1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: Life audio. Have you ever met someone who's so impressive 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: that you instantly think, Yeah, I'm not doing it enough 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: for my life. I feel that way when someone casually 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: mentions that they ran a marathon or baked fresh sour 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: dough bread and taught their toddler how to read all 6 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: before noon. That's how a lot of us feel when 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: we meet the Proverbs thirty one woman. She's the biblical 8 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: overachiever who makes the rest of us want to hide 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: behind our laundry piles. She's up before dawn, she's running 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: a business, she's serving the community, she's investing, she's sewing closed. Meanwhile, 11 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: I'm celebrating if I remember to move the clothes from 12 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: the washer to the dryer before they mild. You four years. 13 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: She's kind of intimidated us. She's been quoted at women's conferences, 14 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: printed on coffee mugs, and held up as the gold 15 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: standard for biblical womanhood. And somewhere along the way, many 16 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: of us started to wonder, is this who I'm supposed 17 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: to be? And if so, how? But here's the problem. 18 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: We've read her story as a checklist instead of a celebration, 19 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: as a pressure instead of a poem, And what if 20 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 1: just go with me here, She's not actually here to 21 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: exhaust us and shame us. What if she's here to 22 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: equip us? What if this isn't a picture of a 23 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: perfect woman doing everything flawlessly, but a picture of what 24 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: God can grow in a woman over our lifetime. If 25 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: you've ever felt overwhelmed by the Proverbs thirty one woman, 26 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: or maybe even avoided her, today's conversation is for you. 27 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: We are talking about why she scares us, why she 28 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: inspires us, and how to live out her wisdom without 29 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: losing her mind. In recognition of International Women's Day today, 30 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: we are going to talk about how to learn from 31 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: the Proverbs thirty one woman. Instead of feeling welcome to 32 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: your hope filled perspective, where it's always our goal to 33 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,559 Speaker 1: restore hope, renew minds, and empower the listeners to live 34 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: in your God given identity. I'm your host, doctor Michelle 35 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: bankson Board, certified clinical neuropsychologist, author, speaker, and companion on 36 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: your journey to emotional and spiritual wellness. I'm always thankful 37 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: when you choose to spend a few minutes of your 38 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: week with us. Today, we are going to talk about 39 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 1: the Proverbs thirty one woman who is so loved yet 40 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: so avoided, and how we can be inspired by her 41 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: without losing our minds. We will talk about how to 42 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: learn from the Proverbs thirty one woman instead of feeling shame. 43 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: That will be our conversation right after this brief word 44 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, welcome back Today, we are diving into 45 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: a message that can make women everywhere either want to 46 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: grab a journal and praise the Lord or crawl into 47 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: a closet and hide and shame. She's the woman who 48 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: wakes up before done, runs a business, takes care of 49 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: her kids, feeds the poor, respects her husband, handles investments 50 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: so close, and apparently never gets tired. Ever. In honor 51 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: of International Women's Day, we are going to discuss how 52 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: to learn from the Proverbs thirty one woman instead of 53 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: feeling shame. Scripture reminds us in Proverbs thirty one, verse 54 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: twenty nine, many women do noble things, but you surpass 55 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: them all. Joining me in this discussion today is my 56 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: co host, Jessica Vanhrukl. Let's start with the obvious. Why 57 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: does she rub us the wrong way? Sometimes? 58 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: Well, honestly, it feels like an impossible standard, Like who 59 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 2: is that person. It's like she's the spiritual version of 60 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: a Pinterest mom mixed with CEO and mother Teresa. Sorry, 61 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 2: I can't be all those three three things at the 62 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: same time, Like I have Pinterest boards that I'd like 63 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: to attain to you, but I can and I don't, 64 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: and I'm not a great CEO and mother Teresa depends 65 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:07,119 Speaker 2: on the day. 66 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: I make the Pinterest boards and then I forget how 67 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: to access them, so it's not even gonna happen here. 68 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 2: I love it. 69 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: Although this morning I did transfer the laundry to the 70 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: dryer before you and I pressed record. 71 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 2: So ken I got a I'll do true confessions here 72 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 2: of a non Proverbs thirty one woman. I forgot about 73 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 2: about a load of towels for seventy two hours. Ooh, 74 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 2: and when I opened the washing machine, this stench that 75 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: greeted me was just like, oh, I can't believe I 76 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: forgot this. And listen, I walk by my washer and 77 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 2: dryer multiple times a day because it's on my way 78 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 2: out of the house. It's in our mudroom, and I'm like, 79 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 2: how did I forget? So there, I did restart the 80 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: washer dump a bunch of ammonia in there. That's Pinterest 81 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 2: mom trick Number one Ammonia gets rid of any smells 82 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: in your washer, rewashed them and told my family, do 83 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 2: not let me forget the towels again. 