Book Review ~ Voices of the True Woman Movement, Chapter 1

     Recently I received this book, Voices of the True Woman Movement - A Call to the Counter-Revolution, from Revive Our Hearts Ministry.  If you aren't familiar with Revive Our Hearts Ministry, it's a wonderful ministry to women in today's world that encourages us to live according to God's Word.  Period!  I love Nancy Leigh DeMoss and her way of sharing with women, without condemning us, what God's Word has to say about living for the Lord in today's culture.  She isn't afraid to approach hard topics with women - topics many wouldn't dare discuss today for fear of offending someone.  But these are topics we need to hear discussed according to Biblical standards and Nancy has answered that call from the Lord.  If you aren't familiar with Nancy or the ministry, you can check it out by clicking on the book link above.

     This book is a collection of messages that was presented at the True Woman conference which was in October 2008.  An excerpt from a summary of the book states this:  "Which voices are you listening to?  In a world with so many contradictory and insistent messages, it's hard to know which ones are right, isn't it?  Discover how a heart tuned to hear God's voice can be transformed to glorify Him and impact those around you for such a time as this."    

Chapter 1 - The Ultimate Meaning of True Womanhood
by John Piper

     John Piper begins this chapter with a big bang, mentioning several women who have gone through tremendous loss and/or turmoil in their lives yet have chosen to stand strong in their faith.  Those brief bios were extraordinary stories that gave me encouragement.  Piper's sentiment in this chapter is mainly this - "wimpy theology makes wimpy women."  If we don't know the Lord who was, is and is to come, then we can't live like we do.  One of his quotes states, "Wimpy theology simply does not give a woman a God that is big enough, strong enough, wise enough, and good enough to handle the realities of life in a way that magnifies the infinite worth of Jesus Christ."  I couldn't agree with him more.

     Because his assertion is as stated above, the opposite of wimpy women is the true woman, a woman of God.  The true woman, Piper states, is one who lives so that God may be glorified in her life.  Furthermore, if women were never created, the glory of Christ could not be displayed with the same magnitude that it is because of the presence of women in the world.  Of course, that is also true of men.  Main point - God purposefully created us as men and women.      

     Piper writes a special message to married women and single women and states that "true womanhood can flourish in marriage and singleness."  He also cites scripture references throughout the chapter. 

     Honestly, I didn't know much about this book before receiving it.  Thus far, I am enjoying what I've read and believe I'm being challenged to think about these ideas.  I really like that in a book.  If I can't read something that makes me think when it comes to God and His word, in my opinion, there's no point of reading it!  

     I'm interested to see what's coming next - Chapter 2 was written by Nancy herself.  I can't wait to read that one.

     Update:  For my review of Chapter 2, click here:  http://littlekissesfromgod.blogspot.com/2010/07/book-review-voices-of-true-woman.html 

Blessings!