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On a recent Oprah show, the age-old debate of working moms versus stay-at-home moms was revisited. In one corner, mothers who work full-time and leave the care of their children to daycare or others. In the other corner, mothers who left their careers entirely to become full-time moms. Leaving out for a minute the incredibly vast array of options somewhere in between (anyone ever heard of a part-time job?), a comment made by one of the career moms was perhaps the most startling of the show. When she discussed her reasonings for going back to work immediately after her children were born, she made a comment that children are actually harder to raise in their teenage years than when they are little (apparently this was meant to justify why children should do fine in daycare centers full-time). Then she remarked, quite confidently, "Anyone can hug a young child or read them a book." A full-time mother nearby visibly flinched at the remark. While Fishers of Women Ministries is dedicated to the belief that women of faith can be called and find their destinies in all places of life, ministry, and the workplace, there is a significant and striking difference in our philosophy than the one that basically states (as was perpetuated on the same program by the psychologist, Dr. Robin) that no choice is better than another. The only thing that makes a choice right is simply if you decide it is so. Though we are not called to make rash and harsh judgements on the choices of others based simply on their differences from our own callings, there are some basic principles the woman of faith should live by when making life decisions and following her desires and dreams. As women of faith, we do not live in a vacuum, where our decisions do not affect those around us and either contribute to, or take away from, our ultimate goal in life to follow a path of service to Christ. As you follow what you believe to be the purpose for your life, ask yourself some hard questions along the way:
As a woman of faith, you really have a more difficult path to follow. For you, life will not just be about you and your needs. But neither does God expect you to not have any needs or dreams. Only He can help you navigate the difficult path to success for you, but success for your family as well. It does matter who reads to your kids. It does matter who talks to your husband about his successes and failures. It does matter what path you walk in life. Choices are not good just because you made them with confidence and gusto. Choices are not inherently good, because we are not inherently good. But we can depend on the One who is inherently good to help us make the right decisions for our own lives, and the lives of those in our care. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength....Impress [these commandments] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." ~Deut. 6:5-9 |
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Copyright 2007 Fishers of Women Ministries |
Empowering the heart of a woman.. |
"What good are Greek, commentaries, insight, gift, and all the rest, if there is no heart for Christ?" ~Jim Elliot |