84 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, you read about the Proverbs thirty one woman, 85 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: and you think I'm just trying to get my laundry 86 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: like you, from the washer to the dryer before it's sours. 87 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: And yet she's over here buying fields and planting vineyards. 88 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: Not to mention, she's up before dawn. I no longer 89 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 1: get up before dawn unless there's emergency or I have 90 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: to catch a flight. I don't even really want to 91 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 1: be up before I've had my coffee. 92 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: I know it's it's almost like I'll be awake, but 93 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 2: it takes a good thirty forty five minutes before my 94 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,799 Speaker 2: brain wakes up. So it's best if no one asks 95 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 2: me deep theological questions or oh, I have to. 96 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 1: Be on time. 97 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 2: No, not on time, but on in the brain at 98 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: that early in the morning. But for many women, this 99 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 2: patch passage has been used as a checklist. It's a 100 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 2: measuring stick. Sometimes it feels like a pressure cooker. I 101 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 2: was in Bible college a few decades ago. I'd like 102 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 2: to say a few years ago. But that's not true. 103 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 2: It's a few decades ago. And it was a Bible college, 104 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 2: and they had open dorms where guys could come into 105 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 2: the girls' dorm rooms and girls could go visit the 106 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 2: guys's dorm rooms. And so I went over to visit 107 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: a friend, guy friend, and I walked into his room 108 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 2: and he had his Bible open on his desk to 109 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 2: the Proverbs thirty one chapter. And I backed out of 110 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,799 Speaker 2: that room so fast, it's like my pants were on fire. 111 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 2: Proverbs thirty one woman intimidated me. 112 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: Okay, so here's my question to that. Do you think 113 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: he had it open to the Proverbs thirty one because 114 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: he knew you were coming over? I mean, was that 115 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: like a subliminal message, Hey, here's what I expect out 116 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: of my future wife. 117 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I know, that's funny. I really don't think so, 118 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 2: because you know, he pretty much invited any girl walking 119 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: by his room to come in and see what was 120 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 2: on his desk. 121 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: Maybe that's because most women bolted because they couldn't live 122 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: up to the standard he had opened for them. 123 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: That's exactly right. 124 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: We have heard sermons that sound like real women do 125 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 1: all of this all the time and with a smile. 126 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: It's a little bit like Chick fil a. It's my pleasure. 127 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: And yet most of us end up feeling like we're 128 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: failing at biblical womanhood. And that sense of failure, oh 129 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: my goodness, we experience it for so many things already. 130 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: I mean, as a mother, how many times have we 131 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: done things that we've had to repent for or we regret. 132 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: And in business you learn by making mistakes. But then 133 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: to know that there is this biblical picture of the 134 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: perfect woman, it does kind of set us up for 135 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: feelings of failure. 136 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: It really does. It's one of those things where I 137 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: like to When I was homeschooling my kids, I wanted 138 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: to set them up for success. So while I had 139 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 2: high standards for them, they weren't impossible. I knew that 140 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: they could reach them with a little bit of encouragement, 141 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 2: with a little bit of growth, with a little bit 142 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 2: of maturity. And that's I think part of the reason 143 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 2: why we've resisted the Proverbs thirty one woman is because 144 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 2: we've misunderstood her. We've misunderstood the meaning behind that passage 145 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: in Proverbs. We've made her into a standard we're supposed 146 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 2: to copy instead of a picture of wisdom lived out 147 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 2: in a variety of ways over a course of a lifetime. 148 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: I think that's important for us to delve into deeper 149 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: because if we've misunderstood her, then we don't know what 150 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 1: proper perspective we have. And I want to talk about 151 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 1: that more. After this brief word from our sponsor, we'll 152 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: be right back. Welcome back to your hope filled perspective. 153 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: Today we are talking about how to learn from the 154 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 1: Proverbs thirty one woman. Instead of feeling shame. Here's the 155 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: twist about the Proverbs thirty one woman. She's actually incredibly 156 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: inspiring because this passage isn't about perfection. We feel like 157 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: it is, but that's our feeling. That's not the truth. 