For the Love - by Jen Hatmaker Shembull

On Women

God is unveiling women around the world. He always has and continues to work through women and girls, who are half of His church. They are, like men and boys, His image bearers. They are also, like men and boys, gifted, empowered, smart, and anointed.

If anyone has made you feel invisible or less-than, write a new narrative on your heart. The Bible was used to subjugate women for centuries, but the New Testament reveals women leading the church, prophesying, teaching, and co-laboring with men. Let’s flourish under Paul’s instruction: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

You are approved.

You are a worker.

You have no need to be ashamed.

You are a truth-handler.

You are a sanctioned, honorable operative in the splendid task of loving God and people. You have a role. Your place is secure. If not you, who? Who else will deliver hope to your people? Who else will embrace the weary and lonely? Who else will teach the good Word and claim its promises? Who else will laugh at the days to come with courage? Who else will raise your children in strength?

You will.

Take all the hard parts—the failures, the losses, the wounds—and give them to Jesus for glory. He makes magic with those, I tell you. Those scars are a gift; they say, “See, I’ve been there, and here I am still standing and you will too.” They become badges of honor, agents of healing.

This really is your one wild and precious life. You matter so much. You are writing a good story for your children. Your community and church need you; your neighbors and family need you; God adores you and Jesus is obsessed with you. Here we are, your community of women running this race together, proud of you, moved by you. We’ll stumble; that’s part of the course, but we’ll leave no woman behind.

Our generation will cross the finish line having loved God and people with all our might. We’ll have imperfect lives to offer, sure, but I dream of heaven, seeing millions of folks loved by our hands, where hopefully we’ll hear: “Well done, good and faithful servants. You sure were fun to watch.”