Strong Woman Alert

Yesterday I made the mistake of asking one of our preschoolers what she thought of her new classroom. (her old room was taken by another larger class)
Her response was wonderful and with all of the Seriousness she could muster she said to me.....
"I don't like it".

I appreciated her honesty but more importantly that she felt she could say that to me. In some circles they would have said that she was being rebellious. Little girls shouldn't have such strong opinions and yet this is how she felt. She didn't say, I don't like it and I'm leaving, nor did she say "I DON"T LIKE IT" in anger. She also did not blame me for changing her room. She also stayed submissive to the decision by staying in the room. She just doesn't like the new room.

and it made me think. Why do we teach little girls to have no opinion? I am not talking about the opinionated, whiny, complaining type that the bible speaks so much about. The ones that the Apostle Paul said to keep silent in the church. 1 Corinthians 14:33-35. By the way you know your this kind of woman if you get mad at what Paul said. But I am talking about the wise, faithful, strong, and beautiful creations of God.

Strong women face an amazing paradox in the church.

If they feel something strongly and desire to promote that thought, they are perceived as aggressive, uncooperative, and selfish.

But if they say nothing, they become frustrated, angry or even surrender to the point of being as if they are dead which I believe is a greater sin. Some even become manipulative to get their way. Again, I know your the kind of woman who needs 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 if right now your thinking of how you  can leverage this thought to your advantage.

But to the Gracie's of the world, especially the newLife world, I want to encourage your strength by leveraging your God given gifts. Your potential has been undervalued for far too long. Again, if your thinking that this gives you Power or Permission to do what ever you want, go back to 1 Corinthians 14:33-35. But if your thinking that this might allow you to finally be the person God created you to be I will do all I can to help you gain access to the opportunities God has for you.

(and for the men who think that I have overstepped my bounds, the Church is seen as the Bride and Jesus said that she was so strong that the gates of hell would not prevail against her)