Changed By Love

Safe Haven News for November

Last month was eventful for our family. We have had some things to clean up. We have found some cracks in our relationships, so we decided to start working on fixing them up.

Have you ever discovered thought patterns, feelings, or beliefs that are negative or damaging inside yourself? Have you noticed these kinds of things in your children? How should we deal with these kinds of things?

One thing that has helped me identify toxic thinking is teaching by Dr. Caroline Leaf. She has written several books that address changing our thinking so that our actual brains are healthier. Some of her books are “Switch on Your Brain”, “The Perfect You”, “Think and Eat Yourself Smart”, and “Think, Learn, Succeed”.

Another helpful source has been the book “Keep Your Love On” by Danny Silk. This book made a huge impact on me. I think it actually saved my marriage. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I buy extra copies of this book to give away.

You can get your own copy here:

https://amzn.to/36fiGmO

On another subject, I have been observing some disturbing trends in the discussion of women’s roles. I saw what John Macarthur said about women teachers like Beth Moore. He told them to go home. I agree that women should be home with their children nurturing them. If they don’t, then who is going to? And who did God really give that role to? If we go all the way back to the pattern that God set for families and the reason He put us in families, we see that God made the man, then made the woman, and he gave them the ability to reproduce. He gave women the anatomy to carry and feed the child, and the general disposition to nurture young children.

So I agree that women should be the primary caregivers for children in most cases. But I disagree with him about his contention that women should not teach or be in ministry. I believe that God has gifted women with teaching and organizational and other talents that He intended them to use in the church. The verses he uses are culturally-based directions to the people of that time and not stated as a commandment.

I read what some women said in rebuttal. They said that women should be in the workforce just like men. They are saying that they should not have to stay at home with their children.

Men and women are equal, but they are not the same. We have different roles based on our strengths and gifts.

Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies enthusiastically endorses women staying at home with their children. She sees it as a mandate. God’s order and plan is for men and women to marry and have children, and then for the women to raise the children at home. It’s even better if the husband can work from home and be there to help teach and train the children, too.

I realize that this scenario seems almost impossible in the modern world, but I know that there are many people who are so determined to raise their own children that they make it work. They find a way to make a living from a business they can run from home. And God multiplies your finances and resources when you are trusting Him to provide.

It didn’t used to seem so impossible in generations before ours. Life seems to be very expensive now, and living frugally is more difficult now because of the demands of our modern world. So some couples feel like they both have to work to make ends meet.

But, however we feel on the subject of women staying home to raise their children, the other subject that MacArthur brought up about prohibiting women from being preachers, I don’t think we can let that pass.

Here’s what I read on the website Pulpit and Pen:

“Beth Moore is a feminist who is in grave rebellion against God. She travels the country preaching to mixed audiences when the Scriptures are clear, women can’t preach.”

But I don’t think the scriptures say that women can’t preach. The women who were addressed in 1 Cor. 14:34 and 1 Tim. 2:11,12 were not women in authority but women in the congregation who were unruly and noisy during services. The many women that we read of throughout the scriptures who obviously filled positions of authority in the early church were not the ones being addressed by Paul in these letters.

I found this article very helpful: https://bibleresources.org/women-in-ministry/

I think it’s important that we all think through and study these issues so that we can develop a clear understanding of the real intent of these scriptures telling women to stay silent in church.

I think we need to think deeply about the roles of men and women.

We need to take an honest look at how children are being affected by the current trends in child care. And we need to realize that the Bible says that there is no male or female. We are all one in Christ.

Each of us must decide what we believe, and we have to ask the Lord how He wants us to raise our children. But we also need to interpret the Bible correctly and conduct our family affairs in a way that is biblical and pleasing to God. Even when we are going against the tide of popular trends, we need to ask the Lord for His leading and obey Him and trust Him to take care of us and our families.

By the way, guess who is scheduled to preach at our church one Sunday next month?

Little ole me! And I’m pretty sure I’m not in rebellion against God!

Pray for me. I have no idea what I’m going to say.

But I’ll study and pray, and I’m sure the Spirit will give me something good to give to the people that day. I don’t think the Spirit minds that I’m a woman.

Thanks for reading our news! I pray that your homeschool journey is full of love, adventure, and learning all that your family will need to fulfill the call and purposes that God has for you.

Remember to enjoy the journey! 

Penney Douglas at Safe Haven Homeschooling