What God Really Thinks of Women

Standing in the book section of my local Wal-Mart, I'm browsing through the selection of Christian literature. As nursery director, I spend most Sunday services in the nursery. I love doing nursery since my child is in there, but miss out on hearing God's word in the service. I was really excited to hear that our church was starting a new women's Bible Study only to find out that it was scheduled on a day that I have to work (at the church), so I can't attend. Our Tuesday night Bible study has been put on hold, because several members are not able to attend. So, my heart went searching for God's word and came across What God Really Thinks of Women by Sharon Jaynes.

It starts off with a discussion of what the world thinks of women. The author gives an in depth account of the history of the Bible and how women were viewed. As I was reading the introductory chapters, I just had to share the quotes from Aristotle, Socrates and Plato with my husband! We had a good chuckle about the male chauvinistic ideals of the past.  The pharisees of the Jesus' day prayed everyday, thanking God that they had not been born a woman! Wow! How must that have made their wives feel?  My husband, even if he had these thoughts, knows better than to say them aloud.

 Sharon Jaynes is a true storyteller! I loved the way she made the reader step into the world of each of the women that Jesus spent time with. Being able to experience Mary Magdalene's face-to-face encounter with our Risen Lord at the tomb brought new understanding of how Christ loves me personally.

As the daughter of a retired pastor, raised in a church where women were to be seen and not heard (except from the children's ministry wing, the insights in this book have given me a new outlook on where God wants me to be in my future ministry.

What are you reading currently? How is God speaking to you?