Draw your sword

On Sunday I entered church at 8:30am mentally anticipating my day: church service until 11:00, teaching kids' church until 1:00, a quick meeting for a women's event until 1:15, a meeting with my kids' connect group until 2:15, calling the cheerleaders to deliver the tryout results until 4:00, quick dinner and then running out to the Sonics game at 5:00pm - whew! I was trying not to get overwhelmed as I found my seat. I turned to quickly greet a woman I have recently begun to know and noticed that her spirit was troubled.

I asked her how she was and with some gentle prodding she shared with me a hurt she had experienced over the last week. Her story was so similar to those I hear often from my female friends. The micro details vary greatly but the overriding theme is similar, "I have always struggled to feel like I measure up to other women. I sometimes don't feel valuable." I too have struggled and still do struggle with this issue. I battle it with prayer, the Word and faith confession, "I am who God says I am. I was created by my Heavenly Father in my mother's womb. He knew the good works I would do before I was born. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. God loved me so much that He sacrificed His own son just so that we could have relationship."

It was during my conversation with her that I was reminded about the greatness of God. There are billions of people in the world, but my dear friend at church was so valuable that He saw fit to place us together weeks ago so we might begin a friendship. She is so valuable that this Sunday the Holy Spirit dropped her right into my lap so that together we might encourage one another as two women who fight the same battle. As I listened and then spoke I heard the woman next to me quietly praying. Her knowing glance let me know that she was asking God for wisdom on my behalf. Unbeknownst to the people around us, there were three women in church drawing their swords and fighting off the enemy.

The enemy attacks women because he knows the power we have to encourage, to love, to bring healing to the world. Our husbands, our children and our girlfriends need strong women who know their value to encourage them through life's difficulties. A women has the power in her tongue to make her husband feel like a king or a mouse (in just a few words!). The creative power of women has immeasurable value to the business world. If the enemy keeps women fighting each other instead of fighting together against a common enemy - the victory will be elusive.

Gather your girlfriends and draw your swords!