Her Children Rise Up and Call Her Blessed

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her…
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

With today’s devotional, we finally see the result, the benefit to all our hard work, provided we are willing to do the work we have talked about. This is the result we can expect from our children and our husbands for a job well done. What mother after years of hard work and sleepless nights wouldn’t want her children to rise up and call her blessed?

Just a note here but the age of the children is not given, in the verse or in the context. There is no reason why our children should not be taught to show respect and appreciation even when they are young. Part of this will happen naturally if your husband models respect for you at home. Sons especially need to see their fathers showing due respect to their wives, not only so they will repeat that with their mothers but also so they will see how to treat their wives in the future. But as a wife, you must do the same for your husband. If you do not model respect for your husband, your children will find it hard to do the same. I can’t express to you what a huge impact your attitude about your husband and his authority has on your children. If you despise him in anyway, your children will almost always do the same. They will pick up any negative attitudes, opinions, thoughts or actions faster than you can correct them. If you want children that are ready and willing to be respectful and showing honor for authority, you have to show them by your example just what that looks like. And the sooner you start the better for all of you.

What a blessing to have the fruit of our hands; a tangible way to show what we have been working so hard for! One meaning of the word fruit in the Bible is children. We want the reward of raising Godly children who are truly a gift for work diligently performed. We should be building a collection of good works, not so they can save us, but so that we will have something of worth to show for our time here on the earth. Each of the things we have been talking about for the last few weeks have been ways to work well and have something good to show for our efforts. We want our own works to speak for themselves. And we want that speech to be praise, not condemnation for time wasted.

Let us strive to raise our children in such a way that we will be blessed to be their mothers. Let us work daily to serve our husbands so they will be able honestly to praise us in the gates. And let us never forget that no matter what happens here, regardless of our failings, the Lord sees what we do and will reward our heart of service if we are faithful to Him and His word.

A note about next week...We will be talking during our last week together about what the Proverbs 31 woman is not. There are many misinterpretations of her character in modern "Christian" literature and we will talk about the ideas presented in those books then. See you Monday!

Many Daughters Have Done Virtuously

“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.”

There are some who believe that the Proverb 31 woman is unrealistic; that there is no way to be that woman and we should stop beating ourselves up for not meeting her standard. If that were true, why would God put this in His word? What purpose would it serve if not to spur us on to good works? Maybe we will never spin or weave, but we can still make clothing for our families. Maybe we will never make girdles to sell, but we can sell what we do make. The point is not to copy every action listed in this chapter, the point is to copy her attitude; I will do what it takes to serve and bless my family, no matter what. That is why Proverbs 31 is in the Bible. We need a standard to live up to. We have to have a road map, a guide to lead us where we need to go, because without it, we will fail (Proverbs 29:18).

This chapter gives us a vision of what Godly womanhood looks like. Is it exhaustive? No, there are things we should be doing too that are not mentioned here but they are in the rest of the Bible. Titus 2 is another great place to find what a Godly woman should be doing with her day and after this study, that will our next project, Lord willing.

But back to our verse for today: it says many daughters have worked well and efficiently but this woman has increased or overcome. She goes beyond the status quo. And it is not that she is the only one trying. Many women have done well, but she is over and above them. The idea here is not that she looked around and took one step beyond the rest. Christians today are too often pleased with themselves for being just one step better than the world. The attitude of this verse is that she is way above them, that there is no comparison. She is superior and without a rival. That is how we should be living our Christian life; so there is no comparison with the world. We are not just one step ahead so that when we have a misstep, they are right where we are, but that we should be so far ahead, there is no catching up. We do not this so we can say we are better anyone. We must do all things in humility and submission to the Lord, so we can follow His will and His wishes at all times. But we must do it. We need to step up and live virtuously so as to overcome them also we can bless our families, our churches and glorify the name of the Lord.

She Strengthens Her Arms

“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.”

In nearly epidemic proportions, Americans head to the gym to perfect their bodies. And after reading this verse, one might be tempted to think that she would have made a great American. But we already know from reading verse 30 that we do not need to pursue physical beauty, so there must be more in this verse than meets the eye (no pun intended).

