The Female Trap
Over the years, I’ve prayed with and encouraged girls of all ages. I’ve taught Sunday School and VBS. I’ve helped in youth group and even facilitated a mentoring ministry for girls. I’ve taken calls when dinner was ready and waved goodbye to my husband, because we knew the calls were important and I wouldn’t be eating for awhile. I’ve answered texts all hours of the day and night. And I’m convinced—-the devil is real AND he hates females.
Captivating remains a favorite book and I believe it is in there Stasi Eldredge breaks down why. Created from man, I often thought God realized Adam was alone and quickly threw something together like I do when I know company is on the way. That we’re an afterthought.
Not true!
We’re the masterpiece. The showstopper. The cream of the crop.
It doesn’t mean that men aren’t important and loved, but it gives reason to the enemy’s hatred of us. We also give life and are beauty to Our Creator. Guess who was known for his beauty when he was in heaven? Yeah. So lucifer is jealous.
And when I take those calls and pray with girls and women, his lies are at work. My biggest takeaway that God’s ever downloaded is that the devil has a name he never wants us to know, let alone refer him to. The defeated one. And as the antithesis of everything Jesus is, the defeated one doesn’t have access to unlimited resources. In fact, he’s on a budget and the resources are dwindling. Desperate, he has to use what works.
Julie Arduini
So, he switches it up. He’ll whisper to our tired, vulnerable, insecure hearts that we are defeated.
And darn it, we believe it.
I’d love to tell you for all the prayers and chat I’ve been a part of through the years that I’ve seen the lie coming my way and used God’s truth like Wonder Woman’s bracelets and cast the deception off. Well, recently I not only fell for it, I opened the door to the lie like it was a lost kitten and brought it in and gave it a lot of attention.
Grrr.
The good news? Once God showed me I was believing a lie, His love and promises helped me find my way back.
My heart is no one go down that path. I wrote about the experience last week at Christians Read. If you’d like to read about it, visit Girls, I Owe You and Apology.
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Our daughter is a teen with special needs resulting from various health issues. Middle school is tough for anyone, but for her, it was brutal and nearly did both of us in. One day while processing her emotions, she mentioned wishing there was a way to encourage girls before those tough times start. She started sharing, and I realized she had a story. I encouraged her to write it out, and I’d make sure it was published.
She plotted out a three-book series.
Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ features a mentoring ministry, Linked, with middle and high-school aged girls, as well as women mentors. Each book highlights a girl and her mentor, both believing the same lie. Hannah created the characters, the plot, and cover vision. She approved each chapter to make sure I caught the vision. As one reviewer said, “This series needs to be in every church, school, and library.”
We’d love for you to check it out. They can be read as stand alones, but we hope you start with You’re Beautiful, then You’re Amazing, and coming in May, You’re Brilliant.
