What Every Little Girl Should Have The Chance To Say
Yesterday, Aliyah grabbed my Bible and asked me where I was going to teach from in the sermon. I showed her Matthew 18:1-5 and she began to read…
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’”
She looked up at me and said, “I want to speak on the stage like you.” How I wish every little girl had a woman she could say that to!
I told her that meant she needed to begin to practice right away.
We marched up on the stage and she helped me “test” my mic by reading Matthew 18-:1-5 for everyone in ear shot finishing up final prep for our worship service. Everyone agreed she could take my job at some point soon!
Yesterday,
I spoke with a man who has adult children who asked me when I would be preaching next. He said he hoped to bring his daughter because he thought that if she could just see a woman preach, she might be open to the church again.
I’m not sure if she will come, or if that experience will be enough to heal the wounds she bares, but the glimmer of desperate hope in his eyes and his prayers just may be.
Yesterday,
There were countless women sitting in pews who will never know they have the gift of preaching. Many little girls sitting in on a Sunday School lesson laced with teachings on the limited roles they have in the home, workplace and church. Because they are not little boys.
Yesterday,
Many women got up on a stage to preach to watch others walk out, or worse, turn around and face the back of the room in protest. Yes, this happens.
Yesterday,
Women in other parts of the world will teach both men and women as missionaries, knowing that they’d never have the chance to do so back in the states.
But then there is tomorrow…
Tomorrow I have the honor to give out the award for first place in the Bethel Seminary preaching competition to Caitlyn Stenerson, the 10th woman to win the award in the 50 years it’s existed (I was the 8th).
Caitlyn is a preacher and a pastor. She also happens to be a woman.
We can just go ahead and drop the prefix.
Tomorrow can be different friends. How can we empower just one little girl? Just one woman needing encouragement?
How can we continue to empower men to step into the fullness of who they are as well, not just what culture tells them they should be?
It makes a difference for me! It will make a difference for Aliyah!
Let’s do this.
#empoweringwomen #endthestigma #droptheprefix
Yesterday, Aliyah grabbed my Bible and asked me where I was going to teach from in the sermon. I showed her Matthew 18:1-5 and she began to read…
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.’”
She looked up at me and said, “I want to speak on the stage like you.” How I wish every little girl had a woman she could say that to!
I told her that meant she needed to begin to practice right away.
We marched up on the stage and she helped me “test” my mic by reading Matthew 18-:1-5 for everyone in ear shot finishing up final prep for our worship service. Everyone agreed she could take my job at some point soon!
Yesterday,
I spoke with a man who has adult children who asked me when I would be preaching next. He said he hoped to bring his daughter because he thought that if she could just see a woman preach, she might be open to the church again.
I’m not sure if she will come, or if that experience will be enough to heal the wounds she bares, but the glimmer of desperate hope in his eyes and his prayers just may be.
Yesterday,
There were countless women sitting in pews who will never know they have the gift of preaching. Many little girls sitting in on a Sunday School lesson laced with teachings on the limited roles they have in the home, workplace and church. Because they are not little boys.
Yesterday,
Many women got up on a stage to preach to watch others walk out, or worse, turn around and face the back of the room in protest. Yes, this happens.
Yesterday,
Women in other parts of the world will teach both men and women as missionaries, knowing that they’d never have the chance to do so back in the states.
But then there is tomorrow…
Tomorrow I have the honor to give out the award for first place in the Bethel Seminary preaching competition to Caitlyn Stenerson, the 10th woman to win the award in the 50 years it’s existed (I was the 8th).
Caitlyn is a preacher and a pastor. She also happens to be a woman.
We can just go ahead and drop the prefix.
Tomorrow can be different friends. How can we empower just one little girl? Just one woman needing encouragement?
How can we continue to empower men to step into the fullness of who they are as well, not just what culture tells them they should be?
It makes a difference for me! It will make a difference for Aliyah!
Let’s do this.
#empoweringwomen #endthestigma #droptheprefix