158 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: It's actually a portrait of character, not a job description. 159 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: What is beautiful is that her life is rooted in 160 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: the fear of the Lord, and that's the anchor and 161 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: the heart of the whole poem. 162 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 2: I love that you brought up that fear of the Lord. 163 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 2: So often we as christ followers misunderstand the fear of 164 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 2: the Lord. It's not I'm afraid of God that he's 165 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: gonna come down with a hammer, but that fear of 166 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: the Lord is that deep awe of who he is 167 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 2: is and what he's accomplished in our lives, in the 168 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,839 Speaker 2: crosst that Jesus died on. And so when we look 169 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 2: at the Proverbs thirty one through that lens, we discover 170 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 2: that she's strong, she's compassionate, she's wise, she's resourceful and dignified. 171 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 2: She laughs at the future, which means she's walking in 172 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 2: confidence and not anxiety. Yeah, imagine how many times does 173 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 2: anxiety show up in our days, our weeks are months, 174 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 2: and we feel like we're walking on stilts, shaky, we 175 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 2: could fall at any time, And yet Proverbs thirty one 176 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 2: woman models how to laugh at the future. It's that 177 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 2: fear of the Lord. It's honoring him above all else 178 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 2: and understanding his place as ruler in her life. That's 179 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 2: what creates a confident woman. 180 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 1: And one of the things that I appreciate about her. 181 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 1: I have a very high standard for driving for excellence, 182 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:06,439 Speaker 1: and I think that's what the Proverbs thirty one woman exemplifies. 183 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 1: She did all those things as unto the Lord, and 184 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: when we do it as unto the Lord, we should 185 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: want to aim for excellence. But there's something else to consider. 186 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: Proverbs thirty one, Verses ten through thirty one was written 187 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: really as a celebration. This isn't God laying out the 188 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: requirements for biblical womanhood. This is a husband bragging on 189 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: his wife, and then mother teaching her son what it 190 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: is to value a woman and the unique gifts and 191 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: offerings that she brings, not just to that relationship but 192 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:49,559 Speaker 1: to the household. 193 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you have two sons and I have a son, 194 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 2: and I can think I can speak for both of us, 195 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 2: but our greatest desire is for the woman that our 196 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: sons may is to be a woman whose heart beats 197 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 2: for God. Yes, And that's how the Proverbs thirty one 198 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 2: woman inspires us, because she's actually showing us what it 199 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 2: looks like when a woman lives fully into her God 200 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 2: given identity and gifts. She does it with joy, creativity, 201 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: and strength. And I find that encouraging and inspiring in 202 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 2: my own day to day life. 203 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: Well, and you're so right about her pursuit of the Lord. 204 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: One of my prayers for both of my boys since 205 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: before they were born, was that even then God would 206 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: be preparing the woman who would be his perfect match 207 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: for each of them who loved the Lord who pursued 208 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 1: the Lord, who wanted to get to know and be 209 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 1: more like the Lord. And I have one son who's married, 210 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: and that's one of the most beautiful things about my 211 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: daughter in law. Our conversations, her prayer requests reflect her 212 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: pursuit of God above all else. One of the most 213 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: helpful things for me was realizing this passage is an 214 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: acrostic poem. Every verse starts with a different letter of 215 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: the Hebrew alphabet. It's basically, if we want to sum 216 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: it up, it's the a to z of a wise woman, 217 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: and it's poetic but not literal. And I think that's 218 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 1: where so many of us get off track, because we 219 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: read it as a literal to do list to be 220 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: approved by God and others. But no woman is doing 221 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:48,599 Speaker 1: or can do all these things at once. So basically, 222 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: this passage about the Proverbs thirty one woman, it's describing 223 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 1: a life of faithfulness, not a single day of the week. 224 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 2: And I don't know about you, but that makes me 225 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,080 Speaker 2: feel so much relief. It's like, Oh, I have my 226 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 2: whole life ahead of me, and I don't have to 227 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 2: so close by a vineyard, manage my household perfectly, all 228 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 2: in one day. There's freedom to make mistakes, there's freedom 229 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 2: to grow, there's freedom to settle into a life lived 230 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 2: for God one hundred percent. It's also, and this is 231 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: important to remember that culturally, this was a This is 232 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 2: a picture of a community oriented woman in an ancient 233 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: household economy. Like when I served with Royal Family Kids Camp, 234 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: the role of a mom was split up between a 235 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 2: number of people. There was your camp counselors who spent, 236 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 2: who guided the campers through the week. There were the cooks. 