We also know from our study, that this is a woman who has a lot on her plate. I’m not sure where she would find time to go to the gym or even exercise at home. But maybe we are thinking of it as a separate piece when really we have already seen the answer. We assume that because she’s getting stronger, she much be lifting weights or doing push-ups. But the answer is much simpler. I’ll give you an example; if any of you have ever grown a garden, you know that to make those plants grow and produce fruit, you have to do more than just plant and water. There are always weeds to dig out so that the plants have room to grow. And even before you can plant, you must till the ground and prepare it to receive the plants. This takes lots and lots of physical labor. Your arms get stronger and so does your back (which incidentally is what the word “loins” is referring to; your lower back). She also spins (not the kind that involves a bike) and weaves, which require your arms to be strong and flexible. In fact, as you read through the verses again, you’ll find many times where she is “exercising” in everyday life.

Now in our modern world, where we don’t have a lot of those things to do anymore, you are probably like me and wondering just how to find the time to strengthen our backs and arms. And it is important to find the time to be healthy. Taking a walk with your kids is a great way to build muscle and strengthen your body. Just think of pushing all that weight for a mile or so a few times a week! And we get the added benefit of spending our exercise time with our children, training them in healthy activity, instead of shuffling them off so we can work out. Make them a part of it. Just picking them up can be a work out in and of itself!

As we are learning, what we should be doing as Godly women has much more to do with why we are doing something than it does with what we are doing. So I will ask this question, why do we exercise? If we are no longer motivated by our appearance, what will drive us to want to exercise? Well, first of all if we are healthy, we can take better care of our families. Ask any mother who is sick or overweight like me and they can tell you that even 10 extra pounds can make it harder to pick up your children or play with them. So being active is important in being there to care for your family. The second reason I see is related; if you are not healthy, you will not have the energy, strength or will to do any of the work that God has called you to do. It is about health, not image. It is a very practical reason to try our best to stay strong and healthy. Of course, you cannot be completely healthy without a good diet, so if you want to be truly strong, you will have to make careful choices about the foods you will eat and also feed to your family.

The last reason to work on your strength is something I mentioned before; our children will do what they see us doing. If we want our children to be healthy, i.e., eating healthy foods and getting the exercise they need to be healthy, then we must set the example. Let them see you walking or working in your backyard. Better yet, if they are old enough, hand them a small shovel or rake and get them involved. Work alongside your children in the same way you play with them. Teaching your children to work and thereby being healthy, is of a much greater importance to them in the long run than teaching them to play. Just think of how much time you as an adult spend playing during the day. Is it really going to serve your children well to be taught how to do something well that in later years they will spend very little time doing? That is not say that play time is not important, but it should be play that will not just serve a fun purpose but also a practical one. Playing dolls can teach your daughters about being a good mommy. Playing video games just teaches them to sit and mechanically repeat motions.

I would challenge each of you to evaluate what you do regarding activity both as a mom and as a family; is there something you can do that would be productive for you and your children that would also serve as exercise time? Are there playtime activities that your children can also be learning from? The goal is to be active instead of passive. Pray and ask God to show you just what you can do to be more active in your lives and see what a great, big world He opens up to you!

Strength and Honor are Her Clothing

“She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple…Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

The word used here for clothing is the same Hebrew word both times, so I thought it fitting that we talk about both kinds of clothing that we wear. The first kind is in verse 22, “her clothing is silk and purple.” The silk there is the word "byssus" and since I had no idea what that was, I borrowed the definition from Wikipedia; “An exceedingly fine and valuable textile fibre and fabric known to the ancients; apparently the word was used, or misused, of various substances, linen, cotton, and silk, but it denoted properly (as shown by recent microscopic examination of mummy-cloths, which according to Herodotus were made of βύσσος) a kind of flax, and hence is appropriately translated in the English Bible 'fine linen'.” In other words, it is fine white flax from Egypt. The purple is not a type of fabric but rather a very colorfast dye in a reddish purple shade. So basically she is dressed in quality garments and yet very simple. Linen is not your fanciest fabric, it is quite simple actually. But her clothing is well made from good materials. We don’t see any ornamentation mentioned. No gold or silver fabrics. Just what is feminine and pleasing.

