I'd like to share a little bit about hurts of mine, but also about hope and healing.
Since I was young, I've heard a multitude of messages - both direct and indirect - that tried to make me feel less valuable as a girl and then as a woman, simply because of my gender.
At times they've come in the form of jokes about women in general, direct insults, and crude and degrading comments about women.
I could give you many examples, but you get the picture.
After years of hearing women being verbally degraded, it can leave you with an ache inside.
It can leave a woman feeling like she's less than, like she's missing something, like she's not worth very much, like all she wants in the world is for a man she cares about to truly honor, love, treasure and respect her.
And she deeply wishes she could have received more affirmations of her value from men critical in her life.
I know that feeling.
But, listen.
No matter how much the world and its lies have wounded your heart, don't give up.
It has taken me a while, and I'm still healing, but I know that God sees me as beautiful and special, as His precious daughter.
Though my earthly experiences might have lied to me about my worth, God is restoring that part of my heart.
I believe He wants to restore that little girl inside, the one who was innocent and full of life and who hadn't yet been made to feel "less than."
I know this, that God's love is just as strong for women as it is for men.
I think of how Jesus treated women tenderly and honored them.
Both women and men are precious. All humans are precious because God made us, and He made us in His image.
At times I've been tempted to go down the road of being angry with men.
But that is not the way!
"Men" in general didn't treat me poorly. Certain people did. Those people I forgive.
There have also been fabulous men in my life who I have loved and still do.
Deep in my heart I long to see people treating each other with much more kindness and respect, with much more mercy.
Let's honor each other. Let's help each other heal.
“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
**I Peter *2:17 *NKJV
Love this song:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wX9oWOdZccA
Since I was young, I've heard a multitude of messages - both direct and indirect - that tried to make me feel less valuable as a girl and then as a woman, simply because of my gender.
At times they've come in the form of jokes about women in general, direct insults, and crude and degrading comments about women.
I could give you many examples, but you get the picture.
After years of hearing women being verbally degraded, it can leave you with an ache inside.
It can leave a woman feeling like she's less than, like she's missing something, like she's not worth very much, like all she wants in the world is for a man she cares about to truly honor, love, treasure and respect her.
And she deeply wishes she could have received more affirmations of her value from men critical in her life.
I know that feeling.
But, listen.
No matter how much the world and its lies have wounded your heart, don't give up.
It has taken me a while, and I'm still healing, but I know that God sees me as beautiful and special, as His precious daughter.
Though my earthly experiences might have lied to me about my worth, God is restoring that part of my heart.
I believe He wants to restore that little girl inside, the one who was innocent and full of life and who hadn't yet been made to feel "less than."
I know this, that God's love is just as strong for women as it is for men.
I think of how Jesus treated women tenderly and honored them.
Both women and men are precious. All humans are precious because God made us, and He made us in His image.
At times I've been tempted to go down the road of being angry with men.
But that is not the way!
"Men" in general didn't treat me poorly. Certain people did. Those people I forgive.
There have also been fabulous men in my life who I have loved and still do.
Deep in my heart I long to see people treating each other with much more kindness and respect, with much more mercy.
Let's honor each other. Let's help each other heal.
“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
**I Peter *2:17 *NKJV
Love this song:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wX9oWOdZccA