237 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 2: There was the activity coordinator. There was the spiritual leader. 238 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 2: And the first year I served, I came back home 239 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 2: and thought, Wow, I'm really failing as a mom because 240 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 2: I cannot how I poured into those students as just 241 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 2: their counselor, like I can't do that with my kids. 242 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 2: I'm a terrible mom. And then I realized, wait a minute, 243 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 2: I'm a cook, I'm a chauffeur, I'm the washer of clothes, 244 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 2: I'm the teacher. Yes, and I'm the caretaker. And so 245 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: this ancient Proverbs thirty one woman had a whole team 246 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 2: behind her. She had extended family, she had servants, she 247 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 2: had workers. It wasn't just her alone meal prepping for 248 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 2: a family of six. 249 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: And I look at the attributes of the Proverbs thirty 250 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: one woman, and I've done many of those things, not all. 251 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: I've never purchased a vineyard or sown the seeds for 252 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: the vineyard. But you know I've done a lot of 253 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: those things, owning a business and washing and all those things, 254 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: but not all at the same time. And I think 255 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: what is so key is that we remember her heart 256 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: of faithfulness to God. Well. I suspect if the author 257 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: had gone more in depth, we would have seen that. Truly, 258 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: what this passage is is a reflection of her obedience 259 00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: to what the Father was telling her in the moment. 260 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: But where we missed the complete picture is that it 261 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: doesn't also tell us when she screamed at her child 262 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: and had to ask forgiveness, or when she had to 263 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: repent because she was one shekel shy of the cost 264 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: for the produce. I'm sure we know that there was 265 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: only one who is ever perfect, and it was our 266 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,359 Speaker 1: Lord Jesus. So there were areas that she made mistakes, 267 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: but it was a reflection of where her heart was. 268 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 1: But we tend to feel the pressure to replicate every detail. Well, 269 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: fortunately that can melt away when we understand the context. 270 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: So just how do you think Understanding that this poem 271 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 1: is reflecting a faith a woman of God changes how 272 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: you relate to her. 273 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 2: Well, she no longer seems like an enemy or someone 274 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 2: to be jealous of, or someone to compare myself to 275 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: referring back to we all have someone in our real 276 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 2: life that seems to accomplish like everything, Like she's got 277 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 2: hands of gold, She's got that Midas touch where whatever 278 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 2: she does turns to gold. And frankly, I'm kind of 279 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 2: a mess. I struggle with staying on top of the 280 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 2: household tasks and balancing the checkbook. Do I really have 281 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: to do that? Yeah? But knowing that this Proverbs thirty 282 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 2: one woman is really a picture of a faithful woman 283 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 2: helps me breathe a sigh of relief, Like I don't 284 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 2: have to be her all the time. It's not a 285 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 2: litmus test for a woman who pleases God. Yeah, it's 286 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 2: it's literally just an encouragement. It's like for me now, 287 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 2: it's like when I read Hebrews eleven, the Hall of 288 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:12,159 Speaker 2: Faith chapter, I'm encouraged by those who've gone before me 289 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 2: to live a life of faith. Knowing now that this 290 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 2: passage about the proverbs thirty one is a picture of 291 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 2: a faithful woman. She's now encouraging to me instead of 292 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 2: someone that I feel shame by because I can't meet 293 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,680 Speaker 2: all of those standards all at once. Yeah, how about 294 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 2: for you? Has it changed things for you? 295 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: It does in that I can get overwhelmed when I 296 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: feel like there is too much on my plate that 297 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: I'm the only one who can manage or be responsible 298 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: for those items, and then I can overextend myself and 299 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 1: get a bad attitude. So the proverb thirty one woman 300 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 1: helps me reorient that attitude and want to do things 301 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: out of service to the Lord and others. But I 302 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: want to be about the things that God wants me 303 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: to do each day. Scripture says man makes his plans, 304 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 1: but God orders his steps. I think too often I 305 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: get stuck trying to follow my plan when God has 306 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: something totally different for me to do. Maybe I need 307 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 1: to get stuck behind a slow car in traffic because 308 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: God wants me to have a specific conversation with a 309 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: woman at the grocery store who I wouldn't have encountered 310 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: had I not had that momentary delay. And so I 311 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: really look at the Proverbs thirty one woman, and think 312 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: I want a heart like hers. But what we don't 313 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,719 Speaker 1: read in scripture is that she grumbled and complained her 314 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: way through it. And just we have so many modern conveniences. 