When our world is all kinds of confused and breaking, this is what we the women really want to know: where are the Esthers? Where are the Ruths, the Hannahs and the Rahabs?
Where are the Marys who will show up at Elizabeth’s doorstep to link arms with her and help her baby leap again? Help her dreams leap again.
Where are the real deal women who are ready to quit the bickering because they choose to build community over competition?
Where are the women who instead of shoving and scoffing, will link arms, lift up and build bridges for other women? For women who look nothing like them nor look nothing like what they expect.
Where are the women who are just about tired of lukewarm Christianity, hiding behind masks and status?
The women the world needs; who are unafraid to work behind the scenes, women whose worth doesn’t come from being seen because they are seen by the One who matters.
Women who will create safe places for the real, raw and sore. The ones that link arms and build real bridges.
Because truth is: there are women who have been hurt by other women, yet God is waiting to use women to heal women.
Not just any kinds of women, but the brave ones who are honest enough to unmask their own brokenness. Offer it on a messy plate of friendship and say, “me too”. The ones who really come alongside and fight this messy fight of faith. Together.
The world has enough women who will pull down to be lifted up. Our world has enough women who hold up this message loud and clear: “you can’t sit with us.”
The world has enough pretty girls who turn heads as soon as they walk into a room. The world has enough women chasing success, because yes, the world is drawn to success. The world pays attention to success. The world bows to its own kind of success.
But in the upside down Kingdom, God turns His glorious attention to the brave instead.
His heart is searching for overlooked women, hurt women, backstage women, broken women – who will be brave enough to be set apart.
There’s something about being an outsider that makes room for you in the inner chambers with God. When you don’t fit in with the cliques and the crews, you are able to seek and find your place in God, and He leads you to your tribe of women.
Women who are living their lives raw.
Women who are just about tired of chasing things that exhaust the soul. Women who will say loud and clear, “we are in this together!”
God wants to use women to heal women.
Let us be the women who recognize that the way up: is down. Let us be the feet washers, the Cross carriers, the bridge builders. Let us be the women that the world seeks. Women, found by God.
Women seeking the things that matter. Women who will believe in another woman. Girls who are eager to let the other girl in, build bridges for her to get to the other side.
Maybe God put you in that place, position, to have endured and broken through your own hurt and pain just so you would lift her up in her own time. Just so you could tell her which way to go. Just so you could give her a road map; so she can reach just a little higher than you.
May we be the brave women with swords who fight alongside others and for those who are too worn to fight. May we be the ones who throw away masks, cold hearts, and cynicism.
Let us not be afraid of the other woman in the room. Lifting her higher doesn’t make you less. It makes you more. It calls you to more. More than yourself. Much bigger than yourself.
Friendship and sisterhood is where Christ comes to fellowship. Where two or three are gathered.
He seeks women who will come not come alone to the tomb to seek Him. Women who will link arms as they wait at the feet of His Cross.
May we be the women that our world needs right now. Women who build bridges where there are raging seas. Women who lock arms in fellowship. Women who mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.
May we be the real deal women.
