“Mom! Tell us stories about when you were a kid!”
The eyes of my six year old son were bright with expectation as he took another bite of his applesauce and waited.
I paused for a moment to think.
“What?” he asked. “Do you just not remember or something?!”
“No, I remember,” I replied, “I just have to think of something worth telling.”
Tales of my childhood are one of Ryan’s favorite topics to fill any silence. I remember asking my mom the same question when I was his age. I generally just think of the funniest stories I can to share with him and make him laugh.
But today, the conversation led me in the direction of regaling Ryan with stories about an older woman who’d made an impact on me when I wasn’t much older than he was. As I told Ryan about this woman and the part she’d played in my life, I realized that there are many such women who have had a hand in who I’ve become and who I hope to be.
The Influence of Culture
CULTURE: the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.
Culture effects us deeply. It influences and guides who we are and what we do. Culture doesn’t just happen. Culture is created.
I’m currently raising boys surrounded by a culture screaming “girl power!” and female DOMINANCE. Toxic feminism is ever on the rise and femininity and the beauty of womanhood is fading into a culture of angry, selfish, creature vs. Creator kind of chaos.
To be fair and unbiased, there is also a culture of young, Christian, conservative non-feminists (that would be me) who are forgetting where their worth lies. Social media and its influence have caused some of us to believe our worth and ability to effect change lies in how many followers, likes, shares, and comments we’re currently generating. We don’t like to admit it but if our friend’s photos, house, homeschool style, wardrobe, fashion, pantry, or workout routines are more “Pinterest worthy” than our own, an inaccurate feeling of inadequacy tends to arise. (Ok, I know some of you are way more mature than that… but I’ll be real here… some days, I’m just not.)
A Different Story
My story telling moment with Ryan caused me to realize an opportunity… an opportunity to tell my boys stories of women in my life who weren’t interested in power or influence or dominance. I have the opportunity to tell my sons about women who have made a difference in the lives of those around them and made an impact for the Kingdom of God, often without even being aware. They simply knew where their true treasure and worth were found and lived accordingly.
I can tell them about women who created culture that was God and people serving rather than self serving… culture that encouraged rather than competed… culture that taught us to sacrifice and to love unconditionally rather than pushing away anything or anyone considered “toxic”… culture that taught us to tread our paths in faith rather than in fear… culture that taught us to walk in the confidence of WHOSE we were rather than WHO we were.
I want to tell my boys… to tell you… to remind myself… of real women, flawed women, striving women… who knew their created purpose… who created culture that would honor their Creator and influence those who would come behind them.
I need to remember and maybe you do too, that true beauty, strength, and influence don’t come with your number of social media followers, or your perfect health, material wealth, Pinterest worthy home, helpful tips, or a flawless face.
God used ordinary women in my life who weren’t trying to change the world. They were simply working with their hands and hearts to touch those within reach and live obediently to the Word of God.
I want to tell you about women who’s outward beauty shown brightly because it came from deep within them… not from the perfect backdrop, workout, diet, supplement, makeup or age defying skincare routine.
I want to tell you about women who embraced their call to:
Teach what is good, and so train the young women… (Titus 2)
Train them to what? Well… I have a few stories to tell that might bring those answers to life. I’m sure you have some of your own that might come to mind.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey to remember, to be encouraged, to gain confidence that creating change or making a difference in the lives of other women often happens in the simplest moments and you might not even know when they occur.
These moments happen when we’re focusing more on God’s glory than our own.
Let’s talk about women who never called themselves “influencers” and have no claim to fame… but, by God’s grace, the influence they held is greater than they will ever know.
Let’s learn so we can apply.
Let’s remember and never forget.
Let’s look back so we can look forward.
Tune in next week so we can get started!
Much love!
My Family Freedom 