315 00:19:54,600 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: Our life is easy z compared to the women of 316 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 1: her time who had to hike who knows how long 317 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: on dusty roads in the heat to go retrieve water. 318 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: I just flip my tap on and sometimes I complain 319 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: because it's not cold enough. 320 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 2: So no, and I don't have to get a scrub 321 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 2: board out and scrub my clothes. My washing machine does. 322 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: It for me, and then go hang them up to 323 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: dry and then have to rewash them because the dust 324 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: has blown in and gotten them dirty again. Our lives 325 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: really are so good, and it reminds me of that 326 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 1: saying that someone would be grateful for the life that 327 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,719 Speaker 1: you have. Yet in our society, we have a tendency 328 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: to focus on that destination we will have arrived when, 329 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: and sometimes I can forget to thank God that He's 330 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: answered my prayer. It's kind of like, Okay, he answered it, 331 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: let's move on, yep, yep. But I think about that 332 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: Proverbs thirty one woman, who really was dependent on God, 333 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: to supply all her needs, and so I try to 334 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 1: look at her more as someone who gave back to 335 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: the Lord out of gratitude. 336 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 2: Wow, that is profound, because you just said something that 337 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 2: really convicted me. How often do I pray for something 338 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 2: and I barely recognize when God answers? Or how often 339 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 2: do I get what I want but complain or wish 340 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 2: I'd gotten something different? And so to wrap the Proverbs 341 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:40,959 Speaker 2: thirty one woman into this layer of gratitude, Yeah, makes 342 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 2: her seem so much more approachable, so much more approachable. 343 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: It makes her seem so much more beautiful. I love 344 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: to be around people who have a positive spirit, who 345 00:21:55,080 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: are grateful, who are content. That's probably the other biggest 346 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,439 Speaker 1: challenge to me from the Proverbs thirty one woman is 347 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: to learn how to be content where I am Prince. 348 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: We're going to take a real short break for a 349 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: brief word from our sponsor, but I want you to 350 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: stick with us to hear how we can learn from 351 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: the proverb thirty one woman. Instead of feeling shame that 352 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 1: we're not measuring up, we'll continue this conversation right after 353 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 1: this brief break. Welcome back. Before the break, we talked 354 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: about how the Proverbs thirty one. Woman can make us 355 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: feel shame because we feel like we don't and can't 356 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: measure up to this standard. But how it's really a 357 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: poem describing a faithful woman. So I want to in 358 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 1: turn look at some practical ways that we can actually 359 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: be inspired by her. 360 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:56,359 Speaker 2: I think that's important because to switch our view of 361 00:22:56,400 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 2: her is just step one. Step two is how we 362 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 2: can learn from her, And the first step is really 363 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 2: to start with the fear of the Lord. Verse thirty 364 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 2: states it clearly charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, 365 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,120 Speaker 2: but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 366 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 2: Like I mentioned earlier, fearing the Lord isn't being scared 367 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 2: of him, it's holding him in higher esteem than anything 368 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 2: or anyone else. We can start looking for our identity 369 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 2: and confidence in what we do or produce, but we 370 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 2: just start looking like chickens, pecking the ground and running 371 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 2: around aimlessly. We grow exhausted and completely oblivious to any 372 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 2: enemy stocking us. I live in the country and we 373 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,640 Speaker 2: have coyotes that live just over the hill. And when 374 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 2: I had chickens, I lost some and I looked at chickens. 375 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 2: They pay no attention to their surroundings. They're literally always 376 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 2: just pecking the ground, chasing the next tasty meal. And 377 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,919 Speaker 2: God showed me a picture. He goes, that's what you 378 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 2: look like when you're chasing success or confidence in anything 379 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 2: else but me, your prime suspect for the enemy. I 380 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: was like, oh, I don't want to be a chicken. 