In verse 25, we see what her “inner clothing” looks like. She is clothed with strength, meaning might or power and honor. (The same word translated honor here is translated as majesty in Ps. 104:1, “Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.”) She is clothed with prized virtues. No one can deny her worth.

I found it very interesting what is translated, “and she shall rejoice”, literally means to laugh at in contempt. In our day and age, we are ridiculed constantly for wanting to be keepers at home; wives and mothers who are willing to serve others instead of seeking our own way. We are told that that is not enough, that we should be doing something that will really contribute to the family instead of selfishly and faithfully, I might add, fulfilling our mission at home. But here we are told that the Proverbs 31 woman is able to sit back in times to come and see the folly in the ways of the world. She can laugh at those boasters who have laughed at her for all the times she “sacrificed” to stay at home and care for her family. She will be the one laughing in the end. This is not to say that our goal in life is to walk around telling others who mock “I told you so!” We are told to be humble. But you can rest assured that those who are willing to do things according to God’s plan and God’s will will be the ones who can “rejoice” when all is said and done.

May we all be content with simple outer garments and inner clothing that will shine in times to come!

The Importance of Homemakers

This guest post which was written by my mom, does not follow our usually format for these devotionals, but I thought it was a fitting end to our discussion of the Proverbs 31 woman and homemaking. I hope you will be encouraged and inspired.

"So much depends upon the homemakers. I sometimes wonder if they are so busy now with other things that they are forgetting the importance of this special work…Because of its importance, we must not neglect our homes in the rapid changes of the present day. For when tests of character come in later years, strength to the good will not come from the modern improvements or amusements few may have enjoyed but from the quiet moments and the “still small voices” of the home. Nothing can ever take the place of this early home influence and as it does not depend upon externals, it may be the possession of the poor as well as of the rich, an heritage from all fathers and mothers to their children." Laura Ingalls Wilder

I read this quote while reading a book about Laura and it rings so very true. How many times do we busy ourselves with the unimportant to the neglect of our home, children & husbands? As you are reading through Proverbs 31, you’ll notice her every activity is focused on her family, what is best for them. She isn’t neglecting herself, but that certainly is not her focus. Ladies, it isn’t all about us.

Just what is so special about being a homemaker? If we are performing our roles according to God’s word, there is no job that has more value to a woman. First in order of importance is that we are being obedient to God. 1 Samuel 15:22-23 “…to obey is better than sacrifice…For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry”. God’s word tells us one of the roles of a woman is to …” be a keeper at home”, (Titus 2:4), literally, a guard or stayer at home. You can’t be a keeper at home if you are not there. Next, is the fact women are the only ones who can give birth to new life. What a privilege we have been given! God chose us specifically for that role from the beginning, to give birth to and raise godly seed. (Malachi 2:15) Again, we can’t raise godly seed if the children are not under our tutelage. As Deuteronomy 6:7 says, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way, and then thou liest down, and when thou risest up”. This scripture gives the connotation that they must first be with us and second it is going on continually, in everything we do. If we are not home and/or they are not home, this scripture cannot be obeyed. We are the vehicle God has chosen to pass along his spiritual heritage. He has given the responsibility for raising godly seed to the parents. Nowhere in scripture do we find any other indication. Those who do not heed this, do so to their children’s demise. And finally, why limit yourself to one out-of-the-home occupation, when you can have many. There is no other job in the world you can do so many different things and be completely creative at it. I can’t begin to list all of the “occupations” I’ve had as a wife/mother/woman over the years. There are definitely some I am fonder of than others, but what a privilege to have the freedom to try them all. Each day is different and I have the freedom to make the day a blessing. One of my favorite roles is teacher. I have home schooled for 29 years, and watched as God has enhanced many a lesson by bringing elements in that I hadn’t even considered. Through all my planning, He is still in control. Praise be to God!!!

No, the importance of a homemaker cannot be emphasized enough. What better place to utilize the gifts God has given you to the fullest extent. And what better way to pass them on, blessing future generations and leaving a godly heritage for others to follow. Do not allow the world’s philosophy to taint or sour you on what God says about being a homemaker.

Who Can Find a Virtuous Woman?

