Hi everyone! I need to write this before the retreat high fades into the rigors of daily life. It is a thought I had on Sunday and would've shared to the whole group but I thought I would have the chance to tell just the ladies as I am not one to normally speak to a mixed audience . Unfortunately we didn't meet separately again. So here goes...
After chatting with new and familiar female faces at the retreat, I was struck. Biblical Families women are amazingly beautiful! My former rebel self would've balked, "why would these men want more wives?!" Then I realized their beauty was a direct result of this exact reason. It's a spiritual beauty that permeates their whole selves. These women are beautiful because of the work they have had to do within themselves.
While I was still on the fence about polygyny, my husband told me that regular (anti-poly) Christian women will only be able to grow so far in their spiritual walk. And being open to plural marriage takes it to a whole new level. I, argumentative of course, wanted to point out spiritual "greats" in our church...what about this missionary or that awesome submissive wife? I believe now that he's right.
I'm not a big fan of modern praise and worship music. When our mainstream church sings, I very rarely feel "moved" by the words and most of the time I'm thinking these people have no idea what they're singing about. When the Amelangs led us this weekend in worship and sang about the Refiner's Fire, you better believe these women acutely know what they're singing about. They sang about God making diamonds out of us(dust) and diamonds being made through pressure. It was a reoccurring theme. "Though there's pain in the offering / Blessed be Your Name."
Behind all of their bright smiles is something a little more...deep. A little more....real. A little more God and a little less self. These are meek and quiet spirits. Not because they have shy dispositions (Ali
) but because they have come through the fire! They have made the choice to say, "Not my will but Thine be done."
You immediately feel a part of this group of women. You know they understand exactly how you've felt (when you wouldn't dare even mention the word to other women). Without even speaking any words, you see it in their eyes. They know. They know about the tears, the feelings, the fits of rage, the falling on the forest floor with no former life left, the rising again and again and again.
So thank you. Thank you to these wonderful, beautiful diamonds. Thank you to those men who gave their women the opportunity to rise to a new level in their spiritual journey. To become less, so He can become more. It is truly humbling to be in the company of these greats!
And thank you, Amelangs, for introducing me to the diamonds song. It's kinda stuck in my head now. Oh-oh oh-oh
After chatting with new and familiar female faces at the retreat, I was struck. Biblical Families women are amazingly beautiful! My former rebel self would've balked, "why would these men want more wives?!" Then I realized their beauty was a direct result of this exact reason. It's a spiritual beauty that permeates their whole selves. These women are beautiful because of the work they have had to do within themselves.
While I was still on the fence about polygyny, my husband told me that regular (anti-poly) Christian women will only be able to grow so far in their spiritual walk. And being open to plural marriage takes it to a whole new level. I, argumentative of course, wanted to point out spiritual "greats" in our church...what about this missionary or that awesome submissive wife? I believe now that he's right.
I'm not a big fan of modern praise and worship music. When our mainstream church sings, I very rarely feel "moved" by the words and most of the time I'm thinking these people have no idea what they're singing about. When the Amelangs led us this weekend in worship and sang about the Refiner's Fire, you better believe these women acutely know what they're singing about. They sang about God making diamonds out of us(dust) and diamonds being made through pressure. It was a reoccurring theme. "Though there's pain in the offering / Blessed be Your Name."
Behind all of their bright smiles is something a little more...deep. A little more....real. A little more God and a little less self. These are meek and quiet spirits. Not because they have shy dispositions (Ali
) but because they have come through the fire! They have made the choice to say, "Not my will but Thine be done."You immediately feel a part of this group of women. You know they understand exactly how you've felt (when you wouldn't dare even mention the word to other women). Without even speaking any words, you see it in their eyes. They know. They know about the tears, the feelings, the fits of rage, the falling on the forest floor with no former life left, the rising again and again and again.
So thank you. Thank you to these wonderful, beautiful diamonds. Thank you to those men who gave their women the opportunity to rise to a new level in their spiritual journey. To become less, so He can become more. It is truly humbling to be in the company of these greats!
And thank you, Amelangs, for introducing me to the diamonds song. It's kinda stuck in my head now. Oh-oh oh-oh