381 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 3: Yeah. 382 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 2: So then I started really diving into what it means 383 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 2: to fear the Lord, in the fact that I'm going 384 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:20,239 Speaker 2: to place him and the highest place of priority in 385 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:20,880 Speaker 2: my life. 386 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,679 Speaker 1: And shame is a tactic the enemy uses and we 387 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:29,159 Speaker 1: fall for it so easily. Jessica Ewan and I have 388 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: done other episodes about how to recover from shame because 389 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: shame comes especially when we make success or approval or 390 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: accumulating things our motivation. But our value doesn't come from 391 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: productivity or perfection. It comes from those moments of intimacy 392 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: with God. So if we start there, everything else flows 393 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 1: out of our relationship with. 394 00:24:54,680 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 2: Him, so good. Secondly, it's important to identify your see 395 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 2: Proverbs thirty one. Woman didn't do all of that in 396 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 2: one season of her life. There were years where she 397 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 2: was raising young kids, years where she was planting those vineyards, 398 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 2: and years when she was investing. So it's important to 399 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 2: ask ourselves what is God calling me to be faithful 400 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 2: with right now? Not everything, not your twenty year plan, 401 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 2: just today's assignment, just today. 402 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:31,479 Speaker 1: Yeah. Third, use your gifts, not hers. Some of you 403 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: are business minded, and some of you are creatives. Others 404 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 1: are very nurturing souls. Still others are leaders, and some 405 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: are behind the scenes geniuses. God doesn't call you to 406 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: be a carbon copy of an ancient Hebrew woman. He 407 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 1: called you to bring your gifts to your family, community, 408 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 1: and the world. 409 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 2: Yes, that's so good to remember that we are all 410 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 2: blessed and given with gifts for the benefit of others. 411 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 2: I love that we don't have to be copies of 412 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 2: each other. It's a beautiful realization. Fourth, let go of 413 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 2: the hustle culture. That hustle culture will only wear us out. 414 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 2: The Proverbs thirty one woman is active, she's not frantic. 415 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 2: Her strength doesn't come from always working. It comes from 416 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 2: wisdom and peace. You see, God doesn't call us to 417 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 2: burn out. He calls us to faithfulness, boundaries, and rest. 418 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: Oh isn't it interesting how so many of our conversations 419 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 1: come back to boundaries and rest. It's almost like God 420 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: prioritizes that or something. 421 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 2: You know it does, and we chase this unrealistic version 422 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,119 Speaker 2: of the Proverbs thirty one woman that we've built up 423 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:50,120 Speaker 2: in our own minds. 424 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: So rest celebrate progress, not perfection. Like we mentioned before 425 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: the break, I don't think the Proverbs thirty one woman 426 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: was perfect. Jesus was the only perfect soul who's ever lived. 427 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: And this passage in Proverbs is a poem describing a 428 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: woman over the course of her life. It's not a checklist, 429 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: It's really more of a blessing list because it shows 430 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 1: what God can cultivate in us over our lifetime. We 431 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: don't need to be all of her today because God 432 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: shapes us day by day. 433 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely. In sixth, embrace community, Proverbs thirty one woman didn't 434 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 2: do life alone, and neither should. We build friendships lean 435 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 2: on your church family. The Proverb's thirty one life is 436 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 2: impossible to do alone and will induce shame if we're isolated. 437 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 2: Proverbs thirty one woman becomes a beautiful expression of a 438 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 2: faithful woman when we're supported by community friends. 439 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: If you have ever felt intimidated like us than I 440 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: have because of the Proverbs thirty one woman, we want 441 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: you to hear this. She is not here to shame you. 442 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:12,879 Speaker 1: She's here to inspire you. Because God delights in the strength, creativity, courage, 443 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: and wisdom he's placed inside you. You don't need to 444 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: become her overnight. You simply need to walk with God 445 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:25,160 Speaker 1: in your season, using your gifts and trusting his direction 446 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: one step at a time. Faithfulness isn't flashy, it's steady 447 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: progress in the same direction. Just as we close out 448 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: this episode of a listener of viewers resonating with our 449 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: conversation what home fielled perspective? Do you want to leave 450 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: them with? 451 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 2: I would like to encourage you that you are doing well. 452 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,959 Speaker 2: There's that parable that Jesus shares about the servants who 453 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 2: are given an opportunity, and when the Master came back, 454 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 2: he said, well done, good and faithful servant. And I 455 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 2: want you to know that your efforts are good enough, 456 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 2: that your faithfulness good is good enough. It's your faithfulness 457 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 2: that produces well done, good and faithful servant. Look to 458 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 2: the Proverbs thirty one woman, not as a list of 459 00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 2: everything that you're doing wrong, but as an inspiration of 460 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 