Beyond potlucks and tea parties

I admit it, when it comes to women's ministry I'm pretty cynical. All you have to do is mention potlucks, tea parties, or party planning and then sit back and watch steam roll out of my ears. Those are the tell-tale signs of the women's ministries that I've been witness to. Don't get me wrong, I like potluck dinners just as much as the next person and I will never turn down a good cup of tea, but there's got to be more to women's ministry. Just thinking about the women I'm friends with, we're a diverse group. We are (or soon to be) scientists, librarians, business women, lawyers, health advocates, musicians, teachers, artists, optometrists. Funny, athletic, bold, girly, gentle, nuturing, tom boys, adventurous, quiet, intellectual. We study, read, bake, run, laugh, dance, hike, love, play sports, travel, play instruments, even wield swords on occasion, like dogs and cats, like kids, want to be successful, want to follow and obey, want to find a special someone, the list goes on. While there is, of course, a place for potlucks, shouldn't women's ministry be as diverse as the women involved? I don't have a clear idea of what a women's ministry should look like, but I think a good place to start is to look at what we're called to be as women of God. At times like these, I always want to whip out some obscure piece of scripture with amazing insight into the topic of choice (this is similar to claiming a random indie band in your favorites, just because you know you'll be judged for admitting to owning every DMB album made). But to be honest, I think the classic Proverbs 31 is the best place to start; it's referenced so much for a reason. Here are a few things that I think, as women, we're called to be.

1. Trustworthy. She earns her husband's confidence, provides for her family, and gives faithful instruction. We're called to be true to our word and worthy of trust. Without trustworthiness, character falls awfully quickly. Relationships are built on trust. Our trust in God, our trust in each other.

2. Diligent and hardworking. She is not idle and works vigorously with eager hands. Laziness is hard to combat sometimes, but it's definitely something to be fought against. It does nothing to glorify God, and everything to serve myself. This is not to be confused with rest; it's important to work, in whatever sense of the word, but we're also commanded to rest.

3. Devoted to service. She sees to the needs of her family, and offers open arms and extended hands to the poor and needy. Service is one of those things that, at times, we don't even notice until we're smack dab in the middle of it. It doesn't always have to be feeding the homeless (while there certainly is a need there). At one point last week when we were baking cookies and divying up racecars and disc-shooters, we realized that this was a way of serving, so to speak. Trying to show the fellas that we appreciate them with a little surprise. We got so much joy out of thinking about the joy that they would (hopefully) get when they found our surprises. I want to find/recognize more ways to purposely serve.

4. Wise. She is a business woman, considering fields for sale and trading profitably. We're called to use our minds in whatever capacity he has blessed us. From analyzing biological pathways to reading treble clef, from organizing information in a useful format to arguing for the rights of others. Making good decisions for ourselves and our families is one of those lifelong lessons, but an incredibly important one.

5. Fears the Lord. She has no fear of things in this world and she laughs at the days to come. Ok, this one should really be top of the list, right? She trusts that God is in control of what is going to happen, but she also prepares as best she can (ie clothes for her family in prepartion for snow.) Trust and respect for God has got to come first as the foundation of our relationship with him.

So there are a few things I think we're all called to be as women of God; so now how does that translate into a women's ministry?