Yes, yes I know – the word ‘unite’ is misspelled. ‘Untie’ – ‘unite’ – but does it really matter? Does it matter if we say 2 + 2 = 11, or that a dog is an elephant?? Pretty crazy stuff, but I think we’d better get our “truth” act together or the mess we’re allowing to creep into our families and through our communities will only get worse.
March was “Woman’s History Month” – the month to celebrate women – and what did it get us? Let’s see – a man is knocking it out of the ballpark at women’s swim competitions. A man has been declared one of USA Today’s “Women of the Year” – and a woman nominee for the highest court in the land can’t define what a woman is. God help us – we are in real trouble if we can’t even answer that. How in the world will we ever be able to tackle the really hard stuff?!
In this woman’s humble opinion, women had better unite around the truth – a novel concept – if things are ever going to get back on track. Whatever happened to common sense? The opposite of common sense is folly, absurdity, and illogical. This ought to give us all pause for thought.
In 1971, Helen Reddy came out with the hit song, “I Am Woman.” It was heard during the closing credits for the 1972 film Stand Up and Be Counted. (That’s a thought!) “I Am Woman” is about female empowerment; Reddy said she wanted to write a song to inspire women. It did. Helen Reddy died in 2020, but I have to wonder where she would have stood on our current “woman” issue?!
Here’s a selection from part of her song: “I am woman, hear me roar, in numbers too big to ignore, and I know too much to go back an’ pretend.” Pretend? Humm! I also have to wonder if those words would even be allowed on Facebook today, knowing of the sensitivity of our “woke” crowd and their hurry to censure anything and everything they don’t approve of!!
Thankfully, there are many amazing, strong women working behind the scenes these days, bringing truth, family structure, and Godly values to our lives. There’s a gal I know personally who was married fairly young at 20 to a wonderful Christian man. They had known each other since they were children. They had a beautiful wedding, attended by almost everyone in their church family, but within just five months, tragedy struck. Due to complications from a rare type of cancer, her husband passed away.
Of course, she was devastated as her life was turned upside down. She lost her home, declared bankruptcy and moved back in with her parents. It was rough going, but she eventually got back on her feet, moved into her own place again, and rebuilt her life. Five years later, this young lady remarried and eventually had two beautiful daughters.
One day, a position opened up for her at a local Christian school – they needed a new principal just into their first year and she jumped at the chance to not only enroll her two daughters but also build up a local school with Godly values and truth. And she did exactly that. Now, seven years later, with an enrollment of almost two hundred students, she has grown and guided the school with integrity and ethics that the parents are proud to stand behind and support. It’s an amazing story, actually, of a successful, confident, and courageous young woman.
So, how do I know this lady? Well – actually, this is my youngest daughter Susanne and I am extremely proud of the woman of God she has become and the work she is doing in our valley. Susanne is a no-nonsense gal who I would nominate in a heartbeat for Woman of the Year. But, then again, I’m her mom!
If we want to turn things around, I think it’s time we step up and start celebrating every woman we know of who is doing their darnedest to bring incontestable truth to our local communities because that’s where change has to start – on the local level. Take time to personally thank a good mom, or a great school teacher, or a mom-neighbor who is working hard to raise her family in a godly manner. It’s an uphill battle these days, but it’s not impossible. Just hard.
Sheryl Sandberg has said, “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” She is wrong!! Let’s go with what Margaret Thatcher said instead: “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.” As someone toasted – “Here’s to strong women: may we know them. May we be them. May we raise them!”
I’m personally aligned with Jessica Kirkland: “As for my girls, I’ll raise them to think they breathe fire!”
Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org
Susan Beckett | The Dwelling Place City Church
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