We are women and this is a powerful thing. It is an echo of God’s heart and a display of His glory. He speaks this world into being—let there be light—but when He makes woman, it’s intimate and personal.
Imagine the scene. Adam drifting off to sleep in the sunlight, the whisper of God’s footsteps on the grass, the bend of His knees as He reaches down. He touches Adam’s side, the place closest to his heart, and takes hold of a rib. Perhaps the animals gather to watch. A porcupine with sharp quills who’s trying not to be socially awkward sits next to a chubby panda having another afternoon snack, while a squirrel deliriously runs circles around them all.
Then a hush comes as the Artist begins to work. He stretches the rib out long and adds curves and flesh and eyelashes. Yes, a freckle just above her lip, a wrinkle on her elbow, a softness in the palms of her hands, and a strength between her shoulder blades.
I think God smiles.
Soon all that beauty will be marred with sin like spitballs on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He will curse her. He will not give up on her. And later a Messiah will set her free. But even after that the woman circles the borders of Eden, never completely reclaiming the truth. She forgets her story. The people around her tell her different versions. The world is a web of lies and she is the butterfly with paper wings struggling in the corner.
She doesn’t see she is lovely. She becomes untethered from the fierceness inside her. She tries on shoes like Cinderella in yoga pants and eats leftover cookies alone in the middle of the night and sees the plastic surgeon for one more touch-up, the knife splitting her skin’s surface like the hurt splits her soul. Or she hides and tries very hard to be very good. She joins every committee and says yes to bathing one hundred poodles for charity and grows dim in the flicker of the television light.
And all the while, the One who made her is calling her back, still walking in the garden of her heart in the cool of the day and saying, “I am with you.” He offers what she longs for most—for Him to tell her who she really is, to whisper in her ear that He has made her funny and wise and strong and brave. That she is tender and resilient and complex and wonder-filled. She is mystery and unveiling. She is salty tears and the sweat at the finish line and the lioness in the corner office and lullabies in the night. She is not an afterthought; she has been an essential part of the plan all along.
Somewhere a snake hisses and a Savior on a cross declares, “It is finished.” The curtain splits and the curse breaks and the promise of Eden comes back to us. All the sisters and the daughters and the mamas say, “Amen.” Redemption joyfully roars back, “You are a woman.” It echoes through the ages.
When I listen closely, I can hear it still.
XOXO,
Holley
P.S. This post is an excerpt from my new book Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely and is also up at (in)courage today. If you preorder a copy, please be sure to submit your receipt to receive several free gifts! I’d also love to invite you to join me for the free Fiercehearted Fall Study! The online study will kick off on October 3rd, launch day. There will be exclusive videos, discussions about the book, giveaways, and more. Nearly 2,000 women participated in the last study {and books sold out from several retailers}. Preorder Fiercehearted now to be sure you have your copy in time—plus you’ll get the free gifts!
P.P.S. If you’re in Northwest Arkansas or close by {OK, MO, KS, TX–I’m talking to you!} I’d love to see you at the Fiercehearted Launch Party on October 3rd! {A special segment of the Launch Party will be shared via live video in the Fiercehearted Fall Study.}
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From August 16th through October we’re doing a special link-up series to celebrate Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely {launching October 3rd!} You’re a fiercehearted woman so I’m asking you to pour out a little love and courage with your words every Wednesday {the link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post, especially if it’s about living fully and loving bravely, and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.
Pretty please use this button in your blog post so others can easily join in with us {the html code is in the right sidebar of my main blog page}. And when you link up your post, take a moment to leave an encouraging comment on the one that’s linked up just before yours. Thanks, friends!
I’m having Coffee For Your Heart with my friend Holley Gerth!
{click to tweet that you’re joining me here today}
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