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

As I was reading through Proverbs 31 today, it hit me that we have not talked about the value of the kind of woman we are training our daughters to be and our sons to look for. We have talked a lot about what she looks like day in and day out and how to become like her. So today we will be talking about what this kind of woman looks like both from her description here and from a great example we have in the Bible.

First we have to understand what the Bible means by virtuous. Its synonyms are uprightness, integrity and strength. A woman who has these things is one that you can’t put a value on. She is priceless. She has the integrity to keep her character intact, to keep her husband from being concerned about what she is doing when he is not there, and to be trusted with the training of their children. This is why her husband can safely trust her. She is a woman of worth. As Proverbs 12:4 says, “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband”.

We can see this kind of woman in action not just here in Proverbs 31 but also in the book of Ruth. Ruth makes promises to her mother-in-law and keeps them, regardless of how much work and hardship that means for her; she is a woman that can be trusted. She works hard and without complaint; she is a woman of industry. She makes a good impression on a worthy man and willingly follows her mother-in-law’s instructions regarding her interactions with him; she is a woman of virtue. And she waits for him to accomplish his plan for winning her for himself without interjecting her own ideas; she is a woman of patience and faith. I would encourage you to read through the book of Ruth this weekend. It is short but compare what we have been learning about what a truly Godly woman looks like from Proverbs 31, with Ruth’s example of a real life woman of God. I think you will find that they are very much the same.

One last thought on the worth of a Proverbs 31 woman; we are willing to spend all kinds of money to buy expensive jewelry, cars, houses and many other things that won’t last, but are we willing to spend the time and money that it takes to train our daughters to be women of integrity and virtue and our sons to seek out a woman who is worth more than her “face” value? When we read that this woman’s price is far above rubies, it doesn’t mean that your son will have to pay lots of money to keep her in the latest styles. Nor should we teach our daughters to expect a man who will make a certain amount of money or live a certain kind of house. All that she needs is a man who will do what it takes to care for his family, which is an attitude of the heart not a number with a certain amount of zeros after it. And when we are telling our sons what to look for in a wife, we need to show them how to identify a woman of strength, virtue and integrity who will be willing to do what it takes to support her husband. These are the things that make a woman, a worthy wife and mother.

She Stretches Out Her Hand to the Poor

“She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.”

Now we come to the part that everyone has been waiting for, finally the Proverbs 31 woman is walking out her front doors and entering the “real world”. She’s finally showing us Christian service and giving us something we can do for God. She will now begin true service and enter the ranks of the blessed Christians throughout history who have given all to serve God whole-heartedly! But before we start out on this grand adventure, a question; does the verse say she leaves home to care for the poor? Doesn't the old saying say, "Charity begins at home"?

Now you may think I’m just trying to be funny, but if you have heard anyone talk about the Proverbs 31 woman lately, it probably sounded something like that. You see, the enemy has deceived us into thinking that we have to go somewhere to be serving God. Staying at home couldn’t possibly be serving like a missionary serves or like a pastor or someone who works outside the home and can share with co-workers. Or can they? Some of us in the church are taught from a young age that motherhood was somehow a job of lesser importance. When I was a kid in Sunday School, many years ago, our teacher asked us one day what we wanted to be when we grew up. There was of course the usual policeman, fireman kind of answers, which were all given a standard, “that’s nice” reply. Then one girl said she wanted to be a mom. The teacher got very quiet and asked her if was something else she wanted to be too, as if motherhood was not enough. I don’t remember the girl's reply but I remember thinking smugly to myself that I wanted more than just being a mom. When my turn came, I proudly announced I wanted to be a missionary. That got high praise from our teacher.

I think some of us as moms feel that way even now. We think that because our service happens in our own four walls that it is somehow inferior to what happens in the “real world”. What I didn’t know at 8 was that God would use me as a missionary. But I wouldn’t be traveling to faraway lands and speaking foreign languages to do it, I would be teaching the Bible to children, who are eager to learn and training them to love and serve God will all their hearts so that when they grow up they will be strong and firm in the Word and willing to stand up for Jesus wherever they are. My mission field is much smaller than I had dreamed, but it is just as sweet to see a little child begin lisping out a prayer as it is to see anyone come to the Lord on foreign soil, especially if that child is your own.

Now, to return to our devotion for the day!

