Determined to Change the Story
March has been designated as Women’s History Month. It started in 1978 when a
school district in California wanted to celebrate women’s contributions to culture,
history, and society. Other schools caught on and for a week, presentations were
given at schools, students participated in “Real Woman” essay contests, and a
parade was held. In 1980, Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 as
National Women’s History Week. And, in 1987, the National Women’s History
Month Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire
month of March.
As I read of the contributions of so many women, both in the Bible and in the
secular world, one word stuck in my head – they were DETERMINED to change
their story. Many people are living every day with pain in their souls- their mind,
will, and emotions. They carry around the weight of negative emotions, negative
experiences, and negative perspectives about their lives. The trail of abuse, the love
that was withheld, the shame, the disappointment- do we assume we just have to
live with the pain? Do these wounds have a way of defining us and our outlook on
life? Or can we determine to change our story?
There are so many women who feel defeated due to abusive relationships. In order
to flourish, women need to be around people who are safe people, not people who
continue to wound them. A safe person is someone who doesn’t consistently
evaluate, judge, or belittle you. Despite occasional disagreements with safe people,
you still maintain harmony and unity in a non-toxic relationship. GOD will help
you to learn to recognize these people if you listen to the WISDOM of the HOLY
SPIRIT.
For example, the other morning my husband and I went out for breakfast. As we
were walking, I said to him out of my spirit, “Nate, do you know why I call you
honey? It’s because bees produce honey that is pure, not polluted. I thank God that
your love for me is pure.” I had never thought about that before as I repeated,
“That’s right, honey is pure.” My husband turned to look at me and said, “Thank
you, I love you too.”
A determined woman chooses to author a different story of her life, a story that is
not wrapped up in fear and rejection. She rises above her circumstances, recovers
from setbacks, and she does not compare herself with other people. She delights in
the person that God has created her to be. She changes her story of who she was to
whose she is – a child of God. A determined woman allows God to change her
from the inside out not the outside in! It is a changed outlook and attitude that
come from God’s Word. “God loves me unconditionally and I receive his love.”
Rom 12:2NIV” Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to evaluate and
approve what Gods will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
school district in California wanted to celebrate women’s contributions to culture,
history, and society. Other schools caught on and for a week, presentations were
given at schools, students participated in “Real Woman” essay contests, and a
parade was held. In 1980, Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 as
National Women’s History Week. And, in 1987, the National Women’s History
Month Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the event to the entire
month of March.
As I read of the contributions of so many women, both in the Bible and in the
secular world, one word stuck in my head – they were DETERMINED to change
their story. Many people are living every day with pain in their souls- their mind,
will, and emotions. They carry around the weight of negative emotions, negative
experiences, and negative perspectives about their lives. The trail of abuse, the love
that was withheld, the shame, the disappointment- do we assume we just have to
live with the pain? Do these wounds have a way of defining us and our outlook on
life? Or can we determine to change our story?
There are so many women who feel defeated due to abusive relationships. In order
to flourish, women need to be around people who are safe people, not people who
continue to wound them. A safe person is someone who doesn’t consistently
evaluate, judge, or belittle you. Despite occasional disagreements with safe people,
you still maintain harmony and unity in a non-toxic relationship. GOD will help
you to learn to recognize these people if you listen to the WISDOM of the HOLY
SPIRIT.
For example, the other morning my husband and I went out for breakfast. As we
were walking, I said to him out of my spirit, “Nate, do you know why I call you
honey? It’s because bees produce honey that is pure, not polluted. I thank God that
your love for me is pure.” I had never thought about that before as I repeated,
“That’s right, honey is pure.” My husband turned to look at me and said, “Thank
you, I love you too.”
A determined woman chooses to author a different story of her life, a story that is
not wrapped up in fear and rejection. She rises above her circumstances, recovers
from setbacks, and she does not compare herself with other people. She delights in
the person that God has created her to be. She changes her story of who she was to
whose she is – a child of God. A determined woman allows God to change her
from the inside out not the outside in! It is a changed outlook and attitude that
come from God’s Word. “God loves me unconditionally and I receive his love.”
Rom 12:2NIV” Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to evaluate and
approve what Gods will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”