth Moore study ever written. And beyond that, I have been the student of some of the most ordinary, yet extraordinary women, as I have sat under their care in living rooms and coffee shops.

I am grateful for the women voices who have shown me how to use my own gifts to provide my greatest contribution to the world. Gosh, I am forever indebted to them.

Now in hindsight, I can see I desired to be a pastor’s wife because I didn’t have framework for a woman to be in ministry. Therefore, I felt I needed to marry into it. People can’t be what they can’t see. I didn’t even know what it would look like to be in ministry outside of imitating Ruth Bell Graham or Beth Moore. Now, I am grateful that the man I married is wonderful, but women shouldn’t have to marry into the ministry to serve the church. It doesn’t need to be this way.

Not in God’s economy.

God has kindly met me in my desires, and I praise God for the many men who have seen me and invited me to tables I didn’t culturally belong at. I’m deeply grateful. But not every woman will get that chair pulled out for her at her church. I am not here to provide a theological discourse on scripture. But I do know there are compelling arguments on both sides surrounding the discussion of how women can use their giftings and where.

I simply want to remind every woman everywhere, that she doesn’t need permission to change her world for God’s Kingdom.

The permission has already been given.

Dear daughter, empowered, child of God, I hope you get room to use your giftings at your church, but you don’t need permission to bring your gifts to your corner of the world. It is dark everywhere we turn, and God has invited you into His great adventure. If you could claim your street as your prayer domain, you will begin the greatest adventure of your life. If you could see your playdates as your mission, you will watch an Almighty God move. If you could see your uniqueness as the way to lead people to abundant life in Jesus, you will never be longing for a full life because you would be living it.

I just want you to know the permission is already yours and you already have every spiritual blessing to go on and live in light of eternity. You don’t need the voice of an organization. You have the voice of God.

Question: How do you want to live your life in light of eternity? What matters most to you?