2: a living a life of faithfulness to our God. I'd 461 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 2: like to pray for us today if I can. Heavenly, Father, 462 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 2: thank you so very much that you've given us all 463 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 2: the tools that we need to live life. And yet, Lord, 464 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 2: you call us to depend on you, to not do 465 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 2: it in our own strength. Lord, forgive us for thinking 466 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 2: that we have to generate all of this perfection in 467 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 2: our own In fact, you don't even call us to 468 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 2: be perfect. You call us to completion. Lord, you desire 469 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 2: to complete us. So Lord, let us take a step 470 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 2: back from the striving and the chasing after this standard 471 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 2: that doesn't even exist. And Lord, let us look to 472 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 2: you to live a life of faith. Let us look 473 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 2: to the Proverbs thirty one woman as a celebration of 474 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 2: a faithful woman who lives her life for you. Lord, 475 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 2: we pray, and we praise you for what you're doing 476 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:19,920 Speaker 2: in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. 477 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: Amen. Amen. Friends, I hope that today's episode gave you 478 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: pause to perhaps consider the Proverbs thirty one woman in 479 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: a different light. Let her be an encouragement to you. 480 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: Let her be a reminder to you of the seasons 481 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: that God brings you through. Let her be a motivation 482 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: to you to do things with a glad heart, not 483 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 1: a grumbling spirit, and to do as unto the Lord. 484 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: If there was something in today's episode that resonated with you, 485 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: or you know someone who you think would benefit, would 486 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: you please share this with them so that they have 487 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: a biblically based hope Field perspective, and maybe even consider 488 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: in your group of friends listening to this episode together 489 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: and talking about misconceptions you've had about the Proverbs thirty 490 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: one woman and how she can be an inspiration to you. 491 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: I look forward to being with you again next week 492 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: for another biblically based hope Field perspective, but until then, 493 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 1: it's my prayer for you that you have a hope 494 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: filled week. 495 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 4: Are you or your group looking for a speaker for 496 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 4: your next event or gathering. Nothing delights doctor Michelle Benkson 497 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 4: more than connecting with her audiences and sharing from her 498 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 4: professional expertise and personal experience to champion others in their journey. 499 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 4: She has spoken on a wide variety of topics, including hoperevails, 500 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 4: living the abundant life. Christ came to give the hem 501 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 4: of his garment, reaching out to God when pain overwhelms 502 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 4: victor not a victim, rid yourself of the poisonous shame 503 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 4: and self defeat in your life, walking in the truth 504 00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 4: of our identity, hope for the silent epidemic, Understand depression 505 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 4: in children and teens, and breaking anxiety scrip how to 506 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 4: reclaim the piece God promises. Doctor Bankson is willing to 507 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 4: tailor a message specifically to your group or event. Past 508 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 4: audiences have included one hundred Hontley Street Life Today, the 509 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 4: American Association of Christian Counselors, Gateway Church, Roaring Lambs, and 510 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:23,479 Speaker 4: Fellowship of Professional Women, to name a few. Doctor Benkson 511 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 4: is now accepting invitations for speaking engagements. For more information 512 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 4: or to contact doctor Benkson to speak at your event, 513 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 4: reach out to our staff at info at doctor michelleb 514 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 4: dot com. 515 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 3: Thank you for joining doctor Bankson for your hope build perspective. 516 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 3: We hope you are encouraged by her authenticity, vulnerability, and 517 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:50,760 Speaker 3: biblical truths. If you enjoy today's conversation, when you take 518 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 3: a moment right now, open up your podcast app and 519 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 3: look for the subscribe button right next to our podcast 520 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 3: profile image. We think this podcast is best enjoyed with friends, 521 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 3: so tell a friend and click share in your podcast 522 00:33:03,520 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 3: app and send a friend our link to share hope 523 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 3: with them. If you have a comment, question, or suggest 524 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 3: a topic for a future show, reach out to our 525 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 3: staff at info at Hope Prevails dot org. For additional resources. 526 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 3: Information about doctor Bankson's books where free downloads, or to 527 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 3: contact her to speak at your next event, please visit 528 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 3: doctor michelbe dot com. Until next time, May you have 529 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 3: a hope filled week. 530 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: I'd like to take just a second to thank the 531 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 1: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on 532 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: this podcast. If you go to lifeaudio dot com, you'll 533 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 1: find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. 534 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.