It's late...

...and I'm tired.

But I am trying to stick to my commitment.

So... I have been working with this lady who is basically "coaching" me. First on being a wife and mother but then on being a pastors wife. Anyway, she has been asking me to do various writing assignments. Recently, when I was sharing with her my desire to be a stronger wife and mother and just woman in general, she asked me to write about what it is to be a strong woman. I thought I'd share this on here. Please know, I don't think I am this woman. But I aspire to be. :)

The strong woman is humble. She is aware and grateful of her strengths and gifts, but she recognizes the Source and gives credit where it is due. The strong woman is quick to lift others up, to point out the good she sees in them. She is gracious and compassionate. The words that she speaks bring forth life and blessing, and her lips are continually parted in prayer.

To her God; She is completely abandoned. Irrevocably in love. The passion and devotion she feels for her Christ is unmatched, by any other. She acknowledges Christ as the basis of her existence and the very core of her being.
To her husband; She is as devoted as one person possibly can be to another human being. The strong woman is a source of comfort, strength and honesty to her husband. She provides for him a "safe place" in which to rest. In her companionship he finds both passion and reason. She helps him remember his dreams..
To her children; She provides unconditional love. She encourages their gifts and their dreams, helps open their eyes to all the possibilities that lie within them. She is firm, but not harsh. She is gentle but not weak. She protects, but doesn't hover. She allows them to fall..and encourages them to try again. For her children, the strong woman prays without ceasing.
To her friends; She encourages personal growth and provides accountability. She is loyal and trustworthy. A strong woman mourns with those who mourn and rejoices with those who rejoice.

The strong woman recognizes that life is all about relationship. First with Christ and then with others. Her heart is to point to Christ in every way, in an effort to bring others to relationship with Him.