Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

a proverbs 31 woman

She opens her arms to the poor 
and extends her hands to the needy. 
Proverbs 31:20

this weeks Proverbs 31 post is coming a day early as i have a very special post to make tomorrow.  in this verse, we see a lady who has definite concern for the less fortunate.

this God-loving woman isn’t so busy in life that she can’t stop and help someone who is hurting or someone not as fortunate as her.  she isn’t ever covetousness.  she can always see a need because she isn’t focused on only herself.  it’s so easy for us to just get caught up in life and put blinders on to those around you.  we are to be so focused on Jesus that He gives us the strength to live our lives to His glory.

Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37-39

it’s so important for us to learn to have a servants heart.  after all, Jesus did say the second greatest commandment was to love your neighbors.  reaching out to others, being the hands and feet of Jesus, is one of the greatest callings we have in our faith. not only does it show the love of Christ for the world, it’s also an opportunity for us to worship God and for us to grow more like Jesus.  i not only think it’s important for us to have a servants heart, but to also model this for our littles.


so this week, be kind, thoughtful and compassionate.  serve your husband, family, friends and neighbors with a gentle and loving spirit.  look to the needs of others before you satisfy your own wants.
A generous person will prosper;whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25
out for now
~kisses

a proverbs 31 woman

She considers a field and buys it; 
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 
She sets about her work vigorously; 
her arms are strong for her tasks. 
She sees that her trading is profitable, 
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 
Proverbs 31:16-19
this week we see a wife who is wise with finances and is very business savvy.  i think these verses show us that Christian submissive homemakers can still make intelligent decisions.
the first thing we see is the Proverbs 31 woman considers a field, she doesn’t just rashly buy it.  she is smart, patient and wise with her finances and doesn’t just purchase things on a whim.  she considers it, prays about it and talks to her husband about it.  she seeks her husbands approval before making any purchases.  she would never make a purchase without consulting her husband first.  she spends her money wisely and unselfishly.    and i would say she’s a saver, since she obviously had the money saved up to purchase the field.  
she doesn’t just buy the field, she plants a vineyard in it.  she is obviously a hard worker.  when she has a special project like this, she gets on it and get it done.  she doesn’t get to the middle of the project and decide it was too hard and give up.  she works hard, eagerly and vigorously.

this lady is definitely not a couch potato.  she is a physically active woman who cares for her body.  she is strong and healthy because she willingly works with her hands daily.  she doesn’t do this for vain reasons but in an effort to fulfill Gods role for her.  

  
we need to have diligence and a heart that’s willing to work.  our home is the place where our children’s hearts are molded and where they grow spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.  our home is where our husbands come after a hard day of work to find comfort and to relax.  a home with a hardworking woman is a complete blessing to her family.

this week, be willing to get your hands dirty, work hard and show an amazing work ethic.  and as we discussed last week, do it without grumbling and complaining.  remember, your most important work will be done inside the walls of your home.

out for now
~kisses

a proverbs 31 woman

She selects wool and flax 
and works with eager hands. 
She is like the merchant ships, 
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark; 
she provides food for her family 

and portions for her servant girls.  

Proverbs 31:13-15
this week we see a picture of a woman who is clearly not afraid to work and is certainly not lazy.  shes’ a humble woman who see’s a task that needs completed and dives in and does it. 
there may be some of you who make clothes for your family, but this chickie right here isn’t one of them.  sewing and i are not friends.  so how can i apply this verse to my life?  in our modern times, we are blessed with inexpensive clothes.  i might not be able to sew but i can shop a mean clearance rack.  even further than that, doing the laundry and ensuring our family has clean clothes to wear.  i know laundry can seem like a never-ending task…washing it, drying it, folding it and putting it away.  sometimes in my house it feels like it’s never ending.  especially with a teenage boy who changes his clothes a minimum of 3 times a day.  but laundry is a task we should not be above and a task we should approach with eager hands.  that is what is honoring to God.  God is honored when we come to it with eager hands and don’t look at it with dread.  think it’s impossible to do your laundry with joy?  nothing is impossible with God.  when you sit down to fold it, pray and ask God to help you to have joy in your heart about it.  
this woman is willing to go to great lengths to get good food for her family.  i think it’s important that as women, we learn how to cook good meals for our family.  with the access to the internet and pinterest, there really isn’t any reason we wives shouldn’t be good cooks.  we don’t just turn to easy meals every night like hamburger helper or fries and fish sticks.  but we take the time to prepare a good, healthy, home-cooked meal for them to come home to.  that is a way we can show love and care to them.  be willing to go the distance to get the meal done, cooking for a few hours if need be.  i like to cook homemade bread, rolls or cinnamon rolls once a week for my family as a treat.  yes, it takes time…but seeing how much they enjoy it makes it totally worth it.  
also, take the time to clip coupons and save your family as much money as you can.  we should also be willing to work hard in the way we grocery shop.  and approach it with the same eager heart that we do other chores.  we want to care for our family and bless them.
the Proverbs 31 woman certainly isn’t lazy.  she rises before the sun to feed her family.  she just gets right at getting things done.  her children would not have went to school hungry because their mother was lazy and didn’t feel like feeding them.  she sings praises to God and does not grumble under her breath while completing her tasks.  wow, i sure can’t say that.  she just can’t wait to work for her family each day.  she figures if she is the first up and last to sleep that it just leaves more room for laughter, delicious food, a comfortable home and nice clothes for her family.  do we do anything near that?  do we give our families the first part of us or do we only give them what is leftover?
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Colossians 3:23
so i encourage you this week to do your laundry and you grocery shopping and cooking to the glory of God.  take care of your responsibilities and do your work eagerly without complaining.  there were times this past week where i just had to keep repeating “i will not complain, i will not complain” inside my head, rather than actually grumbling.  create a warm and loving atmosphere for your family to come home to with eager hands and a joyful heart. know that it will not only bless our husbands and our family but also know it’s in Gods word and He is honored when we do these things.
out for now
~kisses