As a Christian woman + wife, I’m constantly trying to humble myself and learn more about who I am meant to be in Christ. I will never claim to be the best + all I can keep doing is trying to improve and be better than I was yesterday. It takes a lot of strength to be a woman of God.
My not-so-silent agony lately has been dealing with male leadership. I have no issues with male authority + the two are slightly different concepts. Someone can be in charge of something {authority} but have no idea what they’re doing or how to guide others {lack of leadership.} I am a creative visionary, working for what could be. The male leadership is more analytical, only seeing what is directly in front of them but not the potential of a situation/circumstance.
You can imagine the clashing of heads there.
I do have a very analytical side to myself, but it’s not my first mind. I want to get things done, so I figure out how to get things done. Therein lies my current conundrum.
I know that I can be pretty stubborn. When I need things to be resolved, it’s a strength. When I’m trying to do something that no one wants me to do, my stubbornness can be my weakness…especially if I need to have the cooperation + support of a team who doesn’t see things the way that I do. I joined the Blogging for Books program, which allows me to receive a book + write my honest opinion about it. I was proud of myself for choosing A Woman of Strength and Purpose. One of the struggles that I’ve been dealing with lately is my strong will. I also admittedly sometimes may have issues with the words that come out of my mouth; I have another book for that…
A Woman of Strength
I learned quite a few things about myself while reading this book. I’m definitely a woman of strength or, as the author calls us, a Strong Willed Woman {SWW.} I own my stubbornness. I just have to learn about how to use my powers for the good of the Kingdom. This is where the book comes in. Reading it is like sitting down + talking to an wise, lifelong friend. Ms. Tobias is certainly a Titus 2 woman, sharing her experiences + lessons with those who are just like her. Stubborn Strong-willed.
I learned about the great responsibility that I have as a SWW. I’m a leader, which means there are people, women, who will follow me. I am a teacher + mentor for the teenage girls in my congregation. They listen to me + look up to me. I have a responsibility to all those around me to lead them in the way that God would have me to + to not cause divisiveness in the church. It’s a hard thing to do when I’m exhibiting my will + it’s not in line with those in positions of authority over me because I end up reacting with my emotions instead of with my Christ-likeness. No one wants to be wrong or turned away + I learned that I really have to check my ego at the door when I’m working for the Kingdom. This isn’t a one-woman show.
“Strong will has a dark side, and when it takes the wrong turn, things can get ugly. Resourcefulness can turn into manipulation; creative solutions can become dishonest tactics; determination can present itself as purely stubborn pride. Every strong-willed woman has experienced both the light and dark sides of her nature. We know we are capable of great good-or great destruction. The difference in how we use the power we have lies in whether or not we have dedicated it to the Creator and Designer of it.”
That was page 4.
Well, alrighty then…
The Strength to Live for Good
I learned that having strength in my convictions + desires isn’t a bad thing. “…in that our gospel did not come to you merely in words, but in power and in the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction (surely you recall the character we displayed when we came among you to help you).” 1 Thessalonians 1:5 {NLT}
No matter what others think of it, my stubbornness strong-will is a good thing. I just have to figure out how to use my strength + determination for the advancement of the Kingdom. The book was very insightful + self-reflective for me. I have grown to a place of maturity where I can be wrong. I certainly don’t like it, but I can accept my flaws + am willing to work on them.
“Without God’s direction, our righteous indignation can quickly become just plain indignation as we jettison the righteous part. We can get so caught up in our outrage that even our best intentions alienate others and we end up hurting the very cause we support by overlooking the importance of how we deal with those who stand in our way.”
This is where I am now. This is the reason why I’m frustrated + ready to walk away from so many things; I can see my fault in my current conflict but, in my own strength, I’m not going to be able to rectify or right it. The book identifies 10 things that happen when strong will takes the wrong direction + I was {am} guilty of 5 of them; 7 if I didn’t see the errors of my ways. I missed the information on the cover about the discussion questions, so I didn’t do those along with the chapters. Once I finished the book, I dove into analyzing my actions, determined to figure out me + how I should move forward in His will.
Book Review
Overall, it was a good read. It was easy to digest + I am eager to implement some of the things that I learned. Being a SWW herself, Ms. Tobias provides constructive insight into the plight of a woman of strength + how I can be the best Christian women I can be.
Book title: A Woman of Strength and Purpose
Author: Cynthia Ulrich Tobias
Book Info: Paperback
Content Length: 188 pages {194 pages in entirety}
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
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