The verse, when read literally, says, “She gives bountifully out her hand to those who don’t have much; she stretches out both of her hands to the afflicted poor.” In other words, she is always ready to give where there is a need, big or small.

All of us can find ways to give. The opportunities are all around us. Most of us think of money when we think of giving, but sometimes giving may mean a meal to a sick friend or yard work for someone who can’t do it for themselves or maybe it is gathering clothing and food for a displaced family. Some don’t have an abundance of money to give away, but we can all practice charity, which is what this verse is showing us. Whatever it is that God lays on your heart to do, do it and do it with a cheerful heart. (II Cor. 9:7)

Part of what we are called to do as believers is follow James 1:27 which says, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” As a church body, we are to care for the fatherless and widows around us. This is another way to give bountifully.

The point is to do what you can. And let God bless you and those around you with what He has given to you to give away on His behalf. And what a blessing that is in and of itself.

She Considers a Field

“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.”

Here again we see the Proverbs 31 woman showing us her pattern of industry. She is searching constantly looking for ways to bring assistance to her husband by finding new methods of saving and earning money, all the while never leaving her home duties to do so. Her focus remains steady and unmovable and yet she does not stand still waiting for someone else to do her work for her.

To consider means to devise a plan; she doesn’t buy this land frivolously but very carefully works out how she will pay for it and what she plans to use it for. Her goal is to bless her husband and her family, not to burden them with debt. Furthermore, she pays for it with money she has earned by economy and using her time wisely. This is not the kind of woman who runs to her husband with every need, overburdening him with financial requests. She saves and uses that savings not for her own wants, but to contribute to the family’s needs and wants. Planting a vineyard helped provide her family with wine; to drink for enjoyment, for medicine and even for sacrifice to the Lord. To apply this to our own lives, we can look for ways to use our resources to contribute to the needs of our families. For example, if you have a house full of growing children and those children are eating you out of house and home, well what better way to help out than to plant a garden! And as part of that garden, plant a few herbs to help with sicknesses. Most likely you don’t have extra money lying around to buy a field, so use your backyard. Starting small is just fine as long as you start somewhere. And hopefully as your garden produces more and more, you will have extra to sell to neighbors or friends, so you can put away that extra to continue the cycle. Or you could barter with a friend who raises animals to get fresh meat or eggs or milk. In this way, you are not only saving the money you would spend on fruits and vegetables, but also on other food items.

The point is that we can all find ways to save a little here and there with careful planning. We have talked before about menu planning. Maybe for you, it will all start there. Careful planning of meals will help you save money and also help you feed your family healthier food. The key is in the planning. Consider what it is that is important to you and your family and find a way to make that happen. Pray that God will show you new ways to save and plan. And use what you are able to save for the benefit of your family. Won’t your husband be surprised and rise up to bless you!

She Works Willingly with Her Hands

“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.”

Here we see the Proverbs 31 woman again working to provide for the needs of her family. While we are not told who she is weaving for, we have already seen how she toils for her family and I’m sure that if she had extra, she could always sell it or give it away to the poor. It was the custom of the day for even rich women to take up all kinds of occupations within the home to care for and support their families. The point is that her family comes first. She is not looking to sacrifice her family’s comfort and care to provide the needs of someone else’s family. Each wife and mother is first responsible for their own family. And if you have extra time or goods, then you can pass them on to someone who needs it. In other words, there is no reason to let your family go hungry or without clothing while you provide for someone else’s husband or children.

As I was looking up the words in the verse; there were two that struck me in particular. The first was seeks. It means to apply one’s self, to study or to practice. She doesn’t just look casually around and pick what items look good to her. She studies what is best, where to find it, and with practice, she learns how to save time and money too. And it is also worth noting that these are not finished products that the verse is talking about. These are raw materials that she will have to spin and weave herself to make things. So it may also be that she has to study how to grow and harvest these raw materials. And if she grows them herself, she will need to know what types of flax will grow best in her area, what kinds of sheep will produce the kind of wool she wants to use. All these things take time to learn. And there will be plenty of time for her to practice and hone her skills.

The second word that I found interesting was willingly; literally it means delight or pleasure. She takes delight or pleasure in working with her hands. It is not drudgery to her nor is it just another chore to be completed so she can do what she really wants to do. She takes pleasure in her work. We too should take pleasure in serving our families and in working with our hands. Granted most of us don’t spin or weave, but for most of us, we have other chores that we dislike. And I don’t expect that just by telling yourself you now take delight in washing dishes or laundry or changing another diaper that your attitude will change. It will take time and prayer to truly begin to take pleasure in these things. It always helps me to find something good about the chores I don’t like. For example, I’m not a fan of folding laundry. I would rather let it sit there and wear clothes out of the basket, rather than fold it. But I remind myself that I hate even more seeing all that laundry just sitting in my laundry room. Because of that, I am learning to take delight in folding, knowing that my home looks more neat and clean if I do.

So my challenge to you all for today is to find something that you need to start taking delight in doing for your family. Yours may be washing dishes, it maybe homeschooling, it may be ironing. Whatever the Lord lays on your heart, begin with that area. Start by praying that God will change your heart and then find things about that chore to be thankful for. Maybe you can memorize a scripture to remind you of why you are doing that chore. Find some way to help you remember why you are doing what you are doing and give the glory to the Lord while you work!

She Brings Her Food from Afar

Today we have our next guest blog. This one was written by my mom. She doesn't have a blog of her own, but feel free, if you have questions, to email me and I will pass them along. Since she doesn't have a blog, I thought I would give her just a bit of introduction. She and my dad have been married for 32 years. They have 7 children ages 29-4 and 6 grandchildren with one more on the way. She loves gardening, nutrition and raising her children. I hope you are blessed by this.

“She is like the merchants ships; she bringeth her food from afar.”

The wife of this passage wants only the best food for her family and she is willing to get it from “afar”. I don’t believe this means extravagant food, for the translation is bread or grain, fruit, vegetables, meat. These are the basics of good nutrition. She wants good quality food that is going to keep her family healthy. How far we have fallen from good food in this nation, even though we have been blessed with an abundance of it. As we women have taken up roles God never intended we have, we have neglected the ones we were given, in this case, feeding our families properly. I encourage you to do a little research into the way our food is grown and what we have done to destroy the nutritional value of it. Most of the food on the grocery store shelves is so processed our bodies don’t even recognize it as food. And all the fake vitamins and minerals they try to add back in after they’ve destroyed the ones God put in to begin with, are being passed through with no benefit to us, and in some cases they are harmful. If we are concerned about keeping our families healthy, we need to buy quality food and sometimes that means bringing it from afar. Stick with the basics as close to the way God created them as possible. No GMOs, chemical fertilizers, or pesticides. Make your meals from scratch, use lots of whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, and meats without antibiotics. Make your desserts with honey, maple syrup or whole cane sugar (ground sugar cane). Bake your own cookies, cakes, etc…instead of buying them or making them from box.

For those who are feeling overwhelmed, start small. Choose one area at a time to work on. Maybe it will be making your own bread, desserts, or even just buying organic vegetables or fruits. But start somewhere. Every little bit will help. For others it may be the expense that is keeping you from changing. Find a good co-op or similar place to buy in bulk from. You will save money and be healthier in the long run. In actuality, if you are willing to be faithful in cutting out all the “bads” you will find it really isn’t more expensive. Those boxed cereals and bagged chips cost much more than their homemade alternatives. You might also try growing some of your own. You don’t need acreage. I heard of one family who turned under their front lawn and made a garden out of it. For those who do not have a yard, there are plenty of farmers markets popping up everywhere. Talk to the farmers and ask if they use chemicals, or GMO seeds. There are also u-pick farms. What a wonderful family outing! My children love to go to the u-pick farms and feel they are contributing to the family meals. They also love to help can, freeze, or dehydrate the bounty. Learn to buy in season and store away for out of season.

There are many ways to bring your food from afar. I encourage you to start today. This is an important role for women and area you can be completely creative. Just as our spirits need the wholesome food we find in God’s word to function properly, so do our physical bodies. When our bodies are feeble, weak or in pain, it is difficult, at best to focus on anything else. We are more vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks when we are weak, so keeping our bodies healthy and strong will enable us to accomplish what